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How Should Cracks in Road Surfaces Be Dealt with?

It’s an ongoing concern that many asphalt road surfaces become worn over time and develop cracks and potholes. Apart from being unsightly, this can also be a hazard. Road surfaces that are eroded and cracked will allow more rain to penetrate the surface, and this will open up more cracks as it damages the substrate beneath. Concrete roads are even worse, as the material has very little flexibility in it and is subject to the forces of expansion and contraction over time, resulting in the development of cracks and holes.

How to Seal the Road Surface

Whether you have a car park that has developed lots of surface cracks or you operate a council that oversees numerous suburban roads, one of the most cost-effective methods of eliminating cracks in a road surface is to hire a company that specialises in bitumen sealing.

The biggest problem with resurfacing a road is that it’s expensive and time consuming. In these cases, the entire road needs to be resurfaced, so this requires digging and expensive equipment. This can be problematic for many companies and council areas whose budgets are tight.

The answer to this is to seal over the cracks with a bitumen mix that provides the following benefits:

  • Rapid: This method of filling in cracks and holes is fast. A bitumen spray is directed into the damaged areas and this forms a sticky binder to which a stony aggregate is added.
  • Durable: The bitumen binder and aggregate mix is flexible enough to deal with the forces of expansion and contraction that often damage road surfaces and result in the development of holes and cracks. In fact, this type of sealing often has a lifespan of up to 15 years, which makes it a cost-effective method of fixing roads and other asphalt surfaces.
  • Scalable: Depending on the traffic, additives may be used in the bitumen and more or less of it used to account for the expected wear of the surface. This makes it a scalable repair solution that has a medium-term lifespan.

Ensuring That Roads and Pavements Are Safe

Whether you are a council with numerous roads in your area to fix or you run a business and you have a car park that is proving to be a hazard, sealing the surface with bitumen is an excellent solution. It represents a cost-effective repair strategy that is rapid and durable enough to last for a number of years, even in heavily trafficked areas.

Realistically, the last thing you want is for pavement and road surfaces to be a health hazard. Cracks and holes can be a tripping hazard and they can damage vehicles. Luckily, there’s a cost-effective repair solution.

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