EXPERT ADVICE
Fixing
Potholes
Avoid common
problems,
patiently follow
the process
By Krystal Strassman,
DRS Paving, Fitchburg, Wis.
www.callape.com
I
t happens to the best asphalt paved
surface.... the dreaded pothole. Pot-
holes are depressions in a paved sur-
face that can vary in size and shape.
They are caused by the expansion and
contraction of water that gets into the
ground under the pavement. When wa-
ter freezes, it expands.
Think of when ice cubes are made. A
tray full of water is put into the freezer,
and when removed from the freezer, it is
easy to notice that the water has expand-
ed. This same thing happens when water
gets into the ground under the pave-
ment. If it has a chance to freeze, it will
take up more space under the pavement,
[16]
and the pavement expands, bends, and
cracks, weakening the asphalt pavement.
Then when ice melts, the pavement
contracts and leaves gaps or voids in
the surface under the pavement, where
water can get in and be trapped. If the
water freezes and thaws over and over,
the pavement will weaken and continue
cracking.
In warmer climates, not subject to
freeze-thaw cycles, the problem begins
with heat-caused deterioration. Cracks
from the heat allow water in, eroding
the sub-surface layers. In either case, an
air gap is formed in the sub-base of the
pavement.
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