Asphalt is tough but moves and breathes due to outside influences. Weather and traffic stress it until little stress fractures turns into visible cracks. Knowing the reasons for this helps the homeowner to provide care that is very easy and timely to preserve the life of the driveway or private road.

What Causes Asphalt Cracks?

Cracks seldom occur from one cause only. They are mostly due, to a small beginning, such as hairline cracks caused by stress or moisture, which increase in size as the seasons change. It is important to look at the underlying cause too, as the material below the surface contributes also. When the base causes cracking due to movement or a bloom of water, the upper structure loses support and fractures.

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Likewise, small construction errors, or lack of drainage, contribute to this condition, or cracks may not appear until some months thereafter, making this a difficult and complicated subject.

• Fatigue from loading: The repeated wheel paths, subsequently weaken the binder and cause alligator cracking in the pavement over a period of time, especially where maintenance is delayed.
• Intrusion of water: Rain and irrigation allowed to enter the joints and edges of the pavement causes soft base and washing out of the fines which support the mat.
• Sub-grade and drainage: Poor compaction on the job and soil of a clay type or water where it is allowed to accumulate causes settling or bending of the mat, resulting in cracks opening.
• Constructional: Thin lifts, cold joints and inadequate blend of hot mix put in faulty and thin enough that they allow weak spots in them to crack out sooner.
• Exposure to ultra-violet, oxygen: The gas sunlight causes an oxidation of the binder resulting in brittleness, which causes it to crack under the ordinary stress of usage.

Temperature And Pavement Stress

The asphalt expands during hot weather and contracts under cooler weather. During the summer afternoon the mat softens have a good deal to do with this. At night the mat contracts generally. This repeated thermal cycle is much like slow bending; it may fatigue the binder over many hundreds of days causing small fissures.

In colder climates, freeze-thaw adds another give; water entering the small opening, freezing, expanding, and prying apart the cracks. Even in milder climates, a day-night, winter-summer, cycle of temperatures will dry the binder, making it inelastic and less flexible thus giving an unforgiving surface under turning tires, parked vehicles, or heavy delivery trucks. Where warm days and cool nights might prevail, the daily cycle may cause openings almost as great as a light freeze-thaw season.

Seasonal Maintenance Tips

Seasonal treatments will catch the things early and keep the water which is the greatest enemy of asphalt out. A very simple calendar is beneficial to the homeowner; that is, inspect in the spring, protect in the summer, make seal in the fall before rains, see to drainage in the winter. For help about the place, an estimate of prices or patching or seal-coating services, many homeowners resort to an asphalt contractor Downtown Anaheim who is promptly on hand for advice or a practical inspection.

Set a simple reminder on the calendar so it will be second nature for small inspections to be made.

• Spring: Clean grit, look to edges, and make picture of new cracks so as to compare them later. Crack filling will be done soon, or early so as to keep water out in connection with hot summer sun which may increase openings.
• Summer: Schedule sealcoating services or small patches while temperatures are ideal for bonding; shade trees can reduce surface temperatures.
• Autumn: Secure active cracks so fall rains don’t reach the base; clear channels so rain carries surface off fast.
• Winter: Keep de-icers to a minimum and don’t load too much weight continuously in the same location; watch for standing water after storms and regrade if necessary.

Preventing Early Surface Damage

Good habits can keep early wear down from start. Newly placed asphalt needs time to cure. Parking in the same location week after week can rut the surface, while fast, dry turns can scuff fresh binder. Edges are questionable since there is no supporting material, so that it is advisable to make a compacted shoulder or concrete border, thus protecting it against breakage.

Drainage is equally important: gutters, swale and downspouts should throw water away from joints and seams. When wear is general—but not the base—restoration of the asphalt surface (overlay) can be had to provide a good, sealed riding surface without rebuilding the entire driveway. Patching and timely crack age filling will carry along until such time as more major rehabilitation can be confined. If there is localized failure, a sprightly adjacent asphalt patching visitation will keep the raveling from occurring until it becomes general.

Understanding Asphalt Aging

All asphalt is subject to aging, but at different rates, depending on sun, moisture, traffic and taking care of it. As time passes, the oxygen hardens the binder, the tiny cracks let in water, and slight depressions catch the runoff. A smart plan makes the road surface like a roof, watertight, checking the weaknesses and giving them a face work coat before the under materials are injured.

• Crack sealing and fillers: These are elastomeric materials that keep the water out of the crack and dampen the edge raveling effect; they are the first lines of precaution necessary in any pavement maintenance program.
• Periodic surface treatments: Fog seal (see here for more), micro-surfacing, thin overlays, all lead to maintenance of life and longevity, before it is time to remake; these take a lighter course than full reconstruction.
• Drainage and base repairs: Where ponding occurs, or soft areas develops, it is allowed for the correction of the pitch and steadying of the base material and repeats are maintained.
• When to rehabilitate: When the cracking is general but shallow, overlay will do; where there is a structural failure or pumping of fine matter occurs, it requires attention both to reconstruction and to concrete repair at the curb line or at junctions.
• The lifetime trend: Expect maintenance every few years, and protective sealing at a reasonable period and general work only when the structure justifies. By taking the habit of event appropriate care to the weather and usage of the work, the home owner attains surfaces not only safe and appealing to the eye, but valuable also, if taken care of for the long journey through life, it is shown that small, timely care now, means the avoidance of big repair jobs then.