Effectiveness of Asphalt Penetrating Sealers in Extending New Asphalt Pavement Life

Numerous methods are being employed for asphalt pavement preservation, including rejuvenator emulsions, asphalt emulsion fog seals, and a variety of non-structural surface treatments (including slurry and micro surfacing technologies). To make the most of maintenance budgets, some agencies are using asphalt penetrating sealers as an alternative to reduce the detrimental impact of weathering or aging of wearing surfaces for older and new asphalt pavements or overlays of existing flexible pavements. Applying a penetrating sealer to a new surface within a few weeks after it has been placed has several benefits to the hot mix asphalt (HMA) wearing surface. It can restore the original asphalt properties that were lost during the production process and seal the pavement for improving on the durability of the surface course, reducing the permeability at the surface. Asphalt penetrating sealers have been used by Federal, State, county, and municipal agencies over the past 15 years, and their use has been based on past performance. However, there are diverse opinions regarding the success of this technology. Once a product has been used, a pavement engineer's opinion can vary from the project being totally successful or completely ineffective. Little data exists based on quantitative data from multiple projects. The issue or gap in the technology, especially in Ohio, is quantifying the cost-effectiveness on the use of these materials. Thus, the purpose of this project was to collect the data to quantify the cost-effectiveness of these asphalt penetrating sealers. In other words: Are these surface treatments or penetrating sealers cost-effective? The purpose of this report is to document the surface condition of test and control sections along four projects before and immediately after application of three penetrating sealer products, as well as over a four year monitoring period to determine the added service life, if any, between treated and untreated surfaces.

• Record URL:
  http://cdm16007.contentdm.oclc.org/cdm/ref/collection/p267401ccp2/id/14597
• 
• Record URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/31870
• Corporate Authors:

  Applied Research Associates, Incorporated

  100 Trade Centre Dr. Ste. 200
  Champaign, Illinois  United States  61820-7233

  Ohio Department of Transportation

  Columbus, OH  United States  43216-0899

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Von Quintus, Harold L
  • Raghunathan, Deepak
• Publication Date: 2017-1

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Edition: Final Report
• Features: Figures; Maps; Photos; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 109p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Before and after studies; Cost effectiveness; Durability; Hot mix asphalt; Pavement performance; Permeability; Sealing compounds; Service life; Surface course (Pavements); Test sections
• Geographic Terms: Ohio
• Subject Areas: Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; Pavements;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01630099
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: FHWA/OH-2017/3
• Contract Numbers: Agreement Number 25191
• Files: NTL, TRIS, ATRI, USDOT, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Mar 27 2017 9:30AM