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Learn all about infrared patching repairs.
Infrared patching is the method of blending new asphalt with existing pavement to make a joint-free integral patch. You may consider infrared patching repairs if your asphalt surface has potholes, divots, cracks, heaving, or any other kind of uneven areas. Continue reading for important things you should know about infrared patching repairs. (more…)
The winter months can be tough on your asphalt. Last week we talked about winterizing your asphalt to prepare for the tough Baltimore winter ahead. Today we’ll walk you through why you want to winterize your pavement and what repairs could be necessary if you haven’t taken the necessary precautions (or if this winter turns out to be particularly snowy).
The freeze thaw cycle can cause cracks and even holes in your asphalt. What may start off as a small crack can expand significantly throughout the winter months. Snow or rain in a small crack can freeze, causing the asphalt to expand, and the crack to widen. Couple this cycle with cars driving over weakened asphalt or salt making its way into the cracks and you get a recipe for potholes! Some things can be left until spring to patch, but many times it’s best to go ahead with a cold patch to avoid wear and tear to vehicles.
PTG Enterprises has been in the asphalt paving, concrete, and masonry business for more than a decade. We have seen it all before and we know the telltale warning signs of asphalt and pavement failure. And as a member of the Community Association Institute (CAI), National Facilities Management and Technology (NFMT), and Maryland Multi-Housing Association (MMHA) we are well-positioned to help you make the right financial decisions for your property or community association.
PTG stands out as an industry leader due to our methodology of pavement management planning: a systematic, long-term approach to managing and extending the life of your pavement. We will work with you to develop a comprehensive strategy to extend and maximize the lifespan of your asphalt and concrete surfaces.
If you have any questions about winter patching or crack fill, please contact PTG Enterprises today by calling 410-636-8777, or click here today! You can also check us out on Facebook and Twitter.
Source: Fix Asphalt
Even the most durable paved surfaces, like asphalt pavement, are susceptible to deterioration, distress, and cracking. However, knowing what causes these problems can help you prolong the life of your asphalt. This article from PaveManPro.com can help. It outlines the major causes of pavement deterioration.
Overtime, the materials that make up asphalt begin to break down and become more easily affected by the elements: rain, sunlight, snow, etc. Furthermore, the liquid binder that holds the asphalt together begins to lose its natural resistance to water, allowing liquid to seep into the pavement. Once this happens, the surface can quickly be affected.
Yet, while pavement will naturally breakdown over time, there are a few outside factors – poor construction or human error – that may speed up this process, causing premature deterioration.
The factors leading to asphalt deterioration include:
• Insufficient or improperly compacted base below the asphalt
• Over or under compaction of asphalt
• Improper temperature of asphalt when applied
• Poor drainage
• Water – over time and especially without proper maintenance water penetrates the asphalt, washes out the base underneath it, causing it to crack, break down and collapse.
• Sunlight – Oxidation breaks down and dries out the once flexible liquid asphalt that holds the aggregate together. This causes raveling and shrinking cracks, which allow water to penetrate beneath the surface.
• Chemical/ petroleum exposure – the introduction of chemicals to asphalt, including gas and oil, can soften the asphalt and cause it to break down more rapidly.
When asphalt pavement is constructed and maintained properly it wears out slowly and can last up to 25 years or more. Proper maintenance is key to protecting it from the external factors that wear it out.
If you notice your driveway, parking lot, or any pavement displaying any signs of deterioration, it is probably time to call a professional to patch your asphalt and prevent further damage. Do not put this off and let small cracks become big problems. It is far better to pay for a little patching now than to have to pay for a total re-paving down the road.
If you have any questions, contact PTG Enterprises aka My Pavement Guy by calling 410-636-8777 or click here
It’s a hole in the road. How hard can it be to fill a hole, right? Well, you might be surprised. Pothole repair is tough work and requires a trained crew and some specialty equipment. This article from PaveManPro.com explains the lengthy repair process.
How to repair a pothole:
1. With a pavement saw or pneumatic hammer, cut the outline of the patch, extending at least 0.3 m (I ft.) outside of the distressed area. The outline should be square or rectangular with two of the sides at right angles to the direction of traffic.
2. Excavate as much pavement as necessary to reach firm support. If a patch is to be an integral part of the pavement, its foundation must be as strong or stronger than that of the original roadway. This may mean that some of the sub-grade will also have to be removed. The faces of the excavation should be straight and vertical.
3. Trim and compact the sub-grade.
4. Apply a tack coat to the vertical faces of the excavation.
5. Backfill with the asphalt mixture. Using a shovel or skid steer loader place the mixture directly from the truck into the prepared excavation. The maximum lift thickness largely depends upon the type of asphalt mixture and the available compaction equipment. Asphalt concrete can and should be placed in deep lifts, since the greater heat retention of the thicker layers facilitates compaction. From a compaction standpoint, patches using asphalt concrete can be backfilled in one lift. However, when placing a patch that is deeper than 3 cm (5 in.) it is often useful to leave the first lift 2.5 to 5 cm (I to 2 in.) below the finished grade, making it easier to judge the total quantity of mixture required for the patch.
On the other hand, patches constructed with mixtures containing emulsified or cutback asphalt must be placed in layers thin enough to permit evaporation of the diluents that make the mixture workable.
6. Spread carefully to avoid segregation of the mixture. Avoid pulling the material from the center of the patch to the edges. If more material is needed at the edge, it should be deposited there, and the excess raked away. The amount of mixture used should be sufficient to ensure that the after compaction the patch surface will not be below that of the adjacent pavement. On the other hand, if too much material is used a hump will raise.
7. Compact each lift of the patch thoroughly. Use equipment that is suited for the size of the job. A vibratory plate compactor is excellent for small jobs, while a vibratory roller is likely to be more effective for larger areas. When compacting the final lift (which may be the only lift), overlap the first pass and return of the vibratory roller or plate compactor to no more than 5 cm (6 in.) on to the patch on one side. Then move to the opposite side and repeat the process. Once this is accomplished, proceed at right angles to the compacted edges, with each pass and return overlapping a few inches on to the uncompacted mix. If there is a grade, compaction should proceed from the low side to the high side to minimize possible shoving of the mix.
8. When adequate compaction equipment is used, the surface of the patch should be at the same elevation as the surrounding pavement. However, if hand tamping or other light compaction methods are used, the surface of the completed patch should be slightly higher than the adjacent pavement, since the patch is likely to be further compressed by traffic.
9. Check the vertical alignment and smoothness of the patch with a straightedge or string line.
So next time you complain about that pothole down the street not getting fixed or next time you think to yourself, “hey, I could do that in half the time,” remember that pothole repair is not a quick fix. Properly patching a pothole takes time, know-how, and a lot of energy.
If you have any questions, contact PTG Enterprises by calling 410-636-8777 or click here
Potholes are severe manifestations of pavement fatigue cracking resulting in a total loss of asphalt integrity in a localized area. This creates a hole in the road. It is not uncommon to have a pothole extend through or into the aggregate stone base. Potholes occur when water seeps into cracks in the asphalt surface of a road or driveway. This water will freeze and expand in the cold weather. A pothole forms when dirt and gravel are forced out leaving a hole. The ice will eventually melt away, leaving a pothole.
For a very wide crack or pothole, shovel in packaged cold-patch blacktop, leveling large areas with an iron rake. Compact the material with a rented tamper or the end of a 4-by-4. Add more material until the hole is slightly overfilled. Cover it with scrap plywood and drive over it.
If you are looking to fix a pothole on a commercial parking surface or if you want a top quality repair, it is probably best to call a professional.
In the winter, potholes should be temporarily filled with a cold-patch mix material to protect against vehicle damage and/or lawsuits. Please note that this is only a temporary fix and left untreated correctly the pothole will most likely reappear. In the spring and summer months, potholes should be permanently patched.
Full-Depth Patching is the most common type of patching. This is where the pavement is completely removed in the troubled area and replaced. These areas are usually suffering from severe distress and / or sub-base failure. This is a permanent fix.
For professional pothole repair, contact PTG Enterprises – My Pavement Guy by calling 443-463-1536 or click here today!
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