Learn more about the types of cracks that can affect your asphalt parking lot.
Asphalt paving continues to be one of the most popular, visually appealing, and durable options for parking lots. However, even with its great strength, asphalt parking lots can experience cracking. More interestingly, they can crack in several different ways.
Does the Type of Asphalt Crack Matter?
Knowing the types of cracks that can affect asphalt is actually quite important. When you know the type of crack, you can answer what caused the crack, leading you to solutions on how to avoid more asphalt cracking in the future.
Fatigue Cracking
Sometimes called “alligator cracking” or “web cracking” because of the crack’s appearance, fatigue cracks are among the more common types of cracks. Much of the time fatigue cracks come from long-term wear and tear. However, fatigue cracking can also come as a result of poor asphalt installation, a too-thin surface or base, or because of badly-designed or maintained parking lot drainage.
Fatigue cracks demand fairly extensive repair. The repairs become more complex as the problem worsens, which tends to happen fairly rapidly. Untreated fatigue cracking often results in potholes. Effective repairs typically involve removing all affected segments down to the base and installing new asphalt pavement.
Edge Cracking
When the edges of asphalt pavement aren’t adequately supported or have to handle too-heavy loads, you may start to see edge cracks. These tend to start at the edges of your parking lot or asphalt installation — between the asphalt and the neighboring curb or soil — and then gradually come inward to the center of your lot over time. Edge cracking is fairly simple to repair overall, but becomes substantially more complex over time and may lead to very expensive damage.
Slippage Cracks
Usually taking on a curved, half-moon, or circular appearance, slippage cracks are types of cracks that form when the layers of asphalt are not well bonded. This can happen because the mixture had too much sand, or if pollutants such as dust, oil, or dirt find their way between layers and disrupt proper layer adhesion. As cars turn or brake, they can distend the layers, resulting in slippage cracks.
Slippage crack repairs usually involve completely removing the affected area and reinstalling, as there’s no easy method of simply patching a bad bond. In some cases, not all material has to be removed, if a good bond exists on under layers.
Reflective Cracking
These types of cracks occur when there’s a complication with one of the under layers of your asphalt. Usually, bad joints or seams will result in the development of cracking on the upper wear layer. Much of the time reflective cracks can simply be patched to prevent moisture intrusion and to restore proper appearance. However, this is a short-term repair. To completely repair this form of cracking, the entire affected area must be replaced.
Block Cracks
These are usually large, rectangular cracks that form in a repetitive series, effectively turning swathes of pavement into a series of blocks. These cracks most frequently happen due to cold or freezing temperatures on asphalt that lacks sealcoating, or if the aggregate material dried too much during application. Though block cracks look extremely bad, they can often be repaired simply by installing a thin layer of crack filler material that will extend the service life of the asphalt for a good bit of time.
Contact ACPLM for Asphalt Repair in Tampa
Regardless of the types of asphalt cracking you’re dealing with, or the scope of your needs, you can rely on Asphalt and Concrete Parking Lot Maintenance (ACPLM) to provide asphalt repair that restores the beauty and condition of your parking lot. We strive to meet our customer’s needs with proficiency, knowledge, and superior materials.
Do you need a Paving contractor? Call ACPLM today at 813-633-0548 for asphalt crack filling, repairs, and asphalt maintenance.
