EXPERT ADVICE
Difference Between Crack Filling and Crack Sealing
Confused? Our expert Girish Dubey explains the asphalt deterioration and differences and
the major types of crack fill and seal
By Girish Dubey
President, Star Seal
Asphalt is the most widely used paving material by virtue of
its excellent waterproofing and aggregate binding properties.
For over a couple of centuries, asphalt has kept water from
penetrating and damaging the aggregates in the base and
sub-base, thus preserving the integrity and strength of the
pavements. Asphalt, however, does have some serious short-
comings, which must be understood, and proper attention be
paid for the maintenance in order to reap the full advantage
of the sizable investments made in asphalt roads, parking lots
and other traffic bearing surfaces.
Asphalt has poor resistance to weathering, gasoline, oils, fats,
petro-chemicals and de-icing salts. It is not exaggeration that
asphalt pavement begins to deteriorate from the moment it is
laid down. The weathering alone robs asphalt of its “gluing”
(adhesive) properties as evidenced first with the graying of
new asphalt pavements and eventually ending into raveling,
cracking and the development of more serious deficiencies,
namely cracking and the pot-holing. Weather breaks down
the asphaltic compounds on the surface and petro-chemicals
and salts simply dissolve and destroy the pavements.
The first sign of asphalt deterioration is the appearance of
minor surface crack due to the loss of surface oils to weath-
ering. If left unattended, the cracks continue to grow in their
size and numbers, thus allowing water to penetrate and dam-
age the aggregates in the base and sub base of the pavements.
Additionally, the freeze-thaw cycling of the water inside the
pavement that really tears the pavement apart. According to
the Asphalt Institute, water is the most damaging element to
the integrity of asphalt pavements. There is no argument that
Continued on page 34
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