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August 4, 2023

The Five Most Common Types of Asphalt Pavement Damage: What to Do If It Happens to You

Asphalt gets a lot of use from just about everyone worldwide. The pavement is stretched across the nations trusted as our highways and roadways as a means of allowing transit, travel, and human connection. New Jersey residents would have no solid foundation without this pavement. It has been utilized for commercial, residential, and recreational needs for hundreds of thousands of years. It continues to be the go-to pavement Americans rely on for their driveways, walkways, parking lots, etc.

Paving contractors in Mahwah, NJ, are familiar with the ups, downs, and damage that can occur with asphalt. Their businesses are available to help clients with professional inspection, estimate, consultation, and repair! If you face difficulties or damage with your asphalt surfaces, it may be time to consult with local paving experts for assistance. Remaining vigilant, observant, and proactive with your asphalt will support its life, protect its durability and inevitably keep it safe from further damage.

Cranky Cracking

So many types of cracking can occur across an asphalt pavement surface. The types of cracks that stretch across your asphalt depend primarily on the use and misuse of the space.

  • Block cracks or cracking is easily identifiable as circles or square-shaped cracking in your pavement. This can happen when the installation is not correctly completed and the mix is too dry when initially laid. This will happen a year or two after installation.
  • Edge cracking happens along the edge of where the pavement is laid. These cracks like to stretch out long and run in the same direction as the road is going. The foundation often causes them, as the soil can shrink and cause poor drainage. These are quickly filled with asphalt crack seal or emulsion.
  • Fatigue cracking is sometimes called alligator cracks. It is a bunch of cracks in one area that looks similar to an alligator or dehydrated skin. This is a sign that when the asphalt was installed, there were significant issues with the design combined with an extreme fluctuation in temperature. These cracks need to be fully patched to restore the pavement.
  • Linear & Transverse are cracks along the joints because asphalt is always laid down in strips or rows, and when two rows aren’t properly combined - it can cause these cracks. They must be filled quickly with asphalt and sand.
  • Reflection cracking happens on the surface and can take the shape of a grid. They must be filled with sealant to prevent moisture from breaching the rest of your pavement.
  • Slippage cracks occur along the surface and look like wrinkles in your asphalt. When slippage happens, you need a reliable pavement company to partially or fully patch the area.

Pesky Potholes

Potholes happen - we all run into them along the road, in parking lots, and perhaps even in our driveways. These hold form when cracks and other damage are left to worsen, and with time, ups and downs in temperature, moisture, etc. - potholes are born. They can be incredibly dangerous and challenging to deal with when driving or walking in the area. Professionals can patch them if they haven’t grown too large or deep, but the entire pavement must be cut out and repaired if a pothole is too big or connected to other holes that have formed.

Severe Swelling

An entire ecosystem of soil and earth is beneath asphalt pavement, and swelling can occur when that soil expands and shrinks. This concerns humidity, moisture, and water other than seeping into the surface or freezing on top. This is all directly connected to the soil, so if you need swelling pavement repaired - you will need an excellent team of pavers to remove that area of the asphalt and install new pavement.

Wacky Weathering

Continuing with how moisture and temperature fluctuation can affect asphalt - weathering happens over time, and it is inevitable if you are not maintaining or protecting your pavement. Sunlight, the heat, and cooling of the environment can begin breaking down the surface layers and even fade the color of asphalt. To protect your pavement from the elements, you must seal coat the area and maintain any damage when it occurs.

Bad Bleeding

Yes, asphalt can bleed as a mixture, and when the binding can seep into the surface layers, it will cause the area to shine. While it looks kind of pretty, your asphalt should remain matte, and when something is shining, it is time to contact reliable pavers to sand the asphalt and soak up any additional binder. NVN Paving in Mahwah, NJ, are licensed, bonded, and insured paving experts providing their skills and knowledge to the surrounding communities to repair any damage that may plague their pavement. NVN pavers are available to assess, inspect, and provide free estimates and solutions for any of your asphalt needs! These are all problems that people in the Garden State would rather be without, and when you have a local paving business to rely on, you can always count on them to resolve your pavement predicaments.

 

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