Evaluating the need to seal thermal cracks in Alaska's asphalt concrete pavements.

Details

• Creators:
  McHattie, Robert ; Mullin, Anthony ; Liu, Juanyu
• Corporate Creators:
  Alaska University Transportation Center ; Alaska. Dept. of Transportation. Research, Development, and Technology Transfer
• Corporate Contributors:
  United States. Federal Highway Administration
• Subject/TRT Terms:
  • Asphalt concrete pavements
  • Cracking of asphalt concrete pavements
  • Sealing (Technology)
  • Field studies
  • Pavement maintenance
  • Pavement performance
• Publication/ Report Number:
  INE/AUTC 12.27 ; FHWA-AK-RD-12-20
• Resource Type:
  Tech Report
• Geographical Coverage:
  Alaska
• Corporate Publisher:
  Alaska. Dept. of Transportation and Public Facilities ; Alaska University Transportation Center
• Abstract:
  The AKDOT&PF has promoted routine sealing of all cracks in asphalt concrete (AC) pavements for many years. In doing so, ; AKDOT&PF follows the generally accepted “best practice” of sealing pavement cracks to the extent that time and money allows. This ; study of 91 sites on 20+ year old AC pavements in AKDOT&PF’s Central and Interior Regions identified two distinct types of thermal ; cracks. Both types are known to be ubiquitous on AC pavements throughout all but the most southern parts of the State. Based on the ; field observations during 2012, researchers conclude that significant maintenance funds can be saved or redirected by not sealing or ; reduced sealing of thermal cracks in AC pavements. Furthermore, the authors suggest that thermal crack maintenance be significantly ; reduced without negatively influencing general long-term pavement performance. ; The report addresses, separately, each of the two recognized forms of thermal cracking. It recommends that “lessor thermal cracking” ; receive little or no maintenance. The report recommends that maintenance treatment of even the relatively large “major transverse ; thermal cracks” can be greatly reduced based on inexpensive, long-term assessments following new pavement construction.
• Format:
  PDF
• Funding:
  DTRT06-G-0011 ; AUTC Project No. 510005 ; T2-11-06
• Download URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/26943/dot_26943_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 3.76 MB]
• Collection(s):
  University Transportation Centers ; US Transportation Collection
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha256:43aa1be94a946a7206621082ac2a4df92defc79e901a485bf444b8a2043a4ffb