Asphalt pavements can have extremely long lives if they receive a little maintenance from time to time. However, it is virtually unheard-of for an asphalt pavement to go through its entire life without needing at least one repair to resolve a problem that cannot be addressed with a simple crack repair. For some types of damage, a full-depth asphalt repair is the most cost-effective way to restore the pavement’s integrity.
What Is a Full-Depth Asphalt Repair?
Also known as a full-depth asphalt patch, a full-depth repair is what contractors refer to as a remove-and-replace asphalt repair in Austin. Essentially, an Austin asphalt repair contractor will cut out a rectangle or square of damaged pavement, including a small margin on every side, and remove all layers of the asphalt. Unlike other types of asphalt repairs that do not remove the full depth of the pavement, this type of parking lot or asphalt driveway repair gives the contractor access to the supporting foundation. Thus, the contractor can rebuild, repair, or strengthen the foundation. To complete the repair, the contractor replaces the asphalt so that the asphalt patch and the surrounding pavement are at or near the same elevation.
What Types of Damage Are Typically Addressed With a Full-Depth Asphalt Repair?
Full-depth asphalt repairs are usually performed when the damage is the result of a compromised foundation. It is a common technique used for asphalt street, parking lot, and driveway repair when the contractor needs to address foundation issues. Therefore, the most common damages that use this method of asphalt repair in Austin are those on the following list.
1. Potholes: Another type of asphalt patch is known as a partial-depth repair, and this method may work for an asphalt driveway repair if the pothole has not allowed significant water infiltration. However, potholes in parking lots and heavily traveled roadways are usually too deep or large for this type of asphalt repair in Austin.
2. Alligator Cracking: Austin asphalt repair contractors sometimes refer to this type of damage as alligatored asphalt or crocodile cracking. The damage consists of a number of interconnected cracks that form a pattern resembling the scales on a reptile’s back. Methods of asphalt repairs that are commonly used to repair cracks will not be successful for alligator cracking. One reason is that the cracks are constantly growing and spawning new ones. However, the main reason is that alligator cracking is virtually always caused by foundation damage. The contractor will need to restore the foundation’s integrity, and, as previously noted, the asphalt repair will require removing the full depth of the pavement to provide access to the foundation.
3. Upheaval: Upheaval is the term used by Austin asphalt repair contractors to describe an area of pavement that has been damaged by the swelling of the underlying subgrade. Frost heave, which is basically the result of ice beneath the pavement, is one cause of upheaval. However, experts who perform asphalt repair in Austin usually find that upheaval is caused by expansive soils. Typically, expansive soils contain a great deal of clay that expands when wet and shrinks when dry. The contractor will need to remove all layers of the pavement and its foundation as well as some of the subgrade. The subgrade will need to be replaced or amended with a suitable soil that will not be prone to expansion.
JSC Asphalt Care is a respected, experienced asphalt maintenance company serving many towns in Central Texas, including the entire Austin metropolitan area. In addition to asphalt repair, we offer asphalt paving, asphalt sealcoating, driveway repair, parking lot striping, power washing, parking lot signage, speed bump installation, and comprehensive parking lot maintenance plans. We have an exemplary reputation for reliability, customer service, craftsmanship, and professionalism. You can choose your preferred method to contact us for a free quote: call 512-653-6526, email Info@JSCAsphaltCare.com, or complete our request form online.