Five Asphalt Distresses That Property Managers Should Look For

As the summer temperatures approach, you may see your asphalt starting to distress and deteriorate. Asphalt distress can lead to many things, such as the development of potholes or stripping. In order to avoid further damage, here are five asphalt distresses that property owners should beware off.

Fatigue Cracking:

Fatigue cracking, which is better known as alligator cracking, is one of the most common types of asphalt cracking. Fatigue cracking is caused by load-related deterioration, pavement thickness, and overloading. The name alligator cracking comes from the resemblance of cracked skin on alligators back.

Distortion:

Distortions are caused when asphalt mix becomes unstable or a weakness of base subgrade layers. The most common distresses scene is rutting and depressions. Rutting is a liner depression within the wheel path. Rutting can be caused by insufficient thickness of pavement or weak asphalt mixtures. Depressions are localized low spots in pavement. These can be caused by settlement in lower pavement or by inadequate construction.

Raveling:

Raveling is the wearing-away of particles of asphalt. The condition shows that asphalt mix was not properly used. This is usually seen in areas that experience high volumes of traffic.

Bleeding:

Bleeding is a skidding hazard that property owners should be aware of. Bleeding is when a pavement surface becomes flushed with asphalt and loses its resistance. Bleeding is caused by too much asphalt in the mix or poor construction of the seal coat.

Streaking:

Surface treatment distress can happen when surface treatments lose cover prematurely or there is a presence of streaking. Streaking is when there are alternate stripes of asphalt visible. This is caused by uneven application of asphalt to pavement.

Asphalt is extremely expensive and valuable. When first noticing signs of distress, it is essential to take care of the problem before it gets worse or someone gets hurt as a direct result. Call Team Cam at (443) 304-2237 for a free estimate today.