Technology of pothole repair of asphalt concrete pavement – how to apply industrial methods at home

Potholes are a frequent and infuriating problem for drivers on asphalt or concrete pavements. These little, unsightly potholes in the road can seriously harm cars and endanger the safety of drivers. Although it might seem like a job best left to experts, you can successfully repair potholes at home using industrial techniques.

Using cold mix asphalt, which is specifically made for small-scale repairs, is one of the easiest approaches. This material is perfect for do-it-yourself projects because it doesn’t require heating and can be applied straight from the bag. Potholes can be filled and sealed to return your driveway or neighborhood road to its original smooth surface with a few simple steps.

First, give the pothole a thorough cleaning, making sure to get rid of any water, dirt, and loose debris. This is an important step because it guarantees that the new material will stick to the pavement as intended. Next, fill the hole with the cold mix asphalt, leveling it out and using a tamper or piece of wood to compact it. Ensuring that the patch is level with the surrounding surface is crucial.

Let the material settle and cure after compacting. It’s a good idea to avoid heavy traffic on the repaired area for a few hours, even though cold mix asphalt usually sets quickly. This will contribute to the durability and efficacy of your repair. By addressing potholes at home with a little work and the appropriate supplies, you can enhance the aesthetics and safety of your asphalt surfaces.

With the correct equipment and supplies, potholes in asphalt concrete pavements can be effectively repaired at home using industrial techniques. You will learn how to use these methods to patch potholes and create a smooth, long-lasting surface by following this guide. These easy steps will help you save money, prolong the life of your driveway or road, and improve its appearance and safety. This post has all the information you need to complete the task correctly, whether you’re a do-it-yourself enthusiast or just trying to patch up a bothersome pothole.

What is asphalt concrete and why do defects appear on it

Bitumen binder and fillers make up asphalt. It is possible to add modifiers to the mixture to give it unique qualities.

Pay heed. Calling asphalt concrete instead of asphalt is more accurate because asphalt is a naturally occurring substance that is one of the bitumen varieties that doesn’t include fillers.

Additional information regarding the ingredients in asphalt mixtures.

Fillers

In terms of cement-based concrete, this is just regular sand and crushed stone. They are chosen based on fractions (sizes) to ensure that the fillers have the least amount of simple space between them. In other words, smaller stones are placed in the spaces left by larger ones, and there is still smaller filler between them.

There is a mathematical theory of the densest packings for accurate selection. Ground sand is occasionally added to the volume to fill it up even more.

Larger filler in asphalt concrete makes it harder, but it’s hard to smooth out the surface, so the coating is typically applied in layers. The upper one is leveling with smaller ones or even solely based on sand, while the lower one is the main one with significant portions of crushed stone.

Just like with regular concrete, river sand and rounded gravel are not as good as crushed stone and sand from screenings. Aggregates are frequently pre-washed because it is undesirable for them to contain dust and other impurities.

Characteristics and marking of bitumen

The characteristics of the binder largely dictate the characteristics of asphalt concrete. The most common type of bitumen used to create a mixture for asphalt concrete pavements is petroleum road bitumen designated BND.

The following table lists the attributes of the most popular brands as per GOST 22245-90:

Index Bitumen grades
BND 200/300 BND 130/200 BND 90/130 BND 60/90 BND 40/60 BN 200/300 BN 130/200 BN 90/130 BN 60/90
Needle penetration depth Ø 0.1 millimeter at 25 °C, mm 201-300 131-200 91-130 61-90 40-60 201-300 131-200 91-130 60-90
Needle penetration depth Ø 0.1 millimeter at 0 °C, mm not less 45 35 28 20 13 24 18 15 10
Softening temperature according to the ring-ball method, °C, not lower 35 40 43 47 51 33 38 41 45
Extensibility, millimeters, not less: at 25 °C 700 650 550 450 800 800 700
Extensibility, millimeters, not less than: at 0 ° C 200 60 40 35
Brittleness temperature, ° C, not more than -20 -18 -17 -15 -12 -14 -12 -10 -6
Flash point, °C, not lower 220 220 230 230 230 220 230 240 240
Change in softening temperature after heating/C, not more than 7 6 5 5 5 8 7 6 6

Now let’s discuss how the indicators are calculated:

  • needle penetration depth – measure how many millimeters the needle with a diameter of 0.1 millimeters under the load penetrates into the model of bitumen at a certain temperature for a specific period of time;

  • softening temperature using the ball-ring method — a ball is placed on a bitumen sample and the temperature at which it touches the plate under the ring is measured;

  • stretchability at temperature — samples of a certain shape are stretched until they break;
  • brittleness temperature — determine at what temperature cracks appear on a bitumen sample applied to a metal plate when it is bent;
  • flash point – the temperature at which bitumen vapors above the surface can flare up (but not burn steadily).

As you can see, the most crucial feature of bitumen is its ability to be penetrated at a temperature of 25 degrees with a needle. The more durable the asphalt it produces, the smaller the penetration (two numbers separated by a fraction after the abbreviation BND in the marking).

Nevertheless, at low temperatures, this bitumen-based material with tiny needle penetrations proves to be more brittle, making it more vulnerable to the development of cracks and eventually potholes. As a result, they look for the best option taking into account the climate and road load. Stronger bitumen is also less viscous, meaning that more heating and thorough mixing are needed to prepare it for asphalt, which raises the cost of making the mixture.

Why asphalt is damaged

There are several causes of coating defects, which we will outline below:

  • Mechanical impact on the material, for example, with sharp impacts when objects fall during unloading. When moving equipment with a greater mass than the calculated one, which was laid down during the design (a heavy-duty dump truck with building materials entered a house site designed for a maximum weight of a passenger car) or when the traffic intensity increases.

These issues frequently surface close to the house in areas where trash cans are placed.

  • Loss of foundation strength – if the pad was designed incorrectly or became soaked as a result of rain or flooding (to avoid destruction for this reason, spring restrictions on axle loads are introduced on highways), breakdowns of drainage and storm sewers.

Soil freeze-thaw cycles may also be the cause of the foundation displacement.

  • The foundation and the asphalt layer itself are mechanically damaged for other reasons – landslides, soil displacement.

  • Very often, cracks are formed when the root system of nearby trees or shrubs grows. Seeds that for some reason ended up under the road can also wake up. Although the sprout looks delicate, when growing it can create pressure of tens of atmospheres.

Suggestions. Poplars that are growing close by are particularly hazardous because of their extensive, tens of meters-long root systems. Operating conditions are also made worse by moisture that falls from the leaves. Please take note that, although there are no flaws in other areas, the area beneath the poplars’ crowns frequently develops tiny cracks after a year or two on a new road. Thus, attempt to get rid of any poplar plantings close to the asphalt.

  • Asphalt loses strength over time, exposure to ultraviolet radiation and elevated temperatures. If these factors are harmless to the filler, then bitumen, like many other organic substances, is sensitive to them.

  • Bitumen is corroded by solvents, for example, defects often form in parking lots due to leaking oils and other technical fluids.

  • Asphalt concrete is destroyed due to stresses that occur when water turns into ice when it freezes in its pores and cracks. This is one of the main reasons in winter, but it is usually secondary (if the mixture was laid high-quality and properly compacted) – first, these cracks need to form.

  • In summer, plants whose seeds got into the cracks can contribute to the destruction of asphalt. They don’t even need, as we said above, to overcome the obstacle, the path is clear. This is especially often seen on the surfaces of paths and sidewalks, the repair of which we will talk about further.

Please take note that most of the factors that lead to concrete degradation do so in a complicated way.

For instance, the most typical situation is:

  1. a microcrack was formed due to a small subsidence of the soil;
  2. in winter, water got into it, it began to expand;
  3. due to changeable weather and, especially, due to the use of salt or anti-icing reagents, freeze-thaw cycles (there can be three to ten even during the day), the crack expands to significant sizes;
  4. through the crack, moisture begins to get under the surface, causing further subsidence of the base, the process is accelerated by the pressure from the wheels of passing vehicles.
  5. then a network of small cracks appears, which eventually turn into a pothole.

After a brief theoretical digression, let’s move on to asphalt concrete self-repair techniques.

Self-repair of asphalt concrete pavements

You’ve discovered potholes in your driveway or on your property, and you plan to fix them on your own without professional assistance. Let’s look at a few of the most useful self-healing techniques.

We can provide more assistance through the video in this article:

Without preparing maps

Potholes are not filled in by cutting away the asphalt surrounding them or by employing any other technique when employing these techniques. This process expedites the work. This kind includes almost all of the most advanced contemporary techniques for patching potholes, but it takes specialized, pricey equipment to accomplish high-quality work with any of them.

This method is not very durable, so it’s best to avoid using it when doing repairs yourself. Don’t be fooled by the cold mixture manufacturers’ claims that you can achieve the same level of quality as other repair methods without having to cut any potholes. Cutting the cards is your best option.

Repairing a defect without cards is only warranted as a temporary solution in cases where it must be corrected immediately for safety or other reasons.

However, you should consider buying compact equipment to make a patch repair of the asphalt concrete coating if you have a large section with an asphalt area to Hectar. These machines are called BCM (machines for an injective method) and are compact with relatively small performance. You can offer your neighbors your services so that the equipment is not left idle.

Repair by impregnation

The simplest method of repair. To carry it out, we require the following supplies:

  1. small crushed stone with a grain size of no more than 15 mm, it is advisable to buy washed or wash it yourself on a suitable sieve, then dry it if bitumen will be used;
  2. bitumen or an emulsion based on it, the second is even more desirable (more on this below);
  3. sand, preferably from crushed screenings.

Bitumen emulsion is a mixture of bitumen and water that has been enhanced with emulsifiers, which are specialized additives. One of its benefits is that it can be heated to a temperature of up to 100 degrees without losing its desired fluidity.

It sticks nicely to damp surfaces. A drawback is that water may wash the emulsion away if it rains soon after the layer is laid.

A minimum set of tools will be required from the apparatus and equipment: a watering can or ladle for pouring the bitumen or emulsion into the repair areas, a shovel, a hard brush or broom, and a container for heating it (a metal barrel or tank under which you can make a fire will do). However, it’s a good idea to have an air blower, an industrial hair dryer, or, in dire circumstances, a gas burner in addition.

Furthermore, even though we do not intend to create holes, it is still preferable to at least somewhat process their edges to make them vertical. For this, a crowbar will come in useful.

The following are the directions for completing the task:

  • While thoroughly mixing, heat the bitumen, its temperature should be within 110-150 degrees. The emulsion can be heated less to 80-90 ° C. Further, both materials will be called binders.
  • We clean the holes from destroyed asphalt dust and dirt with a shovel and a brush or broom. It is convenient to do this with an air blower.

  • If we use hot bitumen, then dry the work areas. We do this with a hair dryer or air blower (you will have to supply a stream of air to the pothole longer). As a last resort, you can heat it with a gas burner, trying not to burn the asphalt. When working with an emulsion, drying is not necessary.
  • We pour in a binder pothole surfaces to completely wet them.
  • Then we pour in some crushed stone, literally 1-1.5 centimeters.
  • We pour the emulsion over the crushed stone so that it is completely saturated with it.

  • We repeat this several times until we completely fill the pothole with a slight excess above the asphalt level to compensate for shrinkage.
  • We level the surface.
  • We sprinkle the repair site with sand from above.
  • After some time, when the bitumen or emulsion hardens, we remove the unbound particles of crushed stone and sand.

Methods with cutting maps

If high-quality materials are available, these are the best techniques for pothole repair of asphalt concrete pavement that can be carried out without the need for complicated equipment, according to SNiP.

Every task can be separated into three phases:

  1. preparation of maps;
  2. filling them with repair material;
  3. processing of seams.

Describe each step in greater detail now.

Preparation of maps

Making maps is the first step in repair, and it needs to be done carefully. A hidden works act must be created for this operation in road maintenance and repair organizations. Now for more specifics.

To sever the maps, we’ll require:

  • A tool for marking – a ruler, chalk.
  • A tool for cutting and removing asphalt. This can be a seam cutter or even a powerful angle grinder with an appropriate disk. Also, jackhammers or hammer drills with chisels and picks are used for cutting maps. As a last resort, with a small amount of repair and a desire to work hard, you can use a regular crowbar.

Suggestions. If using a crowbar to remove the coating from the base, do not damage the surrounding area. It breaks easily, so punch the contours and then pry the asphalt from below.

  • Devices for cleaning and drying maps – a hair dryer, an air blower, in extreme cases, brooms and a gas burner (like the one in the photo below).

  • Auxiliary tools – shovels and a crowbar.

Let’s talk straight about the work. Initially, marking is done, and the following criteria must be met.

  1. The outlines of the cards should extend several centimeters beyond the area of ​​the damaged coating.
  2. Several small potholes located nearby are combined into one map.
  3. A rectangular shape is optimal. As a last resort, you can complicate the outline but avoid sharp corners.
  4. If it is planned to use cold asphalt concrete mixtures for repairs, then the map area should not be more than 2 square meters (unless otherwise specified by the manufacturer).

The markings state that any of the tools can be used to remove asphalt across the entire area. Cutting the card down to the intact asphalt is done to the base of the asphalt, if needed. Walls have to be vertical.

After the card has been cleaned and allowed to dry, it is deemed ready to be laid with the mixture.

Laying the mixture and sealing the seams

There are various materials that can be used to fill out cards; we will list them and discuss the benefits and drawbacks of each.

  • Ordinary concrete based on Portland cement. Although it seems that such repairs are durable, it is better to refuse them.

The distinction between the coefficients of thermal expansion is the key. Regardless of the method used to seal the joint between two materials, a crack will eventually form on it. This crack will grow as a result of freezing and water infiltration, further eroding the coating.

It is also not very attractive that the texture and color of the repair site will differ from the rest of the coating. It is also important to note that no building code covers these kinds of pothole repairs.

  • Ordinary hot asphalt concrete, which is also used in road construction. This is the best option, however, there may be problems with purchasing the material if the volume of work is very small and less than a cubic meter of the mixture is required, suppliers usually do not sell excessively small batches, but then you can choose other options for repair technology.

One of the drawbacks is that hot asphalt cannot be repaired at temperatures lower than -10 °C. Moreover, a lot of factories close during the winter, making it challenging to get this material.

One potential issue is that, even in heated bodies during transportation, the mixture will cool down if your site is located more than 300 kilometers from the asphalt concrete production facility. In this case, no one will agree to deliver the mixture to you.

  • Cold asphalt concrete mixtures – they are a type of ordinary asphalt in which the hardening of the bitumen, due to the introduction of special additives, does not occur during cooling, but only after rolling. This is a good solution, but also has both pros and cons.

Among the benefits are:

  • you can purchase material even for a small repair area, there are packages of several kilograms;
  • there are no time limits for transportation and work, cold asphalt is stored for several months;
  • no need to control the temperature during laying;
  • work can be carried out all year round even in severe frosts.

However, there are drawbacks as well:

  1. its price is several times higher than that of traditional hot mixes;
  2. the strength and frost resistance of cold asphalt is less.

Now let’s get straight to sealing the cut maps. For this task, we will need clean sand and bitumen, or an emulsion based on it, in addition to the material we will lay. A small amount of waste oil, diesel fuel, or a comparable substance is also required to lubricate the sole of the vibratory plate or roller, as well as the trowel.

Additionally required are the following tools and equipment (devices):

  • A container for heating the bitumen or emulsion. We do not need a large volume, you can limit yourself to a small flask, which can be heated with a blowtorch or gas burner.

  • A ladle, a watering can or even an old teapot for pouring bitumen.
  • A trowel is a tool similar to a large mop or a rake without teeth. It is intended for leveling the laid mixture.

  • A vibrating plate for compacting the laid mixture. You can replace it with a self-made roller from a large diameter pipe.

Suggestions. Provide for the option to fill the roller with water if you plan to make one out of a pipe in order to increase its weight. To accomplish this, simply create a neck for filling and hermetically weld the ends together. Such a device will be simple to transport, and you can add weight at the job site by adding water.

  1. Shovels.
  2. If we are going to work with cold asphalt in winter, then before laying it is advisable to warm it up a little, stirring. A powerful construction hair dryer or gas burner is suitable for this.

We will now go over the work’s execution step-by-step.

  • If the map was cut at the edge of the asphalt pavement, then in order to form its missing wall and make an even edge, we attach a block of the appropriate height and secure it with pegs.

  • We pour the bottom and walls of the maps with heated bitumen or emulsion. If the asphalt was cut to the base (sand and gravel cushion), then we pre-compact it with a vibrating platform, roller or rammer.

  • We lay out the mixture in the map. The main thing here is not to overdo it, it is better to add a little more later than to remove excess asphalt after rolling.

  • Leveling the surface with a trowel. This operation is similar to leveling the beds with a rake, summer residents will understand me. To prevent the asphalt from sticking to the trowels, we lubricate them with diesel fuel. The surface should be slightly higher than the pavement level by 1-2 centimeters, taking into account shrinkage when compaction.

  • Compacting with a vibrating plate or roller thoroughly, in several passes – at least five.

  • If it turned out that the level of the renovated place is below the rest of the coating, add the mixture to nothing terrible, we level it again and roll it over again. Our card should not be lower otherwise than water will accumulate in it.
  • The final stage – we shed a place of seams between the old and the new coat of bitumen and sprinkle with sand.

Step Description
1. Assess the Damage Check the size and depth of the pothole. If it"s deeper than a few inches or covers a large area, you might need professional help.
2. Clean the Area Remove any loose debris, dirt, and old asphalt from the pothole. Use a broom, shovel, or a wire brush to ensure a clean surface.
3. Prepare the Pothole Roughen the edges of the pothole with a chisel or a similar tool. This helps the new asphalt bond better with the old pavement.
4. Apply a Primer (Optional) Apply a primer to the pothole if recommended by the asphalt product you"re using. This step can improve adhesion.
5. Fill the Pothole Pour asphalt patch material into the pothole, filling it slightly over the surface level. Use a tamper or a heavy tool to compact the material.
6. Smooth the Surface Level the filled area with a shovel or a rake, making sure it"s even with the surrounding pavement.
7. Allow to Cure Let the repair cure according to the manufacturer"s instructions. Avoid driving over the patched area until it is fully set.

It may be simpler than you might think to patch potholes in your asphalt driveway, especially with some of the commercial techniques that are now accessible for residential use. You don’t need to hire a contractor to get professional results if you have the right equipment and supplies. To guarantee a long-lasting repair, it’s important to take your time and follow the right procedures.

Start by giving the pothole a thorough cleaning and getting rid of any water and loose debris. This is an important step because the patching material adheres more readily to a clean surface. Next, if necessary, use a bonding agent to aid in the new material’s adhesion to the old asphalt.

Use a high-quality patching material to plug the pothole. For homeowners, cold patch asphalt is an excellent choice because it is simple to apply and doesn’t require heating. Using a tamper or even a heavy board, compact the material firmly to remove air pockets and produce a solid repair.

Lastly, allow the patch to cure in accordance with the manufacturer’s guidelines. The product being used and the weather conditions could determine how long this takes. It could take several hours to several days. Your driveway will look nice and smooth once it has set and is once again ready for use.

You can prolong the lifespan of your asphalt driveway and keep it in excellent condition by using these commercial techniques at home. Potholes can be avoided and everyone can remain safe on your pavement with a little work and the appropriate method.

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Anna Vasilieva

Journalist with a technical education, specializing in construction topics. I can explain complex technical topics in simple and accessible language.

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