Maintenance, the key to saving money! My March 2022 article in the Florida Community Association Journal entitled, “High Oil Prices Drive Up Cost of Paving Projects”, addressed the immediate need for your HOA to seriously consider a pavement maintenance program.
Implementing a cost-effective maintenance program must be considered now while your pavements are in good condition. Pavements in poor condition should also be up graded now. If your HOA has not had a re-assessment of your pavement reserves in the past year, one should be done as soon as possible. The cost of paving asphalt has risen dramatically.
Your asphalt pavements and roads may look ok, however, it’s what you don’t see that is the problem. Pavements deteriorate in stages as measured by the Pavement Condition Index (PCI), from good to poor as measured in years. In Florida, the number of years are less than other parts of the country, due to the hot sunny days.
As a result of tight budgets and rising material costs, owners and property managers should be looking for alternatives to extend pavement life through proactive preventive maintenance methods. The tight US oil markets and the slowing refining supply chain will result in the continuing increase of paving asphalt costs. You may be able to wait out the inflation spiral, but can your asphalt paving and reserves??
So, what did crack the asphalt? Was it Base Failure, Oxidation, Doing Nothing, or the wrong maintenance product? What choice should you make and is there another answer or choice that has a proven track record?
Base Failure: This is the wear and tear from heavy traffic. In this case, Milling and Paving is the only option, which will require complete removal of the blacktop, removing base material in failed areas, replacement of aggregate and re-grading prior to new hot mix asphalt installation.
Doing Nothing: This has proven time and again to be the costliest option. Asphalt has a design life of 15 to 25 years. If the right maintenance treatment is not taken at the right time, this will eventually lead to base failure. The pavement will need a costly overlay or mill and overlayed.
Oxidation: The aging process of asphalt is the leading cause of asphalt deterioration. The sun’s UV rays causes the oxidative hardening of the asphalt binder (the glue that holds the pavement together) which increases the cracking and deterioration of the pavement. Most of the aging in an asphalt pavement occurs in the top 1/2 inch. Testing has shown that most of the asphalt aging (increase in viscosity) occurs in this portion of an asphalt pavement within the first 4 to 5 years. Oxidation causes hardening. The question is will a surface seal or seal coat protect the asphalt pavement from (1) gasoline and oil; (2) sun and UV light; (3) water and chemicals and (4) salt, air (oxygen)?
Seal Coating: For many years this was the only alternative to “doing nothing”. Seal coat is nothing more than a paint job with minimum short-term benefits and are technically obsolete. The major negative side effect of seal coat is cracking. The truth is, in most cases, the sealer is cracking the pavement. When the cracks appear, the first reaction is to reseal. However, with each additional seal coat, the depth and width of the cracks increase. Cracks allows air and water to enter the pavement. This acerbates the oxidative harding, weakening the entire pavement structure. When the aesthetics of the pavement look that bad, the reaction is to re-pave. However, it is the surface cracking from the use of the wrong maintenance product that gives this appearance. Re-paving may be premature because the pavement has not reached the end of its structural life.
Asphalt Rejuvenation Technology: This is proven to be the best choice. “The bottom line is that CPR works”. Asphalt deterioration is a chemical as well as a physical process. CPR Rejuvenator penetrates the blacktop 3/8 to ½ inch. CPR stops and reverses oxidative hardening and becomes part of the pavement. CPR is in the pavement not on it. There is no surface sealer to crack. CPR last 4 to 5 years instead of 2 to 3 years using emulsion products. The one coat application of CPR is installed by a high production machine, which avoids the additional down time and inconvenience of moving your customers or residents as often. CPR Rejuvenator offers more benefits at a competitive price. CPR Rejuvenator provides value by improving the appearance and image of your business or property and saves you money. CPR Rejuvenator is today’s choice!
Visit our website at Pavement Rejuvenation Technologies Group (PRT-Group) or Call 484 557 0353. Our technical staff is available to evaluate your asphalt pavement needs and offer cost effective solutions.