ENG MATHERI

F16/1334/2010: Njoroge Kagwi Maurice

ASSIGNMENT : Write something little to show your understanding in

road maintenance
ROAD MAINTENANCE
INTRODUCTION
To ensure long term performance of a pavement or even a gravel road, four requirements
must be met:
1.
2.
3.
4.

Good planning of the road

Proper design to meet the required demand
Proper construction and process control to meet the set standards
Proper maintenance of the road.

What is road maintenance?

In civil engineering, the term maintenance is used to describe the process of sustaining
construction elements in a safe and usable condition.
From the time of construction, roadway elements begin to decline as a result of weathering,
use and changes occurring in environmental, physical and chemical conditions. The aim of
maintenance is to carry out protective and repair measures designed to limit the
detrimental effects of these natural or imposed processes thereby prolonging the useful life
of the road.
Traditionally, the emphasis was majorly on constructing new roads. However, with passage
of time it has become essential for the state departments concerned with roads to look into
the preservation and maintenance of existing roads since construction of new roads is a
very expensive undertaking to be avoided at all costs.
TYPES OF ROAD MAINTENANCE
Maintenance can be classified into three types:
Preventive Maintenance: Performed to improve or extend the functional life of a
pavement. It is a strategy of surface treatments and operations intended to retard
progressive failures and reduce the need for routine maintenance and service activities.
A preventive maintenance program is a systematic approach to using a series of preventive
maintenance treatments over time. One treatment will improve the quality of the pavement

surface and extend the pavement life, but the true benefits of pavement maintenance are
realized when there is a consistent schedule for performing the preventive maintenance.
Preventive maintenance activities can include conventional treatments such as crack
sealing, chip sealing, rut filling, and thin overlays. All of these treatments leave the
pavement with a new wearing surface.
Corrective Maintenance: Performed after a deficiency occurs in the pavement, such as loss
of friction, moderate to severe rutting, or extensive cracking.
Corrective maintenance differs from preventive maintenance primarily in cost and timing.
While preventive maintenance is performed when the pavement is still in good condition,
corrective maintenance is performed when the pavement is in need of repair, and is
therefore more costly.
Corrective maintenance is much more reactive than preventive maintenance, and is
performed to correct a specific pavement or area of distress. Delays in maintenance
increase pavement defects and their severity so that, when corrected, the cost is much
greater. Consequently, the life cycle costs of the pavement will be considerably increased
when corrective maintenance is performed.
Corrective maintenance activities include structural overlays, mill and overlays, pothole
repair, patching, and crack repair.
Emergency Maintenance: Performed during an emergency situation, such as a blowout or
severe pothole that needs repair immediately. This also describes temporary treatments
designed to hold the surface together until more permanent repairs can be performed. This
maintenance activity may be performed during an emergency situation, such as when a
blowout or severe pothole must be repaired immediately, generally for safety reasons, or to
allow for traffic to use the roadway.
Emergency maintenance also describes those treatments that hold the surface together
until a more extensive rehabilitation or reconstruction treatment can be accomplished.
When emergency maintenance is needed, some of the typical considerations
for choosing a treatment method are no longer important. Cost may be the least important
consideration, after safety and time of application are considered. Materials that may not
be acceptable when used in preventive or corrective maintenance activities, for cost or
long-term performance reasons, may be highly acceptable when used in an emergency
situation.
All types of maintenance are needed in a comprehensive pavement maintenance program.
However, emphasizing preventive maintenance may prevent a pavement from requiring
corrective maintenance. Preventive maintenance is completing the right repair on the right
road at the right time.
When to Apply Preventive Maintenance Treatments
Waiting until after a failure occurs is not cost-effective or preventive maintenance. The
effectiveness of a preventive maintenance treatment is directly related to the condition of
the pavement. Conducting preventive maintenance activities on a sound pavement in good
condition will be very effective in prolonging that pavements service life. Conducting an
inappropriate repair (either method or timing) can actually accelerate the rate of distress
development.

Preventive maintenance is generally planned and cyclical in nature.

Its intent is to repair early pavement deterioration, delay pavement failures, and reduce the
need for corrective maintenance and service activities.
Although this type of maintenance is not performed to improve the load-carrying capacity
of a pavement, it extends the pavement useful life and level of service.

PAVEMENT DETERIORATION
Can be grouped into the following
1. Surface defects : Raveling, flushing, polishing.
2. Surface deformation : Rutting, distortionrippling and shoving, settling, frost heave.
3. Cracks: Transverse, reflection, slippage, longitudinal, block, and alligator cracks.
4. Patches and potholes
a) Surface defects
CAUSES repeated stresses, Ageing and weathering
Bitumen and tar age from the moment they are incorporated into the mix due to
chemical oxidation which hardens the binder. This leads to loss in binder efficiency,
brittleness which prevent the material from containing the stresses imposed by
traffic and leading to cracking.
The process is most prevalent in the wearing course where the surface receives most
friction, sunlight and aeration.
The bituminous binder changes from black to light grey. Chippings will be more
prominently exposed and many plucked out. If handled pieces of the surfacing will
disintegrate and individual aggregates can be dislodged due to loss in adhesive
properties of the binder.
1. Ravelling
Ravelling is the progressive loss of pavement material from the surface downward,
caused by: stripping of the bituminous film from the aggregate, asphalt hardening due
to aging, poor compaction especially in cold weather construction, or insufficient asphalt
content.
Slight to moderate ravelling has loss of fines. Severe ravelling has loss of coarse aggregate.
Ravelling in the wheel paths can be accelerated by traffic.
Protect pavement surfaces from the environment with a sealcoat or a thin overlay if
additional strength is required.

Slight ravelling exposes-los s of fines

medium to severe ravelling further

exposes large aggregate

2. Flushing/ bleeding
Flushing is excess asphalt on the surface caused by a poor initial asphalt mix design or by
paving or sealcoating over a flushed surface.
Bleeding is the result of excess binder that typically migrates to the surface under traffic. In
some circumstances bleeding can exist at the time compaction is completed.
Bleeding generally occurs when the amount of asphalt in the mixture is too high and the inplace air voids are low. When traffic is applied to these mixtures densification occurs
resulting in an over filling of the air voids and bleeding of the mixture. When bleeding
occurs, there is a loss in friction resulting in an unsafe pavement. Bleeding generally occurs
in areas with high traffic volumes.

Repair by blotting with sand or by overlaying with properly designed asphalt mix.
3. Polishing
Polishing is a smooth slippery surface caused by traffic wearing off sharp edges of
aggregates.
Repair with sealcoat or thin bituminous overlay using skid-resistant aggregate.

Polished aggregate
SURFACE DEFORMATION
Is a term that refers to general distortion which can be due to a variety of causes. If a
pavement is stressed beyond its load bearing capacity locally, or if the load bearing
characteristics vary, parts or whole of the pavement can deform differentially.
These failures are caused majorly by excessive stresses on a pavement which could be
coupled with poor construction processes

If delivery vehicles are seen to cause rutting and deformation of subgrades prior to blacktop
placement, action must be taken to either compact or replace the material before further
progress is made.
1. Rutting
Rutting describes the formation of depressions or tracks in the pavement surface caused by
wheel loads and high temperatures combined with the character and design of the
carriageway surfacing.
Severe rutting (over 2) may be caused by base or subgrade failures.

Slight rutting-after rain

severe rutting

2. Pushing
This is related to rutting and deformation occurring in areas of high stress. It causes the
material to flow and fold up on itself. This condition indicates that the binder is too soft
leading to plastic flow under traffic. It is confined to the wearing course.

3. Distortions
Shoving or rippling is surfacing material displaced crossways to the direction of traffic. It can
develop into wash boarding when the asphalt mixture is unstable because of poor quality
aggregate or improper mix design. Repair by milling smooth and overlaying with stable
asphalt mix.
Other pavement distortions may be caused by settling, heaving etc.

Patching may provide temporary repair. Permanent correction usually involves removal of
unsuitable subgrade material and reconstruction.

Heavy traffic has shoved pavement into washboard ripples and bumps.
CRACKING IN PAVEMENTS

1. Fatigue/ alligator cracking

Alligator cracking occurs due to failure of the surfacing due to traffic loading (fatigue) when
the pavement structure is not sufficient to support the traffic.
This can be the result of a number of things including quality of materials used, thickness
and adequacy of underlying layers, or excess moisture.
Any of these problems can cause alligator cracking which is a structural problem resulting in
fatigue in the asphalt mixture.
This results in development of potholes when the individual pieces of surfacing physically
separate from the adjacent material and are dislodged from the pavement surface by the
action of traffic

Repair by excavating localized areas and replacing base and surface. Large areas require
reconstruction. Improvements in drainage may often be required.
2. Block cracks
Block cracking is interconnected cracks forming large blocks. Cracks usually intersect at
nearly right angles. Blocks may range from one foot to approximately 10 or more across.
Block cracking is not a load associated problem; it is the result of aging and weathering of
the asphalt mixture. The closer spacing indicates more advanced aging caused by shrinking
and hardening of the asphalt over time.

Repair with sealcoating during early stages to reduce weathering of the asphalt. Overlay or
reconstruction required in the advanced stages.
The best way to minimize the potential for block cracking to occur is to ensure that the
proper grade of asphalt cement is used, the asphalt mixture is not overheated during
construction, and satisfactory compaction of the mixture is obtained.
3.Longitudinal cracks
Cracks running in the direction of traffic are longitudinal cracks. They often occur at the joint
between adjacent lanes or at the edges of the wheel paths on high traffic volume roads

Center line or lane cracks are caused by inadequate bonding during construction or reflect
cracks in underlying pavement. Longitudinal cracks in the wheel path indicate fatigue failure
from heavy vehicle loads.
Cracks within one foot of the edge are caused by insufficient shoulder support, poor
drainage, or frost action. Cracks usually start as hairline or very narrow and widen and erode
with age.

Without crack filling, they can ravel, develop multiple cracks, and become wide enough to
require patching.
Filling and sealing cracks will reduce moisture penetration and prevent further subgrade
weakening. Multiple longitudinal cracks in the wheel path or pavement edge indicate a need
for strengthening with an overlay or reconstruction.
4.Slippage cracks
Crescent or rounded cracks in the direction of traffic, caused by slippage between an overlay
and an underlying pavement. Slippage is most likely to occur at intersections where traffic is
stopping and starting.

Repair by removing the top surface and resurfacing using a tack coat.

Cracks in overlays reflect the crack pattern in the pavement underneath.

They are difficult to prevent and correct. Thick overlays or reconstruction is usually required.
5.Thermal cracks
These are Transverse cracks which generally run perpendicular to the roadway centerline
and are often approximately equally spaced
Thermal cracking may look similar to reflective cracking in some cases but it is caused by
different issues. Thermal cracking is caused by low temperatures resulting in the shrinkage
and eventual cracking of an asphalt mixture. The surface of the pavement will get colder
than the underlying pavement in cold weather, hence, thermal cracking will begin at the
surface and work downward. When this shrinkage is excessive during cold weather, it will
cause thermal cracking to occur which will result in cracking in the pavement surface that is
spaced on some typical spacing.
It can be prevented by using properly graded mixes with regard to temperatures.
PATCHES AND POTHOLES
1.Potholes
This is the occurrence of relatively small holes in the road surface due to loss of material.
The cause maybe material failure or faulty construction process.
They should be attended promptly to prevent widening and deepening of the holes which
increases accidents and damaging water ingress.

Repair by excavating or rebuilding localized potholes. Reconstruction required forextensive

defects.
PATCHES
Original surface repaired with new asphalt patch material. This indicates a pavement defect
or utility excavation which has been repaired. Patches with cracking, settlement or
distortions indicate underlying causes still remain. Recycling or reconstruction are required
when extensive patching shows distress.

Fairly good condition

extensive patching- road in bad condition

TYPES OF MAINTAINANCE TREATMENTS

I. Crack treatments
a) Crack repair with sealing
Clean and seal
Saw and seal
Rout and seal
b)Crack filling
c)Full-depth crack repair
1. Crack sealing.
A localized treatment method used to prevent water and debris from entering a crack. Crack
sealing involves blowing out the debris in the crack or using a saw or router to create a
reservoir, then filling with a sealant. Cracks that are sealed are typically less than 3/4-inch
wide.
It is only effective for a few years and must be repeated. However, this treatment is very
effective at prolonging the pavement life. Includes the following three crack repair methods:
a) Clean and seal: Used on all types of cracks, it involves using a hot air lance or
compressed air to blow out the debris in the crack, then filling with a sealant.
b) Saw and seal: Involves using a pavement saw to create transverse joints at regular
intervals along a newly placed pavement, then filling with a sealant.
c) Rout and seal: Used on transverse and longitudinal cracks. Involves using a
pavement saw or router to create a reservoir centered over existing cracks, then
filling with a sealant.
2. Crack filling

Differs from crack sealing mainly in the preparation given to the crack prior to treatment
and the type of sealant used. Crack filling is most often reserved for more worn pavements
with wider, more random cracking. Cracks are typically wider than 3/4 inch.
TO SEAL OR TO FILL?
The width and spacing of the targeted crack type is the principal basis for determining
whether to seal or fill. Normally, cracks less than 3/4-inch wide, which are spaced uniformly
along the pavement and have limited edge deterioration, should be sealed. To effectively
seal the cracks, the router or saw width must touch both sides of the crack. Cracks that are
greater than 3/4-inch wide and are very numerous are not practical to seal, both because
the router or saw will not touch both sides of the crack and because of the number of cracks
present.
The practice of crack treatments has evolved from crack filling with asphalt cements to
sealing pavements with specially engineered sealant materials.
3. Full-depth crack repair
A localized treatment method to repair cracks that are too deteriorated to benefit from
sealing. Secondary cracking requires the re-establishment of the underlying base materials.
II.

Surface treatments

1. Fog seal
An application of diluted emulsion (typically at a rate of 1:1) to enrich the pavement surface
and delay raveling and oxidation. Considered a temporary treatment.
2. Seal coat
Used to waterproof the surface, seal small cracks, reduce oxidation of the pavement
surface, and improve friction.
3. Double chip seal
An application of two single seal coats. The second coat is placed immediately after the
first. This treatment waterproofs the surface, seals small cracks, reduces oxidation of the
pavement surface, and improves friction.
4. Slurry seal
A mixture of fine aggregate, asphalt emulsion, water, and mineral filler, used when the
primary problem is excessive oxidation and hardening of the existing surface. Slurry seals
are used to retard surface raveling, seal minor cracks, and improve surface friction.
5. Micro-surfacing
Commonly referred to as a polymer-modified slurry seal; however, the major difference is
that the curing process for micro-surfacing is a chemically controlled process, versus the
thermal process used by slurry seals and chip seals. Also may be used to fill ruts.
6. Thin hot-mix overlays
Includes dense, open, and gap-graded mixes that improve ride quality, reduce oxidation of
the pavement surface, provide surface drainage and friction, and correct surface
irregularities.
III. Pothole and Patching Repair
Includes using cold- and hot-asphalt mixture, spray injection methods, as well as slurry and
micro-surfacing materials, to repair distress and improve ride quality.
1.Cold-mix asphalt
Cold-mix asphalt is a mixture of mineral aggregate and emulsified or cutback

asphalt and additives. Cold mix is normally used in poor climate conditions but it can be
used any
time. Are not very long lasting.
2.Spray injection patching
Spray injection patching, also referred to as blow patching, involves using air pressure to
apply asphalt emulsion and aggregate into large cracks and potholes
3.Hot-mix asphalt
Hot-mix asphalt is a heated mixture of mineral aggregate and asphalt cement produced in a
hot-mix plant. The patches are longlasting taking even over 3 years.
4.Patching with slurry or Micro-surfacing material
Slurry crack filling involves placing slurry, which is a mixture of aggregate, asphalt emulsion
and a mineral-filler, such as Portland cement, into a wide crack and striking it off with a
squeegee. Slurry-filling cracks is good for use in roadways with severe transverse cracks
and/or depressed transverse cracks.
PATCHING PROCESS
Full-depth permanent patching removes the material in the failed area and replaces it with
fresh asphalt mixture. The recommended procedure for good permanent repair is:
1. Mark the area to be patched, extending outside the distressed area. The outline should
be rectangular with two sides at right angles to the direction of traffic. Cut the outline of the
patch with a saw, milling machine, or jackhammer.
2. Excavate as much pavement as necessary, including granular base and subgrade, to reach
firm support. For the patch to be an integral part of the pavement, its foundation must be at
least as strong as the original pavement. Appropriate excavation equipment includes milling
machines, backhoes, and front-end loaders. For a distress such as slippage cracking, milling
of the asphalt surface layer may be the only excavation necessary.
For alligator cracking and potholes, remove weak granular base and subgrade materials
prior to replacement of the asphalt surface course.
The faces of the excavation should be straight, vertical, and solid. Trim and compact the
granular base or subgrade to establish a firm foundation.
Apply tack to the vertical edges of the excavation, and a prime or tack coat to the base of
the excavation.
3. Backfill the excavation with asphalt mixture. Shovel the patching mixture directly from
the truck, and place the mix against the edges first.
Spread the mix carefully to avoid segregation. Avoid pulling material from the center of the
patch to the edges. If more material is needed at the edge, deposit it there and rake away
any excess. Use enough material to ensure that, after compaction, the patch surface is flush
with the adjacent pavement, not humped or depressed.
The maximum lift thickness depends upon the type of asphalt mix and the available
compaction equipment. Place hot-asphalt mixes in lifts as thick as practical, to increase heat
retention and facilitate compaction.
Compact each lift of the patch thoroughly. After compaction, the surface of the patch
should be at the same grade as the surrounding pavement.
RATING PAVEMENT CONDITION
With an understanding of surface distress, you can evaluate and rate asphalt pavement
surfaces. The rating scale ranges from 10excellent condition to 1failed. Most pavements

will deteriorate through the phases listed in the rating scale. The time it takes to go from
excellent condition (10) to complete failure (1) depends largely on the quality of the original
construction and the amount of heavy traffic loading.
Once significant deterioration begins, it is common to see pavement decline rapidly. This is
usually due to a combination of loading and the effects of additional moisture. As a
pavement ages and additional cracking develops, more moisture can enter the pavement
and accelerate the rate of deterioration.
RATINGS ARE RELATED TO NEEDED MAINTENANCE OR REPAIR
Rating 9 & 10: No maintenance required
Rating 8: Little or no maintenance
Rating 7: Routine maintenance, crack-sealing and minor patching
Rating 5 & 6: Preservative treatments (sealcoating)
Rating 3 & 4: Structural improvement and leveling (overlay or recycling)
Rating 1 & 2 Reconstruction
Practical advice on rating roads
Consider both pavement surface drainage and lateral drainage (drains or storm sewers).
Pavement should be able to quickly shed water off the surface into the side drains. Drains
shouldnbe large and deep enough to drain the pavement and remove the surface water
efficiently into adjacent waterways.
Look at the roadway crown and check for low surface areas that permit ponding. Paved
surfaces should have approximately a 2.5% cross slope or Camber across the roadway.
Shoulders should have a greater slope to improve surface drainage.
A pavements ability to carry heavy traffic loads depends on both the pavement materials
(asphalt surfacing and granular base) and the strength of the underlying soils. Most soils
lose strength when they are very wet. Therefore, it is important to provide drainage to the
top layer of the subgrade supporting the pavement structure.
In rural areas, drainage is provided most economically by open drains that allow soil
moisture to drain laterally. As a rule of thumb, the bottom of the ditch ought to be at least
one foot below the base course of the pavement in order to drain the soils
You should also check culverts and storm drain systems. Storm drainage systems that are
silted in, have a large accumulation of debris, or are in poor structural condition will also
degrade pavement performance.
CONCLUSION
Using local road funds most efficiently requires good planning and accurate identification of
appropriate rehabilitation projects. Assessing roadway conditions is an essential first step in
this process. This asphalt pavement surface condition rating procedure has proved effective
in improving decision making and using highway funds more efficiently. It can be used
directly by local officials and staff. It may be combined with additional testing and data
collection in a more comprehensive pavement management system.