Posted on May 1st, 2023

Asphalt can be applied in several locations such as driveway paving, walkway, parking lots, country roads, trails, etc. Its cost-effectiveness and high longevity make it a better choice for most floor construction projects. That's why homeowners and paving contractors use it in Morristown, New Jersey.

But despite its great qualities, asphalt concrete is prone to damage, cutting its lifespan from about 15 to 20 years. Some damages include cracking, raveling, rutting, upheaval, corrugation, bleeding, potholes, and others. Without proper maintenance, your asphalt pavement can barely last up to 5 years.

However, regular inspection helps track potential damages and prompt asphalt repairs to avoid further destruction. This article discusses some common types of asphalt damage and their possible causes. When it comes to repairing damaged asphalt, Morristown Paving Pros is the right paving contractor to engage.

Types of Asphalt Driveway Damages in Morristown, NJ

Cracking

Alligator Cracking (Fatigue Cracking)

Alligator cracking is one prominent damage on asphalt paving in Morristown, NJ. It's also referred to as fatigue cracking. This cracking on asphalt pavement makes the surface look like an alligator's skin. There are usually several tiny cracks that can spread both transversally and longitudinally on the concrete driveway.

Causes

Different factors can lead to alligator cracking; poor installation is a significant cause. Also, structural issues result in fatigue cracking of most gravel driveways. For a busy city like Morristown, NJ, where several heavy vehicles run through the road, the lower layers can compress. Hence, the surface would start cracking over time, forming an alligator's skin pattern.

Block Cracking

Block cracking forms as large cracks of squares, rectangles, and even circles on the surface of your driveway. The cracks usually make links with several others on the concrete pathway. The sub-layers of your driveway paving will not be affected by block cracking.

Causes

Block cracking is caused by poor mixing of the asphalt paving recipe. Hence, the concrete cannot handle seasonal temperature changes. Also, a crack can occur if the driveway contractor uses an old asphalt concrete mix during the asphalt installation. The block cracks will occur within three years of its installation.

Transverse Cracking

This damage on a driveway is usually perpendicular to the pavement's centerline.

Cause

Transverse cracking is caused by constant temperature swings or poor installation of the asphalt paving. Moreover, the cracks can form when the pavement layers undergo inconsistent expansion and contraction, resulting in shrinkage.

Linear (Longitudinal) Cracking

Linear cracking usually runs parallel to the centerline of the driveway as vertical cracks. They are also called longitudinal cracking.

Causes

Driveway contractors complete asphalt concrete installation in sections. Linear cracking can occur due to improper layering around the joint regions on different trail sections. Also, other conditions such as temperature changes and shrinking of the asphalt layers can cause longitudinal cracking. Moreover, wear and tear on an old driveway and overflooding of a driveway can cause linear cracking.

Edge Cracking

Edge cracking occurs at the edges of asphalt paving, running in the same direction as the driveway.

Causes

When there's poor drainage around the pavement, it leads to edge cracking. Also, heavy vegetation, shrinking of soil, constant traffic congestion, and running of heavy vehicles at the edge cause this issue.

Slippage Cracking

Slippage cracking occurs with the top layer of the asphalt driveway shifting from the sub-layers. It displays as crescent-like-shaped cracks having a stretching between pavement surfaces. Hence, there will be openings and gaps between the surfaces of the driveway paving.

Causes

The major cause of slippage is a lack of adhesion between the top and bottom layers of your asphalt driveway. Also, oil or dirt can contaminate the bonding agent between the layers of the asphalt paving.

Distortions

Rutting

Rutting is one of the common damages on asphalt pavements. Ruts display as indentations from the wheel trails of vehicles.

Causes

Ruts are formed when there's a compression of the top layer of the pavement due to repeated pressure. Other factors that cause rutting on asphalt surfaces include moisture penetration between layers and poor compaction during installation. Moreover, increased running of vehicles on asphalt paving over a long period aggravates rutting.

Corrugations

Corrugations appear as ripples of bumps and lumps on your asphalt paving surface. They usually happen with more use of the vehicles on driveways for a longer period or from frequent congestion.

Causes

Corrugations can set in when vehicles often stop and restart on asphalt paving. Corrugations are caused on roads and trails with high contaminants or moisture in the asphalt mixture during construction. Also, using a substandard mix of asphalt can cause corrugations.

Depressions (Bird Baths)

Depressions are regions of asphalt pavement with more noticeable dips than the rest of the driveway. There are no cracks found in depressions. On rainy days, they would be filled with water and appear like shallow pools like birdbaths in a garden store. Hence, they are also called bird baths.

Causes

Improper installation of the different layers of asphalt pavement can result in depressions. This happens when the installation company makes a poor compacting of the surfaces. Also, depressions occur when moisture infiltration weakens the inner layer of the asphalt paving.

Failed Patches

Patches are made on asphalt surfaces as temporary solutions for road maintenance or re-do. However, they always have flaws, even the ones that can be considered the best patches. They create weak points on a driveway or parking lot from where further issues emerge on the asphalt paving faster.

Causes

Patches are installed as temporary repair on damaged surfaces. But once there's a tiny ridge on the new patch, vehicle tires would continuously rub on its edge. This would result in the failure of the patch over time. Also, harsh weather conditions or improper installation by paving contractors can fasten the failure of patches.

Upheaval

Upheavals are usually elevated regions on roads or driveways that swell from localized parts of asphalt paving. In some cases, there are cracks at the raised parts of the driveways or parking lots. Also known as pavement swells, upheavals are formed with humidity and soil moisture content changes.

Causes

Upheaval occurs in regions with clay and some mineral contents in the soil underneath the asphalt. With changes in humidity of the area, especially during dry periods, the moisture content of the soil drops. This results in the shrinking of the soil. Conversely, the reverse happens in excess wet weather making the soil expand.

The fluctuations in expansion and contraction of the soil beneath asphalt paving form an upheaval as vehicles drive through the path. In most regions within the Pacific Northwest, growing roots of trees around a road, parking lot, or driveway can create upheavals.

Disintegrations

Potholes

Potholes are one of the common asphalt damages on the roads of Morristown, NJ. They are bowl-like slums on a parking lot, driveway paving, or other trails. They create noticeable problems in vehicles if drivers are less careful while maneuvering through them. The sizes of asphalt potholes vary according to some influencing factors like topography, climatic conditions, frequent use of the driveway, etc.

Causes

Other unpaired damages mainly cause potholes on an asphalt parking lot or driveway. In some cases, potholes can grow from alligator cracking and different types of cracking.

Moreover, different weather conditions and seasons play their parts in creating potholes. For a city like Morristown, NJ, potholes are more visible and rampant in spring and the beginning of summer. This is after the role played by the winter season. Usually, small cracks and holes on asphalt are filled with snow, ice, and even salt during winter. This aid the weakening of the asphalt driveway and parking lot within the region. The spring washes off the salt and ice to fully display the resulting potholes.

Raveling

Raveling is a type of asphalt disintegration that occurs on the surface of the driveway or parking lot. It creates an uneven top surface on the asphalt driveway and roads.

Causes

Raveling can be caused by improper mixing of the asphalt driveway recipe by the contractors. Also, raveling would occur if the mixture is of poor quality or the bonding agent hardened excessively due to temperature changes.

Asphalt Repairing in Morristown, NJ – Morristown Paving Pros At Your Service

Morristown Paving Pros is among the top paving contractors in Morristown, NJ. Though some people can personally plan to handle the asphalt repair of their damaged pavement, it can be a wrong move. You may not get the best result with professional skills, experience, and even the right equipment for the process.

Engaging the service of Morristown Paving Pros avails you with lots of professional staff that would create the right repairing option for you. Also, you will enjoy sticking with the correct options to eliminate unnecessary costs due to amateur handling.

Usually, the paving company provides you with a free estimate and rating of the damage. The services include a visit for a site inspection in any part of Morristown, New Jersey, without any cost.

Here are some of the asphalt repair options with Morristown Paving Pros:

Alligator Cracking Repair - Issues with alligator cracking come from underneath the surface. Hence, we offer a lasting solution by completely removing the damaged asphalt paving and properly installing a new one. We make the new driveway installation strong enough to bear heavy vehicles and avoid future cracks occurring too soon. However, you can get the option of having a temporary asphalt repair. This involves using seal coating or crack sealing on the concrete cracks. The seals would lock up the asphalt surface and prevent debris and water from entering the crack to cause further damage.
Block Cracking Repair - For severe block cracks, we remove the upper surface of the asphalt paving and lay a new one. But if you discover the cracks early, you can use seal coating to stop the cracks.
Transverse Cracking Repair - Early discovery of the transverse cracks would require you to apply seal coating. This would seal the crack and avoid penetration of moisture into the sub-layers. However, where the cracks are already severe, we would opt for repaving the entire driveway.
Linear Cracking Repair – If we discover a minimal linear cracking measuring about an inch or less, seal coating is the best asphalt repairing option. Also, we'll create a proper drainage system along the driveway to prevent overflooding on its surface. Complete removal and replacement of the entire driveway are necessary for severe cracks.
Edge Cracking Repair - Using seal coating or asphalt emulsion can help fill edge cracks. Also, we opt for controlling its occurrence by having a sound drainage system and removing all vegetation around the pavement edges. The homeowners should avoid running heavy machinery or vehicles at the edge of asphalt driveways as much as possible.
Slippage Cracking Repair – This requires complete pavement removal and re-installation of a new one. We usually use a bonding agent between the pavement layers to create a fantastic job that would last longer.
Rutting Repair - Less severe cases require top surface laying on the pavement. However, with intense rutting, we recommend complete asphalt repaving of the parking lot or driveway.
Corrugations Repair - We completely remove the distorted areas to handle corrugations. Then, we'll embark on repaving all the sub-layers.
Depressions Repair - Depressions get to the sub-layers of the roads. So, to create such asphalt repairs, we refill subgrade. Also, clients have the option to use infrared patches.
Failed Patches Repair - If you're planning on repairing a failed patch, we must cut out the old one. Then, smoothen the edges before making the asphalt repairs. Alternatively, a term solution is repaving the entire driveway if the client can foot the related cost.
Upheaval Repair - Solutions to upheaval have to get to the sub-layers. Hence, through our services, we'll create a full deep patch for the correction after removing the damaged asphalt paving. We'll cut down the trees where tree roots aided the damage to avoid a reoccurrence.
Pothole Repair – Engaging our paving services for this asphalt repair ensures you get an excellent job. Where the pothole is minimal, we opt to make a new layer with asphalt mix for the repair. However, larger or severe potholes require complete removal of the damaged area of the driveway or parking lot for a replacement.
Raveling Repair - Raveling is surface damage on the asphalt driveway or pavement. Using Morristown Paving Pros ensures an overlay coating of the surface. If the problem comes from poor quality of asphalt mixture, a permanent solution includes relaying the driveway paving effectively.

Conclusion

Maintaining your driveway and the parking lot is always best to avoid more complicated damages. Hence, regular inspections would help you detect any damage signs.

Also, remember that Morristown plains are unique, and the authorities show some concerns about asphalt damages. You should always contact the services of a professional contractor like Morristown Paving Pros to repair your damaged driveway.

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