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What Causes Asphalt Pavement to Deteriorate?

Asphalt pavement is the most commonly used material the world over for roads, airport tarmacs, parking lots, and driveways because it is very durable, resilient, cost-effective, and quick and easy to put down. When proper inspection and asphalt maintenance is conducted it can be expected to last for as much as 25 years. However, it’s not indestructible, and there are many factors that can cause pavement damage over time, including exposure to the elements, improper construction techniques, and just normal wear and tear. Here are some of the most common causes of asphalt pavement damage.

Causes Of Asphalt Pavement Deterioration

  • Water and moisture. Water will always seek out the cracks and seams on any surface, breaking down the material that holds the asphalt together and washing out the foundation from underneath, leading to cracks and collapse. This is especially true in areas with heavy rainfall and poor drainage.
  • Heat and sunlight. The UV rays from the sun and the heat they generate will eventually dry out the flexible asphalt material and cause it to lift up and separate from the compacted material of its foundation, again causing cracks and fissures that also allow water in leading to further pavement damage.
  • Petroleum and other chemicals. Asphalt pavements that are used to accommodate motor vehicles such as roads, airport tarmacs, and driveways are constantly exposed to leaks of oil and gasoline as well as the chemicals emitted from combustion. This can cause the asphalt to begin to break down in as little as a few years without proper maintenance. Asphalt companies routinely do repairs on damage from these chemicals.
  • Utility work. When utility companies have to service underground gas, sewer, or power lines they often don’t do a very good job of repairing the asphalt pavement they have to tear up to get at the lines, leading to immediate and accelerated future damage.
  • Tree roots. Especially in dryer regions or those with sandy soil where tree roots have to grow further out in search of water, they can do a lot of damage to any asphalt pavement they encounter by undermining the foundation and causing a collapse of the road or driveway.
  • Heavy traffic. Obviously any asphalt pavement that has hundreds or even thousands of heavy vehicles traveling over it every day is going to need repairs of potholes and fissures more frequently due to normal wear, and asphalt companies are constantly at work maintaining them, as every driver knows.
  • Expansion and contraction. Asphalt pavement that is exposed to extreme cold and hot temperatures will expand and contract as it heats and cools. This causes it to weaken and can lead to upheavals, or blowups, that can happen literally overnight and cause a major hazard to drivers and their vehicles.
  • Poor construction and application. Improper construction techniques are a common cause of asphalt pavement damage. This usually means that the base foundation below the asphalt was improperly compacted or the asphalt was too thinly applied or applied at the wrong temperature.

When asphalt pavement has been installed by a reputable contractor and is properly inspected and maintained it will normally provide many years of service. It’s important when choosing which asphalt companies to use that they have the experience and expertise to do the job right and be available to service their work.

By admin Asphalt Paving • • • • 0 Comments

Pavement and Fuel Consumption: Is There a Link?

Fuel efficiency in motor vehicles has been a major concern ever since the 1970s and has garnered even more attention in recent years due to the global warming debate. Interested parties include environmentalists, government agencies, vehicle manufacturers, the trucking and transportation industries, and the everyday consumer driving their cars. The focus has mainly been centered on creating better vehicle designs, with more aerodynamic forms and fuel-efficient engines, as well as alternative fuels. But recently a whole new field of environmental science has emerged that is taking a close look at the pavement that vehicles drive on and how it affects fuel efficiency. Their findings so far indicate that pavement does indeed have a significant impact on how much fuel a vehicle uses with far-reaching implications for those concerned with road construction and asphalt maintenance.

Roughness And Responsiveness

Asphalt is by far the most used material for building roadways around the world, accounting for about 90% of the 2.5 million miles of pavement existing in the U.S. and 3.2 million miles in Europe. The scientists and engineers who are studying the relationship between pavement characteristics and fuel consumption are generally measuring the effects of three basic factors:

  • Roughness – The smoothness of the roadway affects the drive train components and suspension system of a vehicle as well as the flexing of the sidewalls of the tires. A rough pavement makes these systems work harder, which in turn causes the engine to work harder to overcome these stresses, using more fuel.
  • Macrotexture – This is a measurement of the pavement surface that has an effect on the friction and resistance between the tires and the road.
  • Structural Responsiveness – This is a measure of how much a pavement material will deform, or give, under the weight of a vehicle passing over it.

All of these factors taken together have a big impact on fuel consumption. And they change over time as the roadway is used and as natural elements such as heat, cold, and water deteriorate the pavement and cause potholes and rough surfaces requiring asphalt repair.

Smoother Is Better And Asphalt Is Best

The research has shown that the smoothness of pavement is the dominant factor in fuel efficiency. The rougher the road, the greater the fuel consumption. And the studies have shown that asphalt is the best material for the construction and maintenance of smooth pavements. A U.S. General Accounting Office (GAO) report in 1999 stated: “Concrete roads may produce rougher readings than asphalt roads, even if the concrete road is of very high quality. Features such as joints between sections can contribute to the roughness of concrete highways.”

It’s clear that making a bigger investment in asphalt maintenance on the nation’s highways and byways at the federal, state, and local level will have significant benefits for fuel-efficiency. This would not only help to make for a cleaner environment, but it would save the trucking and transportation industries, as well as the average consumer, a lot of money on fuel costs, which would be good for the economy. It would also mean significant savings on vehicle maintenance and repair.

Adequate asphalt maintenance and repair should be a high priority for the nation’s policymakers. It’s the right thing to do.