Pavement Preservation by Using Different Sealing Techniques

To counter the effects of pavement deterioration due to aging, traffic, and weather, it is vital to undertake pavement preservation services carried out by a company like Jet-Seal Columbus Ohio. Roads and pavements are huge investments and essential for transportation and maintaining the logistics that drive the country’s economy. There are nearly 4 million miles public roads and pavements in the US valued at $1.75 trillion.

Asphalt preservation is the most popular means of maintaining roads and pavements. To know more about asphalt preservation and some types of treatments, keep reading this article.

What is pavement preservation?

Roads and pavements are national assets, and maintaining it in good condition is essential to extend its longevity to keep supporting the country’s economic progress. It is necessary to carry out the right treatment at the right time to ensure that roads and pavements withstand the test of time, weather, and traffic. Pavement preservation is more than just repairs and maintenance because it includes long-term strategies that enhance pavement performance by using a cost-effective set of practices that improve pavement life, enhance safety, and meet the expectations of road users.

Here are a few pavement sealing techniques.

Crack sealing and crack filling

Cracks that develop on the pavement surface needs proper sealing or filling depending on the nature of the damage. Crack sealing is a more permanent way of repairing to prevent foreign material from entering the crack. Crack sealing is necessary on pavements that experience movement at the crack, which is known as working crack. On the other hand, Crack filling only reduces the amount of water entering the pavement. Both methods of sealing and filling extend the pavement life.

Seal treatments

Sand and scrub seals involve the spraying of asphalt emulsions followed by a covering of fine chips or sand.   A squeegee or broom is used to push the emulsion into the fine cracks before applying the aggregate. A pneumatic rubber tire is used if you need to do rolling. The equipment used for sealing is the same as that used for chip sealing, but the brooming mechanism is an addition. Sand seals can add 3-4 years of pavement service life while it is 4 to 6 years for scrub seals.

Chip sealing is one of the most common preservation techniques and done by applying liquid asphalt to the road surface and immediately covering with chips followed by rolling and brooming.

Slurry seal and micro-surfacing

Slurry seals are a mixture of fine aggregate and mineral filler together with water and asphalt emulsion. The largest particle size determines the application thickness used as surface treatments. Although slurry seals do not enhance the structural capacity of pavement, it reduces surface distress due to oxidation, improves skid resistance, and seal non-working cracks. 

Hot mix asphalt overlays

One of the most used preservation techniques is the use of thin overlays created by hot or warm mixes. These overlays contain a top-sized aggregate of half an inch or less and placed at thickness not exceeding 1.5 inches.

For lighter applications like addressing small cracks and surface defects and reducing raveling fog seals, it can work well.

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