2.

REPAIRS OF ASPHALT ROADS

Bituminous material used for road surfacing may be broadly divided as:
1. Asphalt
2. Tar
Asphalt cement is a bituminous material that is produced by distillation of petroleum oil.
it may be further divided as petroleum asphalt or bitumen and native asphalt.
There are different forms in which native asphalts are available. Native asphalts are those
Which occur in a pure or nearly pure state in nature Native asphalts are associated with a
!arge proportion of mineral matter" called roc# asphalt.
The viscosity of asphalt is reduced sometimes by a volatile dilutent. This material is
called cutbac#. when asphalt is suspended in a finely divided condition in an a$ueous
medium and stabili%ed with an emulsifier it is called as emulsion.
.
Nearly all of &ndian surfaced road length which is about half of the total road length" has
asphalt surfacing. With the growing re$uirements of new construction and maintenance
of e'isting roads our annual consumption of asphalt has increased to about 1.( million
tones currently. Asphalt is used in the road bloc# in a variety of ways" ranging from thin
surfacing to high $uality surface courses.
The common binders used in asphalt road construction are road tar and bitumen. )oad tar
was used in &ndia up to about 1*(( for road construction purposes mainly because of its
greater availability as compared to
1
+roperties of asphalt are:

1. Asphalt is viscoelastic material that behaves as a li$uid at high temperatures and
as an elastic solid at low temperatures.
2. At pavement operating temperatures" asphalt cement has a semisolid
consistency.
,. The viscosity of asphalt varies with temperature. &t possesses characteristics
of adhesion with road aggregates.

-. )oad tar has better adhesion but is more susceptible to temperature than
asphalt. They get o'idi%ed and become brittle much $uic#er than asphalt thus
yielding reduced life of surfacing.
.ue to these properties asphalt is preferred over tar roads. /owever periodically
many defects may arise which can be repaired by following methods.
The types of defects on asphalt surface are grouped under four categories.
a. 0urface defects which include fatty surfaces" smooth surfaces" strea#ing and hungry1dry surface.
b. 2rac#s which covers hairline crac#s" alligator crac#s" longitudinal crac#s" edge crac#s" shrin#age
crac#s and )eflection crac#s.
c. .eformation defects which comprise of slippage" rutting" corrugation" shoving" shallow
depression and settlements.
d. .isintegration defects which consist of stripping" loss of aggregates" reveling" pot holes and edge
brea#ing.
The general caused and remedies for these defects are given in following paragraphs.
2
A. SURFACE DEFECTS
Correction of surface defect due
DEFECTS
CAUSES REPAIRS
Fatty
surfaces:
1. 3'cess binder.
2. 0oft grade of asphalt
,. Non uniform spraying and loss of
aggregates as in surface dressing.
-. /eavy a'le loads.
Apply hot dry cover aggregates or

sand and roll gently for removal of

e'cess binder. Burn it if necessary
or relay area affected.
Soot!
Surfaces:
1. +olishing of aggregates by traffic.
2. 3'cess binder.
)esurface with premi' carpet using
hard aggregates or with slurry seal.
,
Strea"in#
$a%ternate %ean
and ric! %ines
of as&!a%t in
surface
dressin#' in
%on#itudina% (
trans)erse
direction.
1. Non uniform application of binder
2. !ow temperature of binder.
,. 4anual spraying.
-. 4echanical faults during spraying.
Apply new surface dressing with
proper care in spraying of asphalt.
Hun#ry( dry
surfaces:
1. 5se of insufficient binder.
2. 5se of absorptive aggregates.
,. !oss of aggregates from surface
Apply slurry seal" or for emergency
repair applies fog seal.
*. CRAC+S
-
Hair%ine
crac"s
$fine crac"s at
c%ose inter)a%'
1. &nsufficient asphalt.
2. 3'cess filler.
,. 2ompacting when too hot.
-. 6ver compaction.

Apply fog seal with binder.
2ut7bac# binder or asphalt solution.
A%%i#ator
Crac"s
$inter,connect,
ted crac"s
forin#
-%oc"s'
1. 3'cessive movement of base or
sub7base layer.
2. base saturation" e'cessive loads over weathered
surfacing" inade$uate pavement
thic#ness.
8ill crac#s with asphalt emulsion or

cut7bac# binder apply slurry7seal

or sand7asphalt mi'" apply drainage.
Lon#itudina%
Crac"$at t!e
.oint -et/een
&a)eent and
s!ou%der or at
t!e .oint
-et/een t/o
&a)in# %anes'
1. 2ontraction or movement of

0ub grade beneath shoulder.
2. !ane 9oint crac# due to wea#
9oint or differential frost heave
along centre7line.
8ill and seal bac# with cut7bac#
binder or asphalt emulsion. Apply
sand asphalt mi' if crac#s are wider
than three mm.
Ed#e crac"s

$&ara%%e% to outer
ed#e of
&a)eent 0.1
to 0.2 inside'
1. !ac# of lateral support from shoulder.
2. +oor surface drainage.
,. Base saturation shrin#age.
-. 8rost heave
(. &nade$uate pavement width.
1.)ectify drainage system"
2.provide hard and paved shoulders"

,. fill crac#s and lay premi' carpet

with seal coat
-. if edge of the pavement has settled

bring it up to the desired grade with

plant mi' patching material.
(
S!rin"a#e

Crac"s
$trans)erse
direction or
interconnected
crac"s in
%ar#e -%oc"s'
1.0hrin#age of asphalt layer caused by
:olume change of asphalt mi' with high
2ontent of hard asphalt.
2. !ac# of traffic.
Apply slurry seal or sand asphalt
mi' for filling such crac#s.
Ref%ection
Crac"s
$usua%%y
o)er,%ays
o)er ceent,
concrete or -ad%y
crac"ed as&!a%t
a%t -ase.'
1..ue to 9oints and crac#s in the pavement
layer underneath.
1.8ill crac#s and seal suitably
depending on the si%e of crac#.
2.Apply a crac# relief layer for
prevention of such crac#s.
C. DEFOR3ATIO4 DEFECTS
;
S%i&&a#e$-et/een to& %ayer and
%ayer -e%o/
acco&anied -y
crescent s!a&ed
crac"s in
direction of
T!rust of /!ee%s'
1. !ac# of bond between layers due to
omission or inade$uacy of tac#7coat or

prime coat" dust or moisture in between

layers" heavy thrust by traffic
1. )emove affected area
2. Apply tact coat and patch with
premi'
Ruttin#
$%on#itudina%
De&ressions or
5roo)es in /!ee%
Trac"s'
1. /eavy channeli%ed traffic
2.!ow stability of mi' due to inade$uate
2ompaction
,. Wea# pavement
-./igh intensity of load stress as from
bulloc# carts.
(. +lastic deformation
1.8ill ruts with premi' carpet and

compact.
2.)elay affected portion with
asphalt mi' of good stability if
necessary.
Corru#ations$
Re#u%ar
Undu%ations
Causin# s!a%%o/
6a)y surface'
1. !ac# of stability in mi'
2. 3'cess binder1fines.
,. 0oft asphalt
-. +oor aggregate interloc#
(. oscillations set up by vehicles
;. 8re$uent brea#ing of vehicles
<. 8aulty laying of mi'
1. 0carify and relay the surface.
2. 2ut high spots and fill low spots
,. 5se heater planer to rectify
defects
<
S!o)in#
$&%astic o)eent
6it!in surface
resu%tin# in
%oca%i7ed -u%#in#
of surface8
occurrin#
coon%y at
-us sto&s8
intersections
1. !ac# of stability of mi'
2. 3'cess binder or fines
,. 0ofter grade of asphalt
-. !ac# of bond between layers
(. /eavy traffic with fre$uent bra#ing
;. 0harp negotiation of curves and gradients
1.)emove affected portion and
relay with premi' carpet and

compact.
=
*
S!a%%o/
De&ressions
$%oca%i7ed and
%iited in si7e
di&&in# a-out
22 or ore
-e%o/ desired
&rofi%e'
1. /eavier traffic
2. 0ettlement of lower pavement layers
,. +oor construction methods
1.8ill with premi' carpet and
compact to desired grade and profile
Sett%eent
$%ar#e %oca%i7ed
Deforation /!ic!
3ay or ay not
-e #enera%%y
fo%%o/ed -y e9tend,
si)e crac"s'
1. +oor compaction to fill
2. +oor drainage in lower layers
,. &nade$uate pavement thic#ness
-.8rost heave or swelling effect of moisture
on e'pansive soil.
3'cavate defective fill" reconstruct
under controlled conditions to
re$uired thic#ness" provide ade$uate
drainage" strengthen the pavement if
re$uired.
D. DISI4TE5RATIO4 DEFECTS
Stri&&in#
$%oss of ad!esion
-et/een -inder
a##re#ates in
&resence of /ater'
1. 0ofter grade of asphalt.
2. 0iliceous type of aggregates.
,. .ust and moisture on aggregates.
-. )ain soon after laying of surface.
5se anti7stripping agent in suitable
doses in case of siliceous aggregates"
use of proper grade of asphalt for
coating" provide ade$uate surface
drainage.
1>
Pot,!o%es
$-o/% s!a&ed !o%es
of )aryin# si7es on
surface and
e9tendin# to -ase
course resu%tin#
fro %oca%i7ed
disinte#ration'
1. +oor surface drainage.
2. !ocali%ed defects in asphalt mi'.
,. &nsufficient binder.
-. &nsufficient layer thic#ness.
1. 8ill pot holes with premi' carpet.
After cutting these to regular si%e
and applying tac# coat
2. 8ill deep pot holes wit asphalt
penetration macadam or
storable mi'.
Ed#e -rea"in#
$frayed ed#es'
1. &nfiltration of water.
2. 0oftening of foundation.
,. Worn out shoulders with insufficient
side supports.
-. &nade$uate thic#ness at edge.
)elay shoulders with good materials

and compact" provide ade$uate
drainage.
11
Loss of a##re#ates
$as in surface
dressin#'
1. Non7uniform spraying of binder.
2. .elayed spreading of aggregates.
,. Traffic soon after laying.
-. &nsufficient binder.
(. Ageing of binder.
Apply li$uid seal" fog seal or slurry
seal. )elay" if necessary with li$uid
seal with proper $uality of control.
*. SPECIAL *ITU3IOUS 3I:ES

The specification for special asphalt mi'es used for repairing purposes is given below.
A. LI;UID SEAL:
!i$uid seal consists of an application of li$uid asphalt ?paving asphalt" cut bac# asphalt or asphalt
emulsion@ and covering the same with aggregates. This is applicable for rectifications of defects li#e stripping"
loss of cover aggregates" ravelling etc.

+aving asphalt =>11>> or is to be used at the specified spraying temperature. 8or cold application" cut bac#
asphalt of )27, or 427, grade and asphalt emulsion of )0 or 40 grade are suitable. The $uantities of
materials are ta#en & proper proportions.
*. FO5 SEAL:
8og seal is a light application asphalt emulsion usually without cover aggregates. &t is used to increase
binder content of asphalt surface" to re9uvenate o'idi%ed and old surfaces" to fill crac#s and to prevent
ravelling. &t can also be used as an emergency treatment for hungry surfaces.

A slow setting asphalt emulsion is diluted with an e$ual amount of water and spread at the rate of
12
>.( to 1.> liter1s$. m. depending upon te'ture and dryness of the e'isting asphalt surface. The fog
seal sets in about ,> minutes. Traffic can be allowed in the road after the fog seal has set to a firm
condition and is not pic#ed up by traffic.
C. SLURR< SEAL :

0lurry seal is a mi'ture of fine aggregates" mineral filler and asphalt emulsion with water in order
to achieve a slurry constituency. The ingredient are mi'ed and spread evenly on asphalt surface to fill
crac#s" to repair raveled smooth or hungry surface" to rectify loss of aggregates" to re9uvenate o'idi%ed
and open te'tured old asphalt surface and to provide a s#id resistant surface.
D. SA4D *ITU3I4 3I: FOR PATCHI45
0and7asphalt mi' for patching consists of a mi'ture of fine aggregates and asphalt binder
used for rectifying defects li#e crac#s" slippage" corrugation" shoving shallow depressions and
raveling. The fine aggregates consists of a medium to course sand to fineness modulus of more
than 2.( or fine grit passing 1.< mm sieve and retained on 1=> micron sieve. The binder is paving
asphalt =>11>> or cut7bac# asphalt of 427, grade. The affected area is thoroughly cleaned and a
trac# coat with paving asphalt is applied at the rate of <.(#g or 1> #g per 1> s$.m respectively.
The sand asphalt mi' is prepared with >.>>;cu.m of fie aggregates and ;.= #g of paving asphalt
or =.2 #g of cut bac# asphalt and is laid in 1> s$.m and the area is rolled to fine finish.
E.CRAC+ RELIEF LA<ER
1,
0&3:3 0&A3
+3)23NT +A00&NB
& && &&&
<(mm
;,mm
(>mm
->mm
2>mm
1>mm
-.<(mm
2.,;mm
1(>micron
<(micron
1>>
*(71>>
7
,>7<>
,72>
>7,
7
7
7
7
7
1>>
7
,(7<>
(72>
7
7
>7(
7
>7,
7
7
1>>
<(7*>
(>7<7
7
=72>
7
>7(
7
The crac# relief layer is a part of a asphalt overlay over cement concrete surfacing or over
badly crac#ed asphalt surfacing meant for reducing reflection crac#ing. &t is a <.( cm thic#
layer of open7graded" hot7mi'ed asphalt macadam containing 2( to ,( percent
interconnecting voids. 6nly crushed aggregates are to be used in the asphalt mi'. Because
of large amount of interconnecting voids" this layer provides a medium" through which
differential movements of the underlying cement concrete slabs are not readily transmitted
to the upper asphalt layer The grading of aggregates recommended is as follows. The selection

of a particular grading depends upon availability of aggregates of appropriate si%es.
+aving asphalt ;>1<> or =>11>> is used at the rate of 1.( to ,.> percent by weight of mi'.
A tac# coat of hot asphalt is applied at the rate of < to 1> #g1s$.m. The hot asphalt mi' is laid by a
paver to proper grade and profile. This layer should be covered with a surface course s soon as
practicable.
F. STORA*LE ASPHALT 3I:
1-
0&3:3 0&A3
+3)23NT +A00&NB
& &&
2>mm
12.(mm
1>mm
-.<(mm
2.,;mm
;>>micron
,>>micron
1(>micron
<(micron
7
1>>
=>71>>
((7<>
,(7(>
1=72*
1(72,
=71;
-71>
1>>
=>71>>
<>7*>
(>7<>
,(7(>
1=72*
1(72,
=71;
-71>
0torable asphalt mi' consists of cut7bac# asphalt or asphalt emulsion" aggregates and
filler. 2ut7bac# asphalt or asphalt of 427, grade and medium setting asphalt emulsion are found

to be more suitable. These mi'es can be prepared in advance and used whenever necessary. This
type of patching mi'er can be used for repair of slippage" rutting" shoving" shallow depressions and
pot7holes. Traffic can be allowed when binder has sufficiently cured. The grading of aggregates to
be used as follows:
Brading & is to be used for filling up of shallow depressions1pot7holes" while grading 2 can
be used for filling deep depressions pot7holes.
The binder content will be - to ( per cent weight of the mi'. Width cut7bac# asphalt of
427, grade" the mi' can be stored for < to 1> days" but with cationic bitumen emulsion"
the mi' has to be laid within ; to = hours. &n addition" cut7bac# asphalt needs to be treated
with anti7stripping agent" while no such treatment is needed with cationic asphalt emulsion.
1(
1;