COVER STORY | ADVERTORIAL
While the study reaffirmed crack sealing ’ s documented ability to extend service life in pavement categorized as in “ good condition ,” the data found crack sealing and filling ’ s life-extending benefits apply not only to pavements categorized as in “ good condition ,” but pavements with “ fair ” and “ poor ” conditions as well . Crack sealing distressed pavement is proven to reduce potholes , extend sealant and pavement service life and , when performed prior to other surface treatments , improve the overall effectiveness of any stand-alone treatment .
ADDED VALUE IN ROUTING
From hot to cold and cold to hot , pavement materials expand and contract when subjected to temperature changes . Understanding the laws of thermodynamics can improve the preparation that ’ s paramount to crack sealant success . And depending on a pavement ’ s condition , a sealant application ’ s service life can be greatly enhanced by routing . Routing prepares the crack before sealing . Routing along a crack path creates a reservoir free of debris and provides the necessary width and depth to support the right amount of sealant for longer-lasting protection . The advantages of routing are widely known and supported by long- and short-term studies to extend service life up to 7 years , improve sealant adherence by 40 percent and double service life . However , a perception that the routing process constricts overall productivity has led many industry professionals to skip this step . With the purpose of examining crack treatments , the Strategic Highway Research Program H-106 Crack Treatment Study conducted the most extensive pavement maintenance experiment ever . After a thorough examination , routing was found not to be a rate-determining step and does not slow down productivity of an experienced crew when crack sealing . With real insight into the process of routing , industry professionals should now be inspired to rout when necessary in order to extend the service life of pavement and the sealant applied . The million-dollar question moving forward is : Will awareness of pavement preventive maintenance and the ongoing research recognizing the low cost of preservation treatments — particularly crack sealing as the lowest-cost , highest-benefit preservation treatment — be enough to convince agency leaders and property owners to adopt routine maintenance plans ?
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