When it comes to asphalt pavement maintenance and dealing with cracks, you have two basic options: crack sealing and crack filling. But which is best? Well, that all depends on the situation. So before we get into crack filling vs. crack sealing, we must first address the different types of asphalt cracks.

Types of Asphalt Cracks

• Transverse Cracks: These cracks are caused by reflective cracks from an underlying layer, daily temperature cycles, and poor construction due to improper operation of the paver.
• Longitudinal Cracks: These are cracks that are parallel to the pavements centerline or laydown direction and are the result of pavement fatigue, reflective cracking, and/or poor joint construction.
• Edge Cracks: These cracks appear along the inside edge of a pavement surface within one or two feet and are commonly caused by poor drainage conditions and lack of support at the pavement edge.
• Seam Cracks: These cracks occur along the paving joints and are typically caused by improper hot mix paving procedures.
• Block Cracks: These cracks look like large interconnected rectangles, hence their name. Block cracking is generally caused by shrinkage of the asphalt pavement due to an inability of asphalt binder to expand and contract with temperature cycles.
• Reflective Cracks: These cracks appear when the surface material cannot adjust to the changes in the movement of the sub-surface courses.
• Alligator Cracks: Alligator cracking is a load associated structural failure due to weakness in the surface, base or sub grade; a surface or base that is too thin; poor drainage or the combination of all three.

When deciding whether crack filling or crack sealing is best, your asphalt contractor will take the expected movement of the cracks in the pavement into carefully consideration.

1. Crack Filling: Generally, crack filling will be used for non-working cracks with moderate to no edge deterioration.
2. Crack Sealing: Generally, crack sealing is used for cracks with limited edge deterioration

Experienced personnel – like the ones found at PTG Enterprises – can usually identify the crack type; working or non-working and take the appropriate action.

If you have any further questions about Asphalt Crack Sealing & Crack Filling or if you have a project that you need completed, then contact PTG Enterprises aka My Pavement Guy today by calling 410-636-8777 or click here today! The asphalt experts here have managed hundreds of Maryland, DC, and Virginia pavement projects and have the experience you need.

Give me the opportunity to impress you. I can be your one stop ‘Pavement Guy,’ for any pavement project regardless of size or scope.

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