Cracking in the direction of flow of traffic, usually at the edge of wheelpaths.
Causes
- Pavement that is fatigued or "worn out" from heavy traffic (especially the side walls of high pressure truck tires)
- An unstable base
- Poor construction
Solutions - Cures
Several options are available, based on severity of the cracking and the condition of the pavement structure. For very minor cracking, the important thing is to prevent moisture from entering the crack and damaging the underlying structure. More severe longitudinal cracking usually indicates a larger problem with pavement structure.
Very Low Severity Cracks:
Severe Cracks:
Solutions - Prevention
- The use of quality structural design and materials during construction
- Preventive maintenance treatments as the pavement begins to age
- Structural overlays applied at the right time to increase the pavement strength
- Polymer modified binders meeting the applicable PG grades for heavy traffic have been found to be especially effective.