How To Repair Cracks to Extend Asphalt Pavement Life- Crack filler

 How To Repair Cracks to Extend Asphalt Pavement Life- Crack filler

How To Repair Cracks to Extend Asphalt Pavement Life- Crack filler

Cracksealing or filling can help extend the life of pavement if done properly.

Asphalt parking lots and roads need to be maintained. There is no question about that. And often, asphalt maintenance can be more cost effective than removing and replacing asphalt.And when done properly, maintenance can directly extend a pavement's life.
crack sealing as placing "specialized treatment materials above or into working cracks to prevent the intrusion of water.
" Crack filling is the "placement of ordinary treatment materials into non-working cracks to reduce infiltration of water and to reinforce the adjacent pavement."But before contractors crackseal or crack fill, they should understand why and how cracks occur.

Preparation is Key

"Good prep will give you the best performance for your crack filler or sealer," . Before crack filling or sealing, be sure to properly clean and dry the crack. This can be done with wirebrushing, airblasting or sandblasting. Proper cleaning helps to minimize the potential for adhesion failures resulting from dirty or moist cracks.Cracks can be airblasted using backpack or walk-behind blowers or high-pressure air compressors. Another option is hot airblasting done with a hot compressed-air lance or a heat lance. Contractors choosing this method need to be careful not to burn the asphalt and cause further damage. A heat lance can also allow a contractor to fill or seal cracks in colder or damp conditions because it will heat and dry the asphalt.

Material Options Available

installation of crack filler or sealer must be done right after cleaning the crack to ensure the crack stays dry and free of debris prior to material application and minimize the chance for failures.Contractors have an array of sealing and filling material options to choose from.Emulsified crack filler contains both oil and water.If using emulsified filler, make sure it is fully cured before sealcoating over it.A deeper crack will take longer for the emulsion to cure. 
If the emulsion isn't fully cured the water in it will be kept in the asphalt, possibly causing the crack filler to fail and the asphalt to ravel,  Depending on the material and job requirements, emulsions can be applied partially heated or unheated.