Asphalt Lot Maintenance and Crack Repair
Crack sealing is a first line of defense in asphalt maintenance to guard against pavement deterioration. Effective crack sealing and asphalt maintenance keeps water from entering and weakening the base of your asphalt. It helps preserve the pavement adjacent to the cracks; prevents sand, stone, and dirt from making its way into open cracks causing stresses; and extends pavement life by minimizing crack growth.
Fatigue (Alligator) Cracking
Over time, a flexible asphalt pavement becomes more rigid and is less able to tolerate vertical deflections. This causes tension in the pavement and results in alligator-type cracking. Such cracking can also occur from structural inadequacy, aging, and oxidation. It is generally recommended that alligator areas be removed and replaced rather than filled or sealed
Joint Cracking
Pavement "joints" are created during initial construction when the edges of two pavement mats are placed next to one another. These constructed joints usually have a lower density of asphalt than that of the surrounding pavement. If the mats don't bond properly (for a variety of reasons), joint cracks appear.
Reflective Cracking
This type of crack appears primarily in resurfacing projects, although it can also occur in a new pavement. It happens when an existing crack or joint in the underlying pavement structure reflects upward through the surface.