WATER is the most destructive element to our pavements. If it rained and snowed everywhere but on our roads, bridges and parking lots, 90 percent of highway, street and parking lot work would be eliminated.
Since that is not likely to happen anytime soon, we need to prevent water intrusion into our pavement. Filling or sealing pavement cracks to prevents water from entering the base and sub base through open cracks. Filling cracks and joints with asphalt materials is not new. These pavement repair techniques have been commonplace practices for decades. The asphalt materials are intended to fill the crack and keep as much of the water out of the pavement an into the sub-base. When water is kept out, pavement deteriorates at a much slower.
Durable and economical pavements expand and contract with seasonal temperature changes. Consequently, cracks and joints are expanding and contracting when the pavement moves. Particularly in those cold New England Winters. Fillers do not expand or contract. Sealing the crack with a hot flexible crack sealant that bonds to the crack walls and moves with the pavement will prevent water intrusion. Asphalt is not flexible and will not open and close as the crack moves. It will fail allowing water to enter the sub-base by way of the opened cracks. Sealing is better than filling cracks with asphalt. Sealing will last longer and cost less. As part of a pavement maintenance program, crack sealing can reduce pavement deterioration by restricting water penetration into underlying base and sub base layers. This restriction helps to maintain pavement structural capacity and limits future degradation.
Simply stated, sealing cracks and joints in pavement extends the service life of the surface treatment and the pavement. The benefits are realized in three to five years when it becomes obvious that the pavement has not deteriorated. In fact, roads and parking lots that have been crack sealed have better ride ability five years later than other surface treatments, such as chip seals, micro paving, thin overlays and slurry sealing’s. In five years these other treatments have come to the end of their life cycle. Roads, bridges and parking lots sealed last longer than those that are not. Sealing prior to surface treatments enhances the treatment and further extends the pavement life. The overall success of pavement maintenance systems that include crack sealing, combined with the general low cost, make crack sealing a desired maintenance program. Crack sealing provides the most cost-effective use of dollars over time compared to other pavement maintenance techniques.
For all of your pavement maintenance program needs contact us today to get a FREE estimate!
1-800-225-4015 www.NewEnglandSealcoating.com
