Condition

Linear cracking in your asphalt surface.  Aged and oxidized asphalt that has intermittent cracking.  These cracks are typically wide spread throughout the property and not concentrated in one area nor interlocking.

 If there are alligatored areas (interconnecting cracks) then these areas should be repaired rather than crackfilled.  These problems are exacerbated by the intrusion of water which will penetrate to the subgrade and accelerate cracking caused by shrink/swell of the subgrade.

Correction

Cracks that are 1/4” -3/8” can be filled with a cold pour asphalt emulsion crackfiller.  Cracks that are 3/8” – 3/4” will require the use of a hot rubberized crackfiller.  Cracks larger than 3/4” should be corrected with hotmix asphalt, by either filling the cracks with hotmix asphalt and covering with hot pour crackfiller or Petromat overlaying the entire area.

With either application the cracks will have the existing vegetation removed and then the crack will be blown out with high pressure air and high heat.  If necessary we can apply a spray sterilant to the existing vegetation prior to removal.

If we apply cold pour crackfiller, then that material is poured into the crack to bridge the opening and create a flexible filler that is then struck with a specialized squeegee to force the material deeper into the crack and to localize the coverage of the material into a thin strip at each side of the crack.

Cause

Causes of this linear cracking could be a less than satisfactory base on top moisture sensitive subgrade causes swell and shrinkage in that subgrade, which reflects through the base material and the up through asphalt.  This infiltration of moisture through the cracks and oxidized (dried out) asphalt accelerates the damage. 

Finished Product