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Sealing and Filling Cracks in Asphalt Pavements: Techbrief
Sealing and Filling Cracks in Asphalt Pavements: Techbrief
Sealing and Filling Cracks in Asphalt Pavements: Techbrief
Asphalt Pavements
FHWA Contact: Monte Symons, 202-493-3144
Background
Sealing and filling asphalt concrete pavement cracks is a common road
maintenance activity. Specialized materials are placed into or above
The FHWA Pavement Technology
cracks to prevent the intrusion of water and incompressible material
Program is a comprehensive and
into the cracks and to reinforce the adjacent pavement. To address defi-
focused set of coordinated activi-
ciencies in current crack treatment materials, designs, and practices,
ties. These activities are grouped
the Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP) and the Federal High-
under five major areas—Asphalt;
way Administration (FHWA) sponsored the most extensive investigation
Portland Cement; Pavement De-
of crack treatment effectiveness ever undertaken. Monitoring and evalu-
sign and Management; Advanced
ation of these treatments were performed under the Long-Term Pave-
Research; and Long-Term Pave-
ment Performance (LTPP) program. Between March and August of 1991,
ment Performance. The goal of
four transverse crack seal test sites and one longitudinal crack fill test
the program is the development,
site were constructed in the United States and Canada. Upon comple-
delivery, and utilization of a broad
tion, 6,710 meters of cracks were treated with materials selected for
spectrum of improved technolo-
evaluation.
gies that will lead to better-per-
forming and more cost-effective
pavements. The program is prod- Objectives
uct and end-result oriented with The primary objective of the crack treatment experiment was to deter-
the intent of significantly advanc- mine the most effective and economical materials and methods for
ing and improving pavement conducting crack-sealing and crack-filling operations. Secondary ob-
technology and pavement perfor- jectives included the identification of performance-related material tests
mance. and quicker, safer installation practices.
Experiment Design
Research, Development, and
Technology The test sites were located on highways of moderate traffic volume in
Turner-Fairbank Highway four climatic regions. The four crack seal sites were located on the fol-
Research Center lowing roadways:
6300 Georgetown Pike
McLean, VA 22101-2296 • Interstate 20—Abilene,Texas
Dry-nonfreeze region
www.tfhrc.gov
• State Route 8—Elma, strengthen correlations between Most of the distresses observed
Washington laboratory-determined engineering represented a reduction in a treat-
Wet-nonfreeze region
properties and actual field perfor- ment’s ability to perform its func-
• State Route 254—Wichita, mance. tion (i.e., to keep water and
Kansas incompressible materials out of the
Dry-freeze region crack channel). Examples of these
Service Life Comparison
• Interstate 35—Des Moines, distresses include partial-depth
Throughout this study, treatments
Iowa adhesion and cohesion loss and
Wet-freeze region were subjected to numerous, high-
overband wear. Some distresses,
ly detailed inspections for distress-
The longitudinal crack fill site was such as full-depth pull-outs and full-
es and failures. For this reason, it
located at: depth adhesion and cohesion loss,
was determined that field perfor-
signified a treatment’s failure to
• Highway 401—Prescott, Ontario mance would best be framed in
perform its function. These latter
Wet-Freeze region terms of service life, which was
distresses were termed failure dis-
defined as the estimated time for a
Crack treatment materials and in- tresses. The total amount of failure
treatment to reach the 75 percent
stallation methods are outlined in distress observed in a treatment
effectiveness level. In other words,
Table 1. formed the basis for performance
the service life is the time required
comparison.
for 25 percent of the crack length
Evaluations to develop failure.
Key Findings
Ten evaluations were performed
The effectiveness level is simply the • Of 61 treatments, 32 had failed af-
during the 6.5-year period. The fol-
failure level subtracted from 100 ter the final round of evaluations.
lowing evaluation parameters were
percent (i.e., 10 percent overall fail-
used:
ure equals 90 percent overall effec- • Half of the eight crack-fill treat-
• Weathering tiveness). ments performed favorably after
the final evaluation period. The
• Pull-outs Effectiveness
other half failed.
• Overband wear Rating Level (%)
Very good 90–100 • Generally, the test sites with
• Tracking
Good 80–89 greater amounts of crack move-
• Extrusion Fair 65–79 ment and traffic showed lower
Poor 50–64
• Stone intrusion levels of treatment effectiveness
Very poor (failed) < 50
than sites with less crack move-
• Adhesion loss
ment and traffic.
• Cohesive loss as a result of
tensile/shear forces FIGURE 1
Illustration of Service Life Estimation Based on 75% Effectiveness
Treatment Effectiveness, % Crack Length
A-2 57 57
A-3 58 43 118 61 70
B-3 78 59 120 82 85
M e a d ow s H i -S p e c
C-3 56 88 72
D-3 48 30 120 39 59
D-4 44 29 95 42 53
C raf c o RS 5 1 5 C-3 80 95 88
D-3 58 33 118 45 64
D-3 45 24 120 51 60
M e a d ow s X L M C-3 70 112 91
D-3 48 29 119 59 64
D ow 8 9 0 -S L E-5 54 48 109 72 71
C raf c o A R+ B-3 52 52
K o c h 9 0 0 0 -S B-3 56 56
E l f C R S -2 P G-4 6 6
G-1 42 42
AC
G-4 42 42
D-4 98 98
C raf c o A R2
G-4 86 86
Herc ul es FP + A C D-4 79 79
Wi t c o C R F G-4 43 43
H y-G r a d e K o l d F l o G-4 35 35
A v g . Se r v i c e L i f e 62 46 116 71 62 71
Researcher: This study was performed by ERES Consultants, Inc., 505 West University Avenue, Champaign, IL 61820-
3915. Contract No. DTFH-93-C-00051.
Availability: This TechBrief is based on report No. FHWA-RD-99-143, “LTPP Pavement Maintenance Materials: SHRP AC
Crack Treatment Experiment, Final Report.” A limited number of copies are available from the R&T Report Center, FHWA,
9701 Philadelphia Court, Unit Q, Lanham, MD 20706; telephone: (301) 577-0818; fax: (301) 577-1421. Copies are also
available from the the National Technical Information Service, 5285 Port Royal Road, Springfield, VA 22161.
Key Words: Crack seal, crack fill, working cracks, weathering, pull-outs, overband wear, tracking, extrusion, stone intru-
sion, adhesion failure, cohesive failure.
Notice: This TechBrief is disseminated under the sponsorship of the U.S. Department of Transportation in the interest of
information exchange. The TechBrief provides a synopsis of the study’s findings. It does not establish policies or regu-
lations, nor does it imply FHWA endorsement of the products mentioned, the conclusions reached, or recommendations
made. The U.S. Government assumes no liability for the contents or their use.