NCAT Study: Crack Sealing Pre-treatment Improves Preservation Treatment Results
(excerpted info)
Recently, The National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT) in Auburn, AL completed a comprehensive three-year study, from 2012-2015, regarding the effects crack sealing has on the success of a preservation treatment.
25 different treatments were evaluated.
Key Findings Concluded: 1) Crack sealing reduced development of interconnected cracking and reduced subgrade moisture levels. 2) Crack sealing as pre-treatment improved surface treatment results for chip seals and micro surfacing.
The study used 25 different sections along with a Control section to study each different treatment. The “Control” was defined as normal cracking––NO treatment applied. Key Research Findings: Section L5: Received crack sealing treatment ONLY. The Result: After year one, pavement had 100% less cracking, after year two, pavement had 75% fewer cracks than the Control. Additionally, NCAT tested sections of pavement that received other preservation treatment methods, then compared those sections to both the Control and to sections that received crack sealing as a pre-treatment before preservation treatment. Section L6: Received chip seal treatment ONLY. The Result: After year one, pavement had 100% less cracking, but at year two, pavement had 25% more cracking than the Control. Section L7: Received a crack seal pre-treatment BEFORE chip seal application. The Result: After year one, pavement had 100% less cracking, after year two, pavement had 100% fewer cracks than the Control -- just by adding crack sealing prior to the chip seal application. A small investment yields a large return. By applying crack seal as a pre-treatment prior to chip seal, the pavement went from 25% MORE cracking with chip seal ONLY at year two, to 100% LESS cracking using chip seal BEFORE crack seal pre-treatment. Section L11: Received micro surface treatment ONLY. The Result: After year one, pavement had 50% less cracking, and after year two, pavement had 15% fewer cracks than the Control. Section L12: Received a crack seal pre-treatment BEFORE micro surface course. The Result: After year one, pavement had 90% less cracking, and after year two, pavement had 60% fewer cracks than the Control. Crack sealing as a pre-treatment prior to micro surfacing results in 15% LESS cracking with micro surfacing ONLY to 60% LESS cracking using micro surfacing BEFORE crack seal pre-treatment. Crack sealing has been shown to extend pavement life more than five years while improving sealant service life, pavement service life, Pavement Condition Index (PCI) and pavement smoothness (IRI). (Read entire article here: Crack Sealing as a Pre-treatment Improves Preservation Treatment Results, NCAT study shows that crack sealing as a pre-treatment before a preservation application can prevent cracking. By Jessica Stoikes / April 4, 2017 / forconstructionpros.com) ----------------------- Quality Crack Sealing is Key! (click for PDF) Crack sealant must bond well to crack walls, be elastic enough to stretch without tearing apart in cold temperatures, and not crack when temps go up to 100 degrees or more. At Gee Asphalt, we install hot applied crack sealants meeting ASTM 3405 standards manufactured by Crafco, W.R. Meadows, and Maxwell. We also install single and double component cold applied crack sealants during fringe season or southern climates. Contact us today for a free consultation and let us show you how to efficiently manage the health of your pavements AND save money!
