Field Evaluation of Crack Sealing of AC Pavements in Alaska

Sealing cracks in asphalt concrete (AC) pavements is a widely used preventive maintenance strategy, and has long been regarded as a necessary annual procedure in most of the United States and other countries. However, many years of careful observations in Alaska have conjectured that certain thermal crack types may sometimes be ignored, i.e., left completely unsealed, for the life of the pavement with no negative effects. This paper presents a recently completed field study on evaluating crack sealing of thermal cracks in older AC pavements in northern and central Alaska. Two distinct types of thermal cracks, differentiated as 1) lesser thermal cracks and 2) major transverse thermal cracks, were formally recognized and assessed using a special thermal crack evaluation (STCE) method. Based on field data collection, analysis, and interpretation, it was concluded that significant maintenance funds can be saved or redirected by not sealing or by reduced sealing of certain types of thermal cracks in AC pavements. The study recommends that lesser thermal cracking receive no maintenance except on delaminating pavements. Maintenance treatment of major transverse thermal cracks can be greatly reduced based on inexpensive, long-term assessments following new pavement construction.

• Record URL:
  https://doi.org/10.1061/9780784413326.005
• Availability:
  • Find a library where document is available. Order URL: http://worldcat.org/isbn/9780784413326
• Supplemental Notes:
  • © 2014 American Society of Civil Engineers
• Corporate Authors:

  American Society of Civil Engineers

  1801 Alexander Bell Drive
  Reston, VA  United States  20191-4400
• Authors:
  • Mullin, Anthony
  • Liu, Juanyu
  • McHattie, Robert
• Conference:
  • International Symposium of Climatic Effects on Pavement and Geotechnical Infrastructure 2013
  • Location: Fairbanks Alaska, United States
  • Date: 2013-8-4 to 2013-8-7
• Publication Date: 2014-4

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Web
• Pagination: pp 39-51
• Monograph Title: Climatic Effects on Pavement and Geotechnical Infrastructure

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Asphalt pavements; Climate change; Concrete pavements; Cracking; Delamination; Field tests; Preventive maintenance; Thermal degradation
• Geographic Terms: Alaska
• Subject Areas: Environment; Highways; Pavements; I15: Environment; I22: Design of Pavements, Railways and Guideways;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01525974
• Record Type: Publication
• ISBN: 9780784413326
• Files: TRIS, ASCE
• Created Date: May 28 2014 3:22PM