Over time, asphalt pavement will begin to degrade. That is just the way it is. However, there is something that property managers and business owners can do to minimize asphalt damage. Contact your local Baltimore asphalt contractor at the first sign of pavement deterioration. But do you know what you are looking for?
Types of Pavement Deterioration
- Alligator Cracking: A load associated structural failure, alligator cracking often occurs because of weakness in the surface, base or subgrade; a surface or base that is too thin; or poor drainage. Asphalt Repair: Because alligator cracking is associated with structural failure, a full-depth path is required.
- Block Cracking: Visually, block cracking looks exactly how it sounds, with large interconnected rectangle cracks. It is generally caused by shrinkage of the asphalt due to an inability of asphalt binder to expand and contract along with temperature changes. Asphalt Repair: Smaller cracks can be sealed. More severe cracks will most likely require an overlay.
- Longitudinal Cracking: Parallel to the pavement centerline or laydown direction, longitudinal cracks are the result of pavement fatigue, reflective cracking, and/or poor joint construction. Asphalt Repair: Smaller cracks can be sealed. More severe cracks will most likely require an overlay.
- Transverse Cracking: Perpendicular to the pavement centerline or laydown direction, transverse cracks are the result of reflective cracks from an underlying layer, daily temperature cycles, and poor construction. Asphalt Repair: Smaller cracks can be sealed. More severe cracks will most likely require an overlay.
- Edge Cracks: Just as you would imagine, edge cracks travel along the edge of the pavement. They are commonly caused by poor drainage conditions and lack of support at the pavement edge. Asphalt Repair: Crack filling or crack sealing are the accepted repair techniques.
- Joint Reflection Cracks: Cracks in a flexible pavement overlay of a rigid pavement , joint reflection cracks occur directly over the underlying rigid pavement joints. Asphalt Repair: Smaller cracks can be sealed. More severe cracks will most likely require an overlay.
Asphalt Repair from your Baltimore Asphalt Contractor, Reliable Contracting
At Reliable Contracting, a full-service commercial and residential asphalt contractor, we offer the production and installation of hot and cold-mix asphalt, asphalt patching, milling, seal coating, and crack filling. To finish off your job, we also offer parking lot striping, signage, parking bumpers and speed bumps.
Check back next week as we unveil more types of pavement deterioration and their appropriate fixes!
If you have any questions about Asphalt Repair or if you have a construction project that you need completed right the first time, please contact Reliable Contracting, Anne Arundel County’s largest site-work contractor, by calling 410-987-0313 or visit our website. Reliable Contracting now boasts more than 400 employees, 100 trucks and 250 pieces of earthmoving equipment!