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Posts Tagged ‘Cracking’
Thursday, June 2nd, 2011
Unfortunately, even the best pavement is not indestructible. Heavy traffic usage and weather changes, along with several other outside factors, can lead to pavement distress, which is noticeable physical damage on roads or sidewalks. If not dealt with quickly, pavement distress can lead to more serious problems, all of which can significantly shorten the lifespan of your pavement.
But how can you spot pavement distress in time? This article from eHow.com explains how you can quickly identify pavement distress.
1. Assess cracks on the surface of the pavement. Alligator cracking appears as a network of cracks, forming a pattern somewhat like the skin of an alligator or wonky squares. As the U.S. Department of Transportation outlines in its “Pavement Distress Identification Manual for the NPS Road Inventory Program, 2006 -2009,” the severity of the distress can be measured. It is considered low when the width of the crack is less than 1/4 inch in width. However, the alligator distress is serious when the cracks are more than 3/4 inch wide.
2. Check the pavement’s surface for long strips of cracking. These are ruts that run either along the length of the pavement or sideways across the surface. In places where the cracks are more than 3/4 inch in width, the distress is considered serious and can buckle the pavement, causing bumps. Hot weather can cause this type of pavement distress.
3. Identify gouged-out areas or dips on the surface of the road. Pavement distress is characterised by potholes. These are concave holes on the surface, which are a nuisance for drivers. The holes can cause punctures in tires, gather water and lead to further cracking.
4. Look for dark square or rectangular patches of asphalt on the pavement. Distress can be identified by finding discolored areas where potholes or previous distress marks have been filled or covered over. The replacement asphalt causes a dark patch to be seen. Cracking, ruts or potholes can often be seen in proximity to the patching, which is indicative of pavement distress.
5. Crouch down and look across the surface of the pavement. Identify two lines of depressions in the road’s surface. If these are in the direction of the wheel paths, this distress is called rutting. Rutting occurs when continuous use of the pavement by heavy vehicles causes the surface to sink. It is classified as severe when the depressions are greater than 1 inch below the surface of the pavement.
Once you have identified pavement distress, it is time to repair the damage. There are several products available that allow you to do the job yourself, but if you want to ensure your pavement is properly fixed, it is probably best to call a professional.
If you have any questions or if you would rather leave the repair work to the professionals, contact PTG Enterprises by calling 410-636-8777 or click here
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Posted in General Asphalt Advice | Comments Off on How to Identify Pavement Distress
Wednesday, May 18th, 2011
Pavement ants, also known as house ants or sugar ants, can be quite a nuisance. They set up camp in your yard or inside the cracks in your pavement and eventually work their way into your home. The best thing to do when you find pavement ants is to rid yourself of the infestation as soon as possible.
But how can you do that? You are no exterminator and you don’t want to have to run to the hardware store to buy ant spray, right? Well, you can use one household item to help assist you in your quest for an ant free existence – salt.
That’s right, all you need is everyday salt. This article from eHow.com explains several solutions to rid yourself of those pesky pavement ants using nothing but common table salt.
1. Sprinkle ordinary table salt on cracks in the driveway, along the sides and where the ants are present. Make sure the driveway and surrounding areas are dry before applying salt for the best effectiveness.
2. Repeat weekly until the ants are gone. After consuming the salt, the ants will drink water or other moisture until they essentially explode. Be aware that the salt will also kill any weeds or plants present, so use caution.
3. Draw a line with salt at the end of the driveway on the pavement to prevent the ants from crossing over into the lawn or home.
4. If table salt is not effective, purchase a sweet ant bait trap that contains boric acid salt. (Boric acid is a hydroponic salt.) The ants are attracted to the sugar in the bait, consume the boric acid salt with the sugar, and then take the poison back to their home, where it spreads to the other ants.
5. Place the ant baits along the sides and ends of the driveway. Use caution when using ant baits because boric acid can be toxic to pets and humans as well as insects.
If you have any questions, contact PTG Enterprises by calling410-636-8777 or click here today!
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Posted in General Asphalt Advice | 3 Comments »
Friday, April 22nd, 2011
It is time to resurface your driveway, but you have no idea where to start. Who do you call? What do you need to know? What are your options? At least picking the materials is easy, right; isn’t concrete your only choice? Actually, there is another option – asphalt.
This article from DoItYourself.com explains the four biggest benefits of asphalt driveways over concrete.
1. Weather Resistance
Unlike concrete, asphalt can expand and contract in harsh climates without breaking or cracking. So if you live in an area with extremely cold winters or hot summers, then asphalt might be a no-brainer for your home.
2. Flexible Material
Asphalt has the ability to expand slightly while under pressure or in high or low temperatures. Asphalt has the capacity to adjust and settle, move and expand and contract and conform – meaning less cracking than a rigid concrete driveway.
3. Ease of Repair
Even if your asphalt driveways does crack or settle in an unpleasing way, repairs could not be easier. Refill and level these depressions easily with liquid asphalt emulsions. Fix cracks quickly with a solid cold patch, or tar mixed with fine gravel.
4. Cost
If the first three benefits did not sway your opinion, then this last one will certainly make you an asphalt enthusiast. Asphalt driveways are initially cheaper than concrete driveways and they even take less time to install. They are also resistant to oils and other stains, making asphalt driveways cheaper to maintain.
If you have any questions, contact PTG Enterprises by calling 410-636-8777or click here today!
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Posted in General Asphalt Advice | 1 Comment »
Wednesday, April 6th, 2011
Warm-mix asphalt has been called the wave of the future, but what is it? Well, it is actually a generic term for several techniques used to reduce the temperature, by as much as 50 to 100 degrees, at which materials are mixed and placed on the road. This article from WarmMixAsphalt.com seeks to better explain this revolutionary new technology.
This drastic reduction in temperature has not only slashed fuel consumption, but it also reduced the production of greenhouse gasses, improving conditions for workers by cutting down on dangerous emissions. Warm-mix asphalt also allows for better asphalt compaction on the road, the ability to haul paving mix for longer distances, and the extension of the paving season.
But there are still several questions that must be answered before we crown warm-mix asphalt as the king of the road.
- Can warm-mix pavements be opened to traffic quickly after construction?
- What are the performance characteristics of these pavements?
- In the case of technologies developed in other countries, can they be adapted to the U.S., where climate conditions are often more extreme?
- If the production temperature is lower, does that mean that the binder does not age as much?
- Will the potential for thermal cracking be reduced?
- Will the potential for rutting be different?
- Will the contractor have to use a different grade of asphalt binder?
- What changes for the mix design procedure will be required?
- Will the performance-graded binder in a warm mix perform differently from pavements produced at higher temperature?
If you have any questions about warm-mix asphalt, contact PTG Enterprises by calling 443-463-1536 or click here today!
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Posted in General Asphalt Advice | Comments Off on The Benefits of Warm-mix Asphalt
