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ASPHALT PAVEMENT CONDITION SURVEY GUIDE

What is the condition of the asphalt? This question must be asked when surveying an existing asphalt pavement to determine potential maintenance procedures.

Can the pavement be coated? Can it be patched, crack filled and coated? Does it need an overlay or total reconstruction starting from the base?

Here are some things to consider:

A. If pavement repairs are required for more than twenty-five (25) percent of the entire pavement area it will be more economical to overlay the entire surface.

B. Any area of the surface that is either "heaved up" or "depressed down" should be completely reconstructed starting from the base.

C. Was the pavement designed for the loads it is carrying? A good example is when the designer forgot about garbage truck loads or did not anticipate the size or number of delivery trucks. Maybe only that area will need to be reconstructed to support the heavier load.

D. Has the use of the building the pavement is serving changed? From an auto parts store (light duty loads) to a castings factory (heavy-duty use)? The pavement may need reconstruction.

E. The specifier may want to consult with a regional Asphalt Institute Professional Engineer. They are asphalt pavement experts that work with asphalt pavement problems every day. There are 18 regional offices throughout the United States. The Asphalt Institute is located in Lexington, Kentucky and may be reached by calling 1-606-288-4960 for more information.

If it is determined that the pavement is sufficient (may need some repairs) for coating then proceed as follows using the Asphalt Pavement Condition Survey:

A. "Walk over" the entire surface looking for:

1. BASE PROBLEMS

a. Grade depressions- "Birdbaths", (standing water on the pavement). Water is asphalt's biggest enemy. Standing water will eventually destroy the asphalt in this area. The problem is most commonly caused by frost expansion in the gravel base or in the sub-grade. At a minimum these areas should be dug up and full depth patched. The long-term solution is to resurface the area so there is not any standing water.

b. Dumpster areas: If the pavement has failed because these areas were under designed, the pavement should be reconstructed from the base up.

c. Water seeping up through the crack (on a dry day): This may indicate an under pavement drainage problem. French drains around the pavement perimeter may be required to permanently rectify the problem. Do not fill these cracks with any type of crackfiller or sealer. It would be a waste of time and money.

2. PAVEMENT SURFACE PROBLEMS

a. Raveling or very porous asphalt: Stones have come out of the surface or the surface has a very "rough" texture. If the asphalt is not sealed, it will degrade rapidly. In severe cases an overlay may be required.

b. Alligatored areas: Interconnecting cracks forming a series of blocks resembling an alligator's skin. This problem is usually caused by not maintaining the asphalt or a base failure problem. The problem areas should be removed and full depth patched.

c. Oil spots: Prior to coating these areas, (if the asphalt under them is sound, use the blade of a knife or thin screwdriver to check this out) prime them with a water based, acrylic oil spot primer.

d. Grass growing onto the edge of the asphalt: Before coating or cracksealing the grass must be removed.

e. Old or badly dried out asphalt: Pavement that is usually several years old that has never been coated and looks a lot like a portland cement concrete surface. The pavement should be primed with a polymer modified pavement primer prior to coating.

f. The asphalt has an oily film over most of the surface: This problem is often found at gas stations, supermarkets, or truck stops. The pavement should be primed with a polymer modified pavement primer prior to coating.

g. Special Cleaning Problems: Deposited mud, tree sap, berry stains, etc. must be scrubbed off the asphalt for the coating to adhere properly. An acrylic oil spot primer should be applied prior to coating.

h. Previously coated asphalt: If the asphalt has been coated before with refined coal tar emulsion, or asphalt emulsion sealer, use of the same type should not cause problems. But if it has been coated with a gilsonite based sealer (uncommon, it will leave a very shiny appearance), all of this coating will have wear off before other sealers will adhere to the surface. If it has been coated with an asphalt emulsion and refined coal tar emulsion is desired, most of the coating should be allowed to wear off. The same is true if an asphalt emulsion is to be used over former refined coal tar emulsion.

3. CRACKS

a. Minor cracks: Less than one half (1/2) inch wide. Note the percentage of area they cover. The coating itself will fill these cracks about as well as they can be filled.

b. Structural cracks: Cracks usually wider than one half (1/2) inch that extend from one edge of the surface to the other. All cracks wider than one half (1/2) inch but less than one (1) inch should be sealed with a hot applied elastomeric-type crack sealant, preferably hot-applied, and designed for non-tracking performance.

c. Big Cracks: Cracks wider than one (1) inch should be patched with hot mix asphalt.

d. Grass growing up through the cracks: Before coating the grass must be removed and the cracks handled as in a, b or c above.

4. OTHER

a. Location of bumper blocks on the surface: Areas behind the bumper blocks should be coated.

b. The striping pattern: There may be a better pattern that could yield more parking spaces or the owner may want a different pattern.

c. Observe the traffic pattern: Note the pattern on a sketch or the pavement drawing. If the pavement receives a large amount of traffic, such as in the drive lane of a strip shopping center, three coats of material should be specified for these higher traffic areas.

5. ASPHALT PAVEMENT CONDITION SURVEY FORM

a. Enter information on the Asphalt Pavement Condition Survey Form while "walking over" the pavement. Selection of the proper specification will be based on survey results.

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