Monday, December 16, 2013

Repair Alligatored Cracks With Use Of Asphalt Patching Technique

By Cornelia White


Asphalt material is used in laying down pavements because it lasts for long. The pavements designed of asphalt can last for up to 20 years or more if proper care and preventive maintenance is practiced. If there are big cracks and potholes, asphalt patching technique is applied in repairing such damages. This methods of repairing asphaltic driveways and lots helps restore the badly damaged areas of roads.

With time, as the blacktop material ages, it deteriorates in quality. This is caused by the oxidizing process of asphaltic material. As the asphaltic material ages, it changes it molecular structure and becomes lose and unbinding. The beautiful jet black color dies away as the material turns lighter grey.

The patch method is best used in localized repairs. If you have a few areas that need to be restored, then the method may be appropriate. With time, asphaltic blacktop suffers from the effects of sunlight, water, and substances like salt and gasoline products. Ultraviolet rays lead to hardening and unraveling of blacktop material. As the rays heat the surface directly, they accelerate the oxidizing process leading to unbinding of asphaltic material.

If the damages have affected the sub base layer, patches can help restore them. In this repair process, the ground is properly excavated and all the loose materials are removed. The patches are applied through hot or cold patching process but the process needs to be done by a specialist to avert the applied material from wearing out within a short time.

Inside the sub grade layer, that water causes other problems. The aggregate material becomes lose, and it cannot support the heavy weight that passes over the blacktop. Since the strength of blacktop is as good as the quality of the sub base, if the subgrade is damaged, then your blacktop surface also suffers. Potholes occur when the subgrade area is affected by water.

When the surface is acted upon by moving vehicles weight, it can collapse easily leading to sections of areas which need properly repair. The patch technique is used in areas which have receive extensive damage such a potholes, sink holes, alligatored cracks, and other large damages particularly those which are localized or affect a small area.

In addition, it helps prevent water from seeping down pavements. Water causes many problems in asphaltic blacktop, and this is because when it enters inside, it makes the compacted material to become loose. If the aggregate is loose, it means it cannot support any weight passing over the pavements. With the heavy traffic and load distress, the pavement starts crumbing down and forming sink holes as well as potholes.

The cold patch process does not require the use of heavy rolling machines and it is not dependent on warm weather for application. One reason why the asphaltic repair crew uses the cold material is that it retains its pliable properties as the temperature drops. Hot asphaltic mix may also be used to patch the damaged areas of pavements. The asphalt patching contractor will determine which procedure works best and affordably while providing long lasting solutions.




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