While the Summer marches on did you know, the sun has been baking the life out of your asphalt pavements. The sun was 90 plus degrees for over 90 days, resulting in oxidation, the leading cause of asphalt deterioration.
I feel that a more technical explanation is needed for this article in CAI magazine. Now is the time to look to science to protect the investment that you have in your asphalt pavements, especially with all the new construction here in South West Florida.
According to a recent article in CEUs for CAMs, Chris Pacitto, PE, Velocity Engineering of Fort Myers, Florida, states:
“Asphalt pavement is one of the most costly assets to many associations. The lifespan of asphalt pavement can range from 20 to over 40 years. To achieve the maximum lifespan, frequent maintenance is needed. Oxidation, which inevitably occurs with time, causes asphalt to become hard and brittle leading to cracking and raveling of the pavement surface. Asphalt pavement maintenance is focused on controlling this oxidation. Rejuvenator replenishes petroleum distillates to the asphalt that were lost to oxidation and should first be applied after 2 to 3 years with reapplications every 3 to 5 years thereafter. The cost for each application of rejuvenator is more then for a seal coat but because it is applied less frequently; the overall cost is roughly the same.”
Asphalt rejuvenation is a process that reverses oxidation of the asphalt binder or the glue that holds the asphalt mix together. This process was originally developed for the United States Air Force to improve the ductility and flexibility of the asphalt binder, which rejuvenates the pavement. The following is part of a technical letter from Jeffrey L. Leptrone Colonel Director of Technical Support, Department of the Air Force Tyndall Florida.
For structurally sound hot mix asphalt (HMA) airfield pavements, the majority of distresses are related to environmental effects. The environmental distress that occur include: raveling, weathering, block cracking, longitudinal cracking, and traverse cracking. These distresses occur because the asphalt cement that binds the pavement together ages (hardens) with time due to the oxidation process. Over time, this process causes a decrease in the binder’s ability to hold aggregate particles together (raveling) and the HMA becomes unable to withstand the effects of thermal or moisture stresses (cracking). When these distresses become severe enough, they can create the potential for foreign object damage (FOD) and cause a decrease in pavement serviceability, which will reduce the life of the pavement. The pavement’s life will be extended if the asphalt binder can be softened or “rejuvenated” to obtain material properties similar to those when the HMA was originally placed.”
Asphalt binders cannot be represented by a single chemical formula. Asphalt binders are, however, fractionated into two subdivisions, Asphaltenes and Maltenes. The replenishment of the proper blend of maltene fractions to asphaltenes can restore the aged asphalt to a new and highly durable asphalt cement, virtually equal to or better than the original consistency. This can be achieved by simply spraying CPR Rejuvenator directly on the asphalt surface. CPR penetrates the pavement 3/8 to 1/2 inch and combines with the asphaltenes to restore the proper balance of the remaining asphalt cement fractions.
CPR Rejuvenator is the real science technology for today’s pavement protection.
Call the Pavement Rejuvenation Technologies Group today for your free property evaluation at (484) 557 0353. Visit our website at PRT-Group.com