Asphalt paving is renowned for its strength and durability, which is why it is the preferred material for paving lots and roads. Kilgore Companies offer asphalt paving services for commercial and residential properties. Asphalt experiences degradation from natural and man-made forces. Fixing the damage is part of many Kilgore construction jobs. The following are the five top causes of asphalt degradation:
Vehicle Traffic
Constant vehicle traffic, especially heavy commercial trucks, will cause substantial asphalt deterioration. Constant movement or parking of cars puts a lot of pressure on the asphalt leading to cracks.
When it is hot outside, the asphalt softens, and due to the considerable weight of a vehicle, the asphalt will lose its shape.
Freezing and Thawing
Water will gradually seep into the asphalt’s granular base through cracks. When it is cold, the water will freeze, causing the cracks to expand. When the temperature rises, the ice thaws, and the process repeats.
Continuous freezing and thawing cause cracks to grow larger until reconstruction is necessary, creating construction jobs.
Sunshine
Bitumen makes asphalt more elastic, but it is sensitive to UV rays. It causes an oxidation reaction that hardens the bitumen making the asphalt lose its elasticity.
The oxidized bitumen will start crumbling, and cracks will appear in the asphalt. Water will then seep through the cracks and cause more damage.
Water
Water seepage into asphalt also hardens the bitumen causing the loss of elasticity. Water accelerates the erosion of asphalt and leads to cracks.
Water will also soften the asphalt’s underlayers causing it to crack under heavy weight.
Oil Spots
When oil soaks into asphalt, it damages the bitumen’s elasticity and causes the asphalt surface to slowly deteriorate. The aggregates also slowly crumble when impregnated by oil.
The five elements above do the most damage to asphalt. To do construction jobs for Kilgore Companies, learn about asphalt.