If you’re a business owner, you can appreciate the essential role pavement plays on your property. Therefore, it’s vital to ensure that your pavement is in excellent condition because failure to do so can lead to several costly problems.
This blog post will unearth different pavement failures in the flexible pavement, with valuable insight from our experts at Prime Asphalt in Waco, TX.
Type 1: Subgrade Failure
This pavement failure involves excessive deformation or movement of the subgrade. If left untreated, this can develop into severe structural problems with the pavement.
The following are some of its causes:
- Inadequate drainage
- Too much stress application
- Poor stability
You can resolve this by ensuring that the subgrade is appropriately graded and compacted and installing adequate drainage systems.
Type 2: Base Course Failure
Next on our list is a base-course failure. Its causes include:
- Insufficient strength
- Poor quality control
- Crushing of base course materials
- Inadequate road drainage
- Loss of binding action
You can prevent base course failure by ensuring that the subgrade is appropriately graded and compacted and the drainage system is correctly installed. It’s also recommended that you use good-quality granular base materials that are crushed to the correct size.
Type 3: Surface Failure
This is also known as wearing course failure, where the surface layer of asphalt starts to wear out and exposes the aggregate. There are a few reasons this might arise, including:
- Excessive loads from heavy traffic
- Incorrect application thickness
- Poor-quality materials
- Improper compaction
Again, prevention is critical. Make sure you use high-quality materials, compact the surface layer thoroughly, and install good drainage.
Tips for Preventative Maintenance
So now that you understand the types of pavement failures, it’s time to learn how to prevent them from happening. Here are some tips for a good maintenance program:
- Perform regular inspections and remedial work quickly. It’s much easier and less expensive to repair minor issues than serious ones.
- Keep your drainage systems well maintained.
- Seal cracks and joints to prevent water from seeping in as soon as possible.
- Remove snow, ice, leaves, and other debris that can trap moisture on the surface of your pavement.
- Choose high-quality materials for repairs or construction projects so they last longer.
Why Preventative Maintenance?
If all these procedures sound like one big headache to you, think again! Neglected pavements promise a lot of trouble, not just for the pavement itself.
Business Image
If your pavement looks damaged and unkempt, it gives a terrible impression of your business to customers or tenants. Preventative maintenance preserves the appearance of the parking lot or roadway for years to come to retain existing clients and attract new ones.
Savings
Regular maintenance also ensures that your pavement will serve you reliably for years. There will be fewer unexpected failures that can halt traffic or cost your business money. As a result, you can save money in the long run by investing in a well-maintained pavement.
Safety
Neglected or damaged pavement can be dangerous! Protect pedestrians and your employees by ensuring that your pavement is in good condition.
Conclusion
Are you feeling overwhelmed by the prospect of pavement maintenance? Relax! Prime Asphalt is in Waco, TX, to help. Our team of experienced professionals can handle everything for you, from initial inspection and design to construction and long-term maintenance.Request an estimate today!
