Best Practices Handbook on Asphalt Pavement Maintenance

Abstract

The purpose of this handbook is to provide background information about the importance of pavement preservation and preventive maintenance, as well as present maintenance techniques for a variety of distresses and conditions. The major focus of this handbook is on preventive maintenance activities, which are performed while the roadway is still in good condition with only minimal distress, before the pavement falls into a condition where structural overlays, major milling or reclaiming, or replacement is necessary. The most common flexible pavement distresses are cracking, roughness, weathering, raveling, rutting and bleeding. If the distresses identified in a pavement are related to structural deficiencies, the pavement section is most likely not a candidate for preventive maintenance treatment, and should be scheduled for rehabilitation or reconstruction. Maintenance treatments covered in this handbook include: Crack repair w/sealing, including clean and seal, saw and seal, and rout and seal; crack filling, full depth crack repair, fog seal, seal coat, double chip seal, slurry seal, microsurfacing, thin hot mix overlays, and potholes and pavement patching. Tables are outlined giving the most common flexible pavement distresses, along with the best practices for rehabilitation for each. Also given are recommended applications for crack sealers and fillers, surface treatments, and pothole patching. Specifications, technical memoranda and special provisions are included for all treatment methods recommended in the handbook.