Over time, cracks will appear in every parking lot. Cracking is caused primarily by the effects of the sun and moisture. The sun oxidizes asphalt pavement causing it to harden and shrink. When this happens, the pavement breaks at its weakest point (usually along the joints). Water seeps into the cracks and softens or weakens the sub-base.
Why should you care right now? During temperature fluctuations, common in “freeze thaw cycles” in the colder parts of the country, water that is trapped beneath the surface can widen cracks and even cause pavement heaving. If left untreated, cracks can quickly spread to adjacent areas and worsen with heavy traffic loads.
Properly attending to cracks and treating problems in a timely manner is cost effective, because it delays more expensive restoration such as resurfacing or reconstruction. A budget should allocate funds for crack sealing once every 2 to 3 years.
There are six basic types of cracks: (click here for images on all 6)
- Reflective
- Fatigue or Alligator
- Joint/Longitudinal
- Block
- Edge
- Slippage
Click HERE to learn more! Have a question on when to crack seal? Comment below or contact one of our parking lot experts at (888) 773-ROSE.
