Commercial and residential property owners that have asphalt in their properties are too familiar with the types of asphalt pavement challenges.
Just like all types of surfaces, asphalt is not invincible. Chemical spills, UV rays, ice melting salt, and snow removal all have a damaging impact on the asphalt surface and eventually degrade the base.
Despite the preventive care and ongoing asphalt maintenance, asphalt paving start deteriorating with gradual aging. However, the nature of the problem and degree of severity may vary.
Understanding the culprits and menace to your asphalt can be beneficial in many ways. To help you, we have listed an overview of various asphalt construction problems and their fixes. We hope that this will help you in some way when consulting with your local asphalt paving contractor.
Asphalt Degradation
This kind of deformation may appear on the asphalt surface due to the expansion of the base or excessive water absorption. Degradation results from swelling in the sub-grade layer.
Repair Tips
• Remove the raised portions
• Do full-depth asphalt patch
Rutting
Rutted or depressed vehicle wheel paths may appear on asphalt roads, driveways, or even parking lots with heavy traffic loads. This happens due to moisture absorption, weak asphalt mixture, insufficient asphalt viscosity, or compaction.
Repair Tips
• Apply overlay of fresh asphalt (minor rutting)
• Do repaving (severely rutted structures)
Raveling
Heavy traffic stress and aging can cause raveling on the pavement surface. When you see uneven surfaces, loose gravel rocks, debris, it means that the gravel and the asphalt binder that holds it together has disappeared.
With this kind of damage, driveway resurfacing must be done at the earliest. Raveling allows water to seep into the asphalt, causing further damages.
Repair Tips
• Remove the debris and loose materials
• Apply asphalt patch for small areas
• Apply overlay of fresh asphalt for large areas
Potholes
Potholes are small bowl-shaped deep depressions on pavement surfaces. When minor cracks are left unattended for too long, large asphalt pavement chunks can get dislodged, forming deeper and more dangerous holes on the road or parking lot.
Repair Tips
• Full-depth asphalt patch replacement
Depression
Depressions are lower areas developing on the pavement surfaces. Such problems arise from poor asphalt compaction during the construction.
The submerged areas on driveway surfaces allow room for water accumulation and debris deposits. If left unattended, this accumulation will be weakening the asphalt material.
Repair Tips
• For permanent repair: Remove the faulty sub-grade from the affected area and do a full-depth asphalt patch.
• Temporary repair: Clean the area and lay the asphalt patch on the lower areas.
Monitoring and identifying the different asphalt paving issues at an early stage can be helpful to act quickly and prevent further damages. It also saves your time and money on expensive replacement projects.
When you see damage and fatigue on the pavement surface, it’s time to contact a local asphalt paving company.
The abovementioned guide will help you to understand the type of fault and discuss your project with experts.
Are you looking for asphalt repair contractors? Please feel free to search our asphalt paving directory for a local asphalt paving companies near you.
