19. There is mud coming through my blacktop, what can you do to repair it and why do I see mud.

When answering this question it is important to first understand exactly how the mud got there and it all comes back to proper preventative maintenance. Typically, if you see mud showing through in your blacktop it means that water usually by way of a surface crack has penetrated beyond the gravel base and into the underlying soil layer. If this happens, mud can then be pumped up into the grave acting as a lubricant and causing the overlaying asphalt to shift as cars and trucks drive across it. You see this a lot in areas which have a vast amount of cracks and in many cases inadequate drainage.

The solution is a full depth replacement. Simply putting a patch over such a repair will only cover the problem temporarily, causing it to worsen. With a full-depth replacement our crew will come in tear out the damaged blacktop and gravel layer and replace it with new stone and newly laid asphalt. Important to note here – this fix among several others in many cases could have been avoided with proper asphalt maintenance, like crack filling and sealer, which studies prove can add up to 30-50% more life span to your lot, eliminating costly repairs.

What are the differences between patching, peel & pave, and mill & pave, what are the advantages or disadvantages to each one?

Asphalt Patching

Patching is a common asphalt repair in areas where the asphalt has cracked, but the base is still stable, or in areas where potholes have occurred. This process begins by cleaning the repair area and applying a tack coat to help the new asphalt adhere to the existing surface. A layer of asphalt is then installed upon the existing surface; the depth will vary from 1”-2.5” depending on the severity of the existing damage. Patching is a cheap solution to asphalt defects; however it will not last as long as removal and replacement. Eventually cracking will reflect through the new patch, or spread beyond the patch.

Asphalt Removal & Replacement

Asphalt removal and replacement or as we call it “peel & pave” is another common repair. The repair is often prescribed for areas with cracking and or base/failure. This process begins by saw cutting the perimeter of the repair area in order to achieve a clean edge. After the edges are saw cut, the existing asphalt is removed to the depth specified. Typically the new asphalt is installed in 2 lifts; a binder course usually at 3” is followed by a 1” top course. The depth of repair will vary dependent upon the extent of existing damage, and/or the load requirements needed to be met. By adding up to 10 times more life span than patch work, asphalt removal & replacement is often a very cost effective fix for your surface’s distressed areas.

Mill & Pave

Milling, or grinding, takes a much different approach than either patching or peel & pave in that it removes built-up layers of deteriorated asphalt down to a specific depth, making room for a new surface, by actually grinding up the existing asphalt into a tiny like gravel. The millings, as they are often referred to are then hauled off site and can easily be recycled. The newly grinded surfaced is then layered with tack and set to receive a fresh smooth coat of asphalt. In many cases this type of fix is done on much larger areas where a peel and pave or patch is just not sufficient.

Cracks in Asphalt. Crackfilling and Other Forms of Repair

The next 5 questions (13-17) from the top 50 paving maintenance questions  are on the subject of cracking:

13. My lot has cracking can you repair the cracks?

14. What is the difference between normal cracking and alligator cracking?

15. What are my options for fixing the alligator areas?

16. You said there is reflective cracking in my lot, what is reflective cracking?

17. What are the advantages of repairing the cracks.

Although these are the common questions that we get, they really do not cover all the questions associated with cracking.  This is a really big topic and from  the perspective of someone who has spent over 30 years in the asphalt industry its an interesting one. This article is not intended to be definitive. I am trying to be informative to the typical property manager who is trying to deal with degrading conditions in their asphalt.

After spending some time on google, going through various journals and researching this subject in all the publication I have at my disposal, its clear to me that there is alot of information that covers this topic but not alot that pulls the whole topic together. Actually I didn't find any articles that did this.  Even in the Asphalt Handbook you would have to pull alot of sections together to try to cover all the reasons for cracking.  As a result there do not appear to be any ready reference guides to help property managers figure out what their problem is. 

This article will attempt to give some insight into the issue. Lets start with the broad sweep and say cracking is a symptom of some sort of pavement failure. The question is why does pavement fail and does it always result in cracking? Not always but for the most part yes there is always some sort of cracking that occurs at some point with a pavement failure. Its worth repeating though that its not the problem. Its a symptom of the problem. 

Pavement failures for three main reasons: 

1. Surface Failures

2. Bonding Failures

3. Structural Failures

This provides a nice umbrella but it needs to be said that every crack or failure cannot be neatly classified into one of these categories. They often fall in between or in both. 

Surface failures have to do with problems that occur in the surface layer of the asphalt. A common example of this is a crack that forms along a seam. Another example is cracking that water causes through erosion or deterioration of the asphalt. Oxidation or the effects from the sun would fall into this category. 

Bonding failures are problems that occur between layers. Asphalt unraveling from layers not being tacked well together. Shoving or sliding that occurs at intersections where trucks always stop. Reflective cracking in my mind would fall into this group. 

Structural failures are usually associated with the underlying stone base.  Causes include weak or deficient base, excessive moisture, and lack of proof rolling procedures before placing the stone base.

Determing the cause of the crack usually will dictate the remedy. Normally crackfilling techniques can be used for surface failures and, on the other hand, would not be an acceptable remedy for structural failures.  In the case of structural failures, it would be better to address the fundamental underlying problem by doing some sort of full depth repair. 

Bonding failures could require either crackfilling or full depth repair but also might have other remedies that may be more appropriate. For example if asphalt is sliding or shoving the right remedy has to be determined by finding out what is the root cause. Asphalt might shove because the new surface was not properly tacked to the old, or its on a steep incline and the weight of the vehicles is pushing the asphalt, or there is something inherently wrong with the asphalt. Only someone with reasonable experience in these situations would be able to determine the cause. Generally an experienced geotech with roadtech experience would be able to determine the cause. There is no substitute for experience. A contractor who has dealt with these situations before would almost always have  a good  grasp of the problem and reasonably come up with a remedy that will work. 

Be careful to consult a contractor that has the knowledge and technical skill to come up with the right remedies to problems. Our field estimators have alot of experience to draw from and if they don't know the answer they will get someone out there that does. 

Scheduling Work - Questions 11 & 12

Here are questions 11 and 12 from the 50 most important paving questions:

11.  My business is open 7 days a week, can we phase the work to keep the lot open?

12.  I am closed on weekends, can you seal then?

I guess the simple answer is yes. As soon as we receive the signed  quote back, our supervisor from the field will contact the customer in order to schedule the job. Every lot is different and as such each lot will require our crews to mobilize in different ways and different times. The supervisor will work out with the customer the best time to do the job that limits the impact on their business or, in the case of plazas, apartment complexes and office parks, businesses or tenants. If  weekend work is more appropriate then that is when we will do the job.  It helps to discuss any unique details to the job with the estimator when he initially comes to  look at your site. We are pretty flexible because the goal is to keep earning your business.

Sealcoating - Questions 1-10

The first 10 questions have to do with sealcoating.

Sealcoating is the process of placing a protective coating over the asphalt to help increase the life of the parking lot by reducing oxidation, protecting from gas and oil spills. Additionally it returns the lot to its original consistant black appearance which should probably be considered as an aesthetic benefit. Now lets try to answer the questions. The questions were not in any specific order. I will try to answer them in the order they were given to me which may not be the best.

1. How much will it cost?

Sealer pricing will range depending on size of lot, striping and number of coats. Depending on the lot the pricing is generally less pennies on the dollar compared to the cost of resurfacing or other repairs.

2. What is spider cracking on sealed lots?

Hairlines are very thin cracks, (usually less than 1/16th of an inch wide). They are cracks in the sealcoating, not in the asphalt itself. They are spider web looking, interconnecting cracks, and are usually more apparent when it is wet or damp out. This generally results from too many applications of coal tar products.

3. How did it happen?

We think it occurs because the coal tar cures differently than asphalt and as a result creates this incompatibility after successive applications. Check out this article: http://www.geeasphalt.net/asphalt_competitiveproducts.asp

4. What can I do to fix it?

Using asphalt sealer will generally improve the situation. If you begin sealing your lot with asphalt this problem will never occur. The only way to eliminate them completely would be to re-surface the parking lot.

5. Why should I seal my lot?

Why Seal Coat?

· Seal coating seals the asphalt pavement, preventing the oxidation and erosion of the top layer of asphalt

· On older pavements seal coating replaces fine particles lost from the asphalt surface due to oxidation

· Seal coating seals the small cracks that can turn into large cracks and prevents water from seeping down to the base material.

· Seal coating helps protects the asphalt from the sun as well as the harmful effects of chemical spills such as oil and gasoline.

· Seal coating provides an attractive black surface that is ideal for painting lines and other markers.

· Seal coating leaves a smooth, clean surface ideal for sweeping, lowering cleaning costs.

· Seal coating costs pennies a square foot compared to the dollars needed to repair or replace damaged asphalt.

6. Are there alternatives to coal tar?

Yes there are asphalt based products that are the equivalent of coal tar based sealers and do not have the strong odor, acidic burning or carcinogenic effects.

7. What is coal tar?

Coal tar is a byproduct of the coking process. It is has been used as a preservative and in medicinal products that deal with lice and psoriasis. Coal Tar is thought to be carcinogenic and for that reason was banned in parts of California and Texas for use in sealcoating products. Here is the city of Austin's brochure on coal tar products: http://www.cityofaustin.org/watershed/downloads/brochure_coaltar.pdf

Here is another good article on coal tar that I think tells the whole story:

http://www.geeasphalt.net/asphalt_competitiveproducts.asp

8. What is asphalt sealer?

Asphalt sealer uses asphalt instead of Coal Tar to make a comparable sealcoating product.

9. What are the benefits of asphalt sealer?

Asphalt based products that are the equivalent of coal tar based sealers and do not have the strong odor, acidic burning or carcinogenic effects.

10. The other contractor said he is going to squeege the sealer. You are spraying. Whats the difference?

In our opinion spraying is the better method. It provides the more consistant coat across the entire surface (in terms of thickness) and without question produces the better finished look. Some websites question whether squeeging may be the better method. Maybe as a first coat application but its benefits are minimal. It is often view that this method does a better job filling cracks and voids. This is really a misnomer. Structurally sealcoatings do not do a good job to fill cracks since the resins in it are not flexible enough to deal with the movement in asphalt. As a result there is only minimal benefit to fill the cracks using the squeegee method. Squeegees tend to drag on the surface leaving the coating thin on the wear part of the surface where it is needed the most. Proper spray applied asphalts tend to outperform squeegee applied applications.

Spraying vs. Sealing is not the end of the story. There is one other method that is worth mentioning - Brush Application. "The bristles of the brush push the sealer deep into the pours and fill in all the little nooks and crannies. " (http://www.sealcoat911.com/about2.html),

The author of the above reference however recommends a squeegee application as the finish coat to the brush application. We have experimented with this and are not satisfied with this process. In our opinion there are 3 options to sealing:

1. 2 coat spray

2. 1 coat brush

3. 1 coat brush and 1 coat spray.

Number 3 is the best choice albeit the most expensive process. While the jury is still out our results indicate that 1 coat brush is better and slightly less expensive than 2 coat spray. But the brush / spray 2 coat process is by far the best.

50 Important Questions

The Thanksgiving holidays are over and its time to get ready for Christmas. I always look forward to this slower time of year. In the construction industry the winter represents a time to take account of everything you did last year and how you would like to change things for the following year. I have been involved in this process since 1981, the year I was married. 5 children and almost 28 years later it has become a ritual that I can now look back on with some sentimental feelings for what seemed like a simpler time long ago.

When we decided to get this blog together, I asked for people within our company to put together lists of questions that our customer always ask. We felt that it would be another way for our customers to gain insight into our operations. My brother, David, took me up on this and put together a list of 50 questions that address issues that he answers all the time. So I thought I would simply list the questions in this blog entry and then over the next few weeks do my best to put some sort of an answer to each of the questions. Here is that list (which for better or worse) I simply cut and pasted from his email.

1, How much will it cost

2, What is spider cracking on sealed lots

3, How did it happen

4, What can I do to fix it

5, Why should I seal my lot

6, Are there alternatives to coal tar

7, What is coal tar

8, What is asphalt sealer

9, What are the benefits of asphalt sealer

10, The other contractor said he is going to squeege the sealer, you are spraying, whats the difference

11, My business is open 7 days a week, can we phase the work to keep the lot open

12, I am closed on weekends, can you seal then

13, my lot has cracking can you repair the cracks

14, What is the difference between normal cracking and alligator cracking

15, What are my options for fixing the alligator areas.

16, You said there is reflective cracking in my lot, what is reflective cracking

17, what are the advantages of repairing the cracks

18, What are the differences between patching, mill and pave or peel and pave, what are the advantages or disadvantages to each one.

19, There is mud coming through my blacktop, what can you do to repair it and why do I see mud

20, I always have water ponding in certain areas of my lot, what can you do to get rid of the water

21, Do you stripe,

22, I have broken curbs, can you repair them

23, I have damaged concrete walks or driveway approach, do you do concrete

24, I have a catch basin that’s collapsing, Can you repair or replace my catch basin.

25, I have water going into my garage doors, do you install trench drains

26, There is a sink hole in my parking lot, what could be causing it and how can you fix it

27, I got another price and he said he is giving me 1” compacted, what does that mean

28, I have another quote and his scope is different than yours.

29, My lot is breaking up and I have a lot of heavy trucks coming in and out of my business, what are my alternatives

30, The blacktop where the dumpster truck empties the dumpster has deep tire ruts, what are my alternatives.

31, How is the price of gas effecting the blacktop business

32, I want to resurface my lot, but the blacktop is already above the doors and walks, what can I do

33, Do you do oil and chip, Is it a good option to repaving my lot.

34, I only need 1 pothole fixed, Will you come to do a small job

35, We have a community board, will you come to our board meeting and explain your quote

36, I need a budget price , we will be looking to do some work in the next yr

37, I have another location in Rochester, how far will you travel

38, I am from out of town, will you go and do a survey of what repairs and overall condition of my parking lot

39, I already have a site contractor, will you just do the paving

40, Do you do residential work

41, Do you need any money down

42, It’s the middle of winter, can you fill the pothole in my lot

43, Do you have a guarantee

44, How often should I seal my parking lot

45, My concrete is Spalding, what causes that to happen

46, Can you break your bid up and give me multiple prices, I might not do all the work

47, You bid this job for me 2 months ago, are the prices still good

48, You bid type 7 top and the other guy bid type 6 top, whats the difference and whats better for me

49, why do the sabres keep losing

50, why do the bills keep losing

Stay tuned for all the answers.

Maintenance Budgets Effected by Economic Woes

Clearly the economic woes have taken their toll on facility managers' budgets. Not only have expansion plans been tabled but normal day to day maintenance budgets for parking lots, roads and other structural surfaces have been slashed as well. It is not uncommon these days to see deteriorating conditions in parking lots getting worse because managers no longer have the resources to maximize the life of their existing facilities by doing adequate preventative maintenance.

The problem that these managers will bump up against is that the law of diminishing returns is clearly exacerbated by unprecedented inflationary factors. While the cost of oil has gone down, the cost of asphalt still is maintaining itself much higher than in the past. The net result is that if a parking lot is allowed to deteriorate beyond a certain point the costs for repair will go up exponentially.

Gone are the days of cheap overlays or large patches. Facility managers now must rely on more and better preventative maintenance rather than allow the parking lots to deteriorate to bad conditions. The adage "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" has never been so true especially when it comes to asphalt. Protect your precious investment or it will begin to cost you a lot of money. If managers want to save money they should carefully choose a contractor that will help them to get the most for their dollar. Repairs and preventative maintenance that does not hold up will simply result in wasted effort and lead to a much larger repair than you had the first time.

Paul