Although asphalt paving is known for its durability, we should still see to it that it is properly
maintained to prolong its lifespan and avoid major repairs requiring huge costs. Property owners
should immediately take action whenever signs of wear and tear show on their asphalt. Ignoring
minor cracks won’t just affect the aesthetic value of your property, it can also pose safety
hazards.
Even if asphalt is considered to be a very strong paving material, it also has some weaknesses.
One of these weaknesses that you should watch carefully is the changes in weather conditions
particularly with the temperature.
In this blog, we will be showing how asphalt is affected by temperature over time.
How Heat Affects Asphalt
When exposed to heat, asphalt tends to absorb this heat causing it to expand and begin to
crack later on. What happens is that the light oils in the asphalt combines forming heavy oils.
These heavy oils turn asphalt brittle and cause it to crack.
Cracks on the pavement gets bigger over time. As these cracks increase in size, more problems
will occur. Water is also free to seep into these cracks. When water is contained deep in the
pavement, the sub-layers will erode. These may also cause potholes.
What Happens When Asphalt Gets Frozen
One of the problems for asphalt paving during winter is during the freeze-thaw process when
the snow or hail turn back into water. As mentioned earlier, water should not reach the inner
layers of asphalt as it can cause the pavement to deteriorate.
How Bad Rainy Season is for Asphalt
Rain means water and water means problem for your pavement. What’s worse is when the
pavement has steep inclination. The liquid asphalt will be washed out in this case making the
asphalt aggregates loose.