THE ASPHALT TEST

What you don't know about your pavement may be costing you money, Preventive Maintenance is the key to making your pavement investment last.

Take the following simple test using a point guide system to help you evaluate the condition of your pavement and increase its value. You will also learn valuable facts which
will help you to understand the reasons pavement life is shortened, evaluate your pavement's condition and maintenance needs and learn how you can extend the
life of your asphalt.

Select the number that best describes the condition
of your pavement for each type of problem area.
(1 = NONE and 5 = EXTENSIVE)

Raveling:
The on-going separation of aggregate particles from the pavement's surface

1 2 3 4 5
Cause: Water penetrates unprotected pavement surface.
Repair: Sealcoating will prevent raveling.
Prevention: Application of sealer after new asphalt has cured.
Polished Aggregate:
Aggregate in pavement has been smoothed resulting in a slick, unsafe surface

1 2 3 4 5
Cause: Repeated traffic polishes aggregate.
Repair: Use a special bonding primer to gain adhesion, then sealcoat.
Prevention: Use a special bonding primer to gain adhesion, then sealcoat.
Gas & Oil Stains:
Unsightly stains that weaken the surface

1 2 3 4 5
Cause: Oil dripping from vehicles.
Repair: Depending on severity, patching or the application of special oil resistant bonding primer prior to sealcoating
Prevention: Sealcoat over oil resistant primer as quickly as possible after new asphalt has been laid.
Cracks:
Alligator, shrinkage, longitudinal, & reflection. Interconnecting or cracks spaced evenly apart and fairly parallel

1 2 3 4 5
Cause: Various factors may be the cause: pavement movement, shrinkage of asphalt mix due to oxidation, weak or weathered joints, extreme temperature changes, and/or surface layer movement.
Repair: Depending on severity, patch or seal cracks, a sealcoat might be necessary.
Prevention: Depending on the type of cracks your pavement has, proper prevention varies. Ensure proper pavement installation, consider the use of reinforced fabric prior to surfacing, timely crack filling, sealcoating, sealer applications.
Potholes:
Bowl-shaped holes of various sizes

1 2 3 4 5
Cause: Poor rainage, insufficient pavement thickness, negligence of crack sealing and sealcoating.
Repair: Full-depth asphalt repair.
Prevention: Proper construction, timely crack sealing, sealcoating.
Grade Depressions :
Localized low areas that are limited in size, often indicated by standing water

1 2 3 4 5
Cause: Traffic may he heavier than the pavement was designed for, or a localized subsurface drainage problem may exist.
Repair: Based on field inspection, either correct drainage problem, and repair pavement, or correct grade by localized leveling.
Prevention: Proper pavement design and construction with emphasis on traffic load and drainage.

Corrugating or Rutting :
A fairly regular pattern of wave-like bumps

1 2 3 4 5

Cause: Lack of stability in asphalt layer.
Repair: Removal and replacement of pavement.
Prevention: Proper pavement design and construction
How does your pavement stand up?
Take a minute to add up the numbers you circled. Your total
will give you a basic idea of how urgent your
maintenance needs may be.

TOTAL

EXCELLENT CONDITION 7-14 POINTS
The secret to protecting it from future deterioration is to sealcoat. The sealer serves your pavement much in the same way as paint protects the wood and other exposed surfaces of your building. Without the paint, wooden areas will rot; likewise without the pavement sealer your asphalt will deteriorate from the influences of the elements and chemicals at an accelerated rate.

GOOD CONDITION 15-21 POINTS
Usually, you will find that pavement in this state is characterized by random cracks of up to 1/2 inch in width, and raveled aggregate. The key to remedying these pavement problems is to professionally clean the cracks, removing any vegetation, and fill the cracks with an industrial grade crack filler. After the cracks are filled, the area should be covered with an asphalt overlay or a sealcoat to prevent further damage.

FAIR CONDITION 22-28 POINTS
This pavement may contain random cracks, raveled aggregate, depressions, local alligator areas, potholes and, perhaps, upheaval. The first step in saving this paved area is to construct a full-depth asphalt repair where needed, taking care to resolve any problems with the subgrade, restoring the areas to the proper cross-section by applying a leveling or wedge course, which is an asphalt layer of variable thickness. Cracks should be filled and finally, an asphalt overlay or sealcoat should be applied.

POOR CONDITION 29-35 POINTS
If your pavement has numerous, severe problems, the most efficient way of dealing with it may be to repave. Before doing this, you will want to make sure problem-causing conditions, such as poor drainage or inadequate underlying soil conditions, are corrected. Once the asphalt is laid, you should protect your pavement from needless deterioration by having it sealcoated. With proper maintenance, you will find your new pavement to be a lasting addition and enhancement to your property investment.

Upon completion of this test you may want to
contact Sealfast Sealcoat to receive a FREE estimate
and pavement maintenance evaluation on your property.

Why Not...It's FREE!


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