This survey will help you: Understand the reasons pavement life is shortened Evaluate your pavement’s condition and maintenance needs Give you ideas on how you can extend the life of your asphalt
Enter a number from 1 to 5 that best describes the condition of your pavement for each type of problem area (1 = NONE and 5 = EXTENSIVE)
Raveling:
The on-going separation of aggregate particles from the pavement’s surface
1 2 3 4 5
Cause:
Repair:
Prevention:
Water penetrates unprotected pavement surface.
Sealcoating will prevent raveling.
Application of sealer after new asphalt has cured.
Polished Aggregate:
Aggregate in pavement has been smoothed resulting in slick, unsafe surface surface
1 2 3 4 5
Cause:
Repair:
& Prevention
Repeated traffic polishes aggregate.
Use a special bonding primer to gain adhesion,
then sealcoat.
Gas & Oil Stains:
Unsightly stains that weaken the surface
1 2 3 4 5
Cause:
Repair:
Prevention:
Oil dripping from vehicles.
Depending on the severity, patching or the application of special oil resistant bonding primer prior to sealcoating.
Sealcoat over oil resistant primer as quickly as possible after new asphalt has been laid.
Various factors may be the cause: pavement movement, shrinkage of asphalt mix due to oxidation, weak or weathered joints, extreme temperature changes and/or surface layer movement.
Depending on severity, patch or seal cracks, a sealcoat might be necessary.
Depending on the type of cracks your pavement has, proper prevention varies. Ensure proper pavement installation, consider the use of reinforced fabric prior to surfacing, timely crack filling, sealcoating, sealer applications.
Potholes:
Bowl-shaped holes of various sizes
1 2 3 4 5
Cause:
Repair:
Prevention:
Poor drainage, insufficient pavement thickness, negligence of crack sealing and sealcoating.
Localized low areas that are limited in size, often indicated by standing water
1 2 3 4 5
Cause:
Repair:
Prevention:
Traffic may be heavier than the pavement was designed for, or a localized subsurface drainage problem may exist.
Based on field inspection, either correct drainage problem and repair pavement, or correct grade by localized leveling.
Proper pavement design and construction with emphasis on traffic load and drainage.
Corrugation/Rutting:
A fairly regular pattern of wave-like bumps
1 2 3 4 5
Cause:
Repair:
Prevention:
Lack of stability in asphalt layer.
Removal and replacement of pavement.
Proper pavement design and construction.
Take a minute to add up the numbers you entered. Your total will give you a basic idea of how urgent your maintenance needs may be.
Total Points
How does your pavement stand up? 7-14 E X C E L L E N T C O N D I T I O N
The secret to protecting it from future deterioration is to sealcoat. The sealer serves your pavement much in the same way as paint protects the wood and other exposed surfaces of your building.
Without the paint, wooden areas will rot; likewise; without the pavement sealer your asphalt will deteriorate from the influences of the elements and chemicals at an accelerated rate.
15-21 G O O D C O N D I T I O N
Usually, you’ll find that pavement in this state is characterized by random cracks of up to ½-inch in width, and raveled aggregate. The key to remedying these pavement problems is to professionally clean the cracks, removing any vegetation, and fill the cracks with an industrial grade crack filler.
After the cracks are filled, the lot should be covered with an asphalt overlay or a sealcoat to prevent further damage.
22-28 F A I R C O N D I T I O N
This pavement may contain random cracks, raveled aggregate, depressions, local alligator areas, potholes and perhaps, upheaval. The first step in saving this paved area is to construct a full-depth asphalt repair where needed, taking care to resolve any problems with the subgrade, restoring the areas to the proper cross-section by applying a leveling or wedge course, which is an asphalt layer variable thickness. Cracks should be filled and finally, and asphalt overlay or sealcoat should be applied.
29-35 P O O R C O N D I T I O N
If your pavement has numerous, severe problems, the most efficient way of dealing with it may be to repave. Before doing this, you’ll want to make sure problem-causing conditions, such as poor drainage or inadequate underlying soil conditions, are corrected. Once the asphalt is laid, you should protect your pavement from needless deterioration by having is sealcoated. With proper maintenance, you’ll find your new pavement to be a lasting addition and enhancement to your property investment.
