How To Repair Cracks in Asphalt Driveways | Types of Asphalt Cracks | Causes of Cracks on Asphalt

How To Repair Cracks in Asphalt Driveways | Types of Asphalt Cracks | Causes of Cracks on Asphalt

How To Repair Cracks in Asphalt Driveways | Asphalt Pavement Cracks | 3 Steps to Repairing Asphalt Cracks

How To Repair Cracks in Asphalt Driveways

The cracks in asphalt pavement are a common and frustrating problem. They can cause premature wear on vehicle tires, make it difficult to drive over the crack without getting stuck, or even lead to a broken axle or suspension.

There are many reasons why asphalt pavement can crack, but the most common cause is due to a lack of water. If cracks are not properly repaired, they can lead to more problems such as potholes and drainage issues.

When winter rolls around, your asphalt pavement may have a few cracks in it from the freeze and thaw cycle. The best way to keep these cracks from growing is by using an asphalt crack sealant.

Asphalt Pavement Cracks

Pavement surface deterioration is inevitable as it ages, but knowing the type, cause, and level of the damage can indicate what type of repairs are required for the best long-term solution.

Performing maintenance repairs when asphalt pavement cracks first develop is a cost-effective way to driveway repairs because costs only rise as the problem worsens.

Cracking, oxidation, ponding issues, and potholes are examples of aging pavement problems. Pavement loses flexibility and turns pale grey as the binder deteriorates due to oxidation.

As cars drive across the pavement, the pavement’s elasticity will deteriorate, resulting in significant cracking.

Soon, these cracks will transform into crumbling pavement, then potholes, and finally a muddy mess that is unsafe for automobiles to drive through, let alone people to cross on foot.

Types of Asphalt Cracks:

1. Fatigue cracks

Fatigue also referred to as Alligator Cracking are caused by excessive loading, such as too heavy trucks or campers parked on the driveway, weak asphalt mix, base (subgrade) and poor drainage.

A lasting fix should remove all cracked pavement, repair the subbase and finally repave.

2. Slippage cracks

Slippage cracks are cracks that occur along the edges of pavement (grooves) due to use of a slip-resistant material on the surface. These cracks can also be caused by:

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Alignment issues, Poor design and traffic flow, Improper levels and grades.

3. Transverse Cracks

Transverse or Rolling Cracks form during cold weather conditions (freezing point). Transverse cracking occurs when water in the asphalt expands as it freezes and then thaws, creating pressure on the pavement.

This pressure is released when the water inside the crack freezes, breaking the pavement layer along that line.

3. Longitudinal Cracks

Longitudinal or Shear Cracks are long cracks across the pavement surface that are often caused by heat generated by heavy traffic flow. These are also known as “alligator cracks”.

4. Stress Cracks

These occur mostly at intersections when vehicles wait to turn and there is not enough space for two cars to go through at one time.

5. Hairline Cracks

These are the smallest of all cracks. They are no longer than 1/8 inch and, as such, can be very difficult to detect. Hairline Cracks tend to develop from poor levels and grades in the pavement or from expansion due to sudden changes in the angle of a road.

6. Surface Cracks

Surface cracks can also be caused by many factors, such as freeze-thaw cycles and base failure that stems from poor drainage or just poor road quality overall.

7. Penetration Cracks

Leaving a tire track on asphalt will lead to many penetration cracks which can occur if the tire’s footprint is either too deep or too large. The bigger the footprint, the more likely penetration is to occur.

8. Block Cracking

Block cracking is a pattern of cracks that are parallel to each other. These cracks are usually found in newly paved asphalt. This type is caused by being paved too quickly or with too much fines content, which causes the mix to break down prematurely.

9. Trench Cracks

“Trench cracks” are also referred to as “Hot Spots”. They are shown by a shallow crack with a vertical crack along its length, almost like an “E.T.” finger.

Watch your driveway for these asphalt cracks and apply sealant as soon as these types show up in order to prevent further damage. Repairing asphalt cracks is much more cost-effective than fixing major damage later on.

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When you notice a crack on your driveway, first take a few moments to determine its type and cause. By identifying what has caused the crack, you can choose the most appropriate method to repair it in order to prevent future cracking and damage to your driveway or parking lot.

Causes of Cracks on Asphalt/Concrete

Cracks can be caused by a number of issues, including:

  • Improper bedding.
  • Settling of pavement.
  • Damage due to intersections and driveways.
  • Deep roads that are too wide.
  • Frozen or saturated soil.
  • Frost heaves.
  • Large objects.
  • Pavement edges.
  • Heavier loads.
  • Heavy traffic.
  • Fatigued pavement.
  • Coarse aggregate.

The most common cause of cracks in asphalt pavement are the settling of pavement that occurs with age.  Solutions to get a full repair of the crack would include:

  1. Stabilizing any settled areas.
  2. Replacing the area with a new layer of asphalt.
  3. Repairing and repaving of the crack by using asphalt crack sealant, which is a very cost-effective option for small cracks that occur due to settling or over traffic from heavy trucks and campers parked on your driveway.
  4. Increasing the thickness of your surface course (0.45-0.75 inches), even if you are not using an overlay to completely make repairs to your cracked pavement areas.

Cracking on concrete is a common sight, but does not necessarily need to be dangerous.

3 Steps to Repairing Asphalt Cracks: How to Repair Cracks in Asphalt Driveway?

Dealing with damage to an asphalt pavement surface typically involves a temporary repair with a material like mastic asphalt, an asphalt caulking, or an asphalt emulsion.

It is then followed by permanent asphalt repair, which occurs with materials like asphalt hot mix, tar patching, and asphalt milling and resurfacing.

Once cracks appear on your concrete driveway, you can resolve the problem with a few simple steps and a little knowledge.

Step 1: Determine the type of crack.

Identify the type of crack to determine the best course of action.

Step 2: Fixing the crack.

The most cost-effective and long-lasting solution is to repair cracks with asphalt sealant, which is long-lasting and low in cost compared to other methods for repairing concrete cracks.

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Other options may be available, but may require additional steps or cost more in comparison to sealing the crack yourself.

Step 3: Preventing future cracks.

Sealing the crack will prevent future cracks, but if the cracks have already been present for a long time, then you may need to find another solution.

Asphalt crack sealant is an ideal solution for repairing small cracks on concrete, while repaving your entire driveway with a more durable surface or overlay may be an option for large cracked areas that cannot be covered in sealant.

Other options:

  1. Patching the crack with concrete.
  2. Sinking the crack and resurfacing.
  3. Patching with a new concrete overlay and resurfacing the entire driveway if cracks become too big or many to be repaired with asphalt crack sealant.

 How to Repair Asphalt Cracks Yourself

Here are 3 steps you need in order to repair asphalt cracks yourself!

Step 1: Determine the source of your asphalt’s cracking problem.

Step 2: Find and mix the right asphalt crack sealer.

Step 3: Seal, smooth and beautify your asphalt driveway!

NOTE:
Asphalt crack sealants help to prevent stress related cracking (hot spotting) by forming a watertight seal around the base of the end of each crack in low temperature conditions and filling the space between the crack with a sealing oil. In hot weather, they also help reduce transverse cracking by keeping the surfaces squeezed together.

Is There a Significant Distinction Between Crack Sealing and Crack Filling?

Crack sealing is the application of a sealer to asphalt to prevent future water intrusion and thereby damage. Crack filling, on the other hand, is the act of placing fillers into cracks to avoid water incursion while also assuring road reinforcement.
The time it takes for such goods to dry, however, varies depending on the solutions utilized. Some crack fillers can take days to dry, but others can be driven on immediately.

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