Pavement crack saw

Cracks must be dry before being filled. Fill cracks with rubberized crack sealant, such as Crafco or equivalent. AC, roofing material, or any type of asphalt cut back is not acceptable. The material should be applied to the cracks with a walk-behind bander so it is flush with the pavement. The material should be banded a uniform width of approximately.

Traffic should stay off of the fresh sealant for at least 15 minutes. If the area needs to be opened or is a high traffic area, the material should be dusted with black sand. If sealcoating is part of the project, the crack sealing should be completed prior to the sealcoating.

Transverse saw cut joints will extend the full width of the pavement. They should extend 1 foot beyond the edge of the mainline pavement into the asphalt shoulder. In areas where temperature fluctuations are very severe upper tier of United States , the saw and seal method is ideal for increasing the longevity of asphalt pavement. By installing control joints in the new pavement and sealing the joints, the expansion and contraction process tends to cause many less random cracks in the pavement.

This is similar to installing control joints in concrete. Studies by State Departments of Transportation in northern states, have shown the saw and seal method to be effective in significantly reducing pavement maintenance costs in the long run. The effects of climate on oxidation or aging of the asphalt binder may not be so critical to the pavement performance. By not relying on the chemical properties of the binder to resist thermal cracking, higher viscosity asphalt binders could improve performance.

He also sees a reduction in maintenance work for crack filling if the pavement is designed with optimum cracking spacing. One cannot deny that reducing cracks is a good goal. For engineers considering the danger of cutting into pavement joints that will allow water to infiltrate the system, Amon has an answer. He refers to the cutting as a slice-and-seal without the sealer. The pavement structure remains undisturbed.

The hot roller compresses the joint closed with little evidence of the installation left behind. After several months, the evidence of a joint becomes difficult to see by a person walking along the pavement. These joints have not been successful in even concrete pavements because they are weakness points and offer very little load transfer, and could allow water to go inside the pavement.

Many engineers look at it as a plan for disaster. Amon is building is actually closing. The technical report from Janisch and Turgeon brings up the question of whether or not the healing action is desirable. Considering the key to closing the transverse joint behind the screed is to do so immediately, timing is critical to the success of the slice-and-seal concept of jointed asphalt pavement. Again, plowing—or moving—the aggregate particles appears to be what is desired in the concept Amon has proposed.

Janisch and Turgeon found the opposite to be preferred. The special provisions were changed to require 72 hours between the time the HMA is placed and when it can be sawed. Keep in mind, the timing discussed there is for joints that are being sealed with an adhesive product and not merely rolling closed to re-seal and heal the joint.

At this time, of course, agencies and contractors work together to decide the best way to build longitudinal joints for various projects.