Book Description

"The purpose of this project is to evaluate the ability of placing joints to control random asphalt pavement cracking. Asphalt pavements are subjected to thermals stresses due to extreme low temperatures in the northern climate. These thermal stresses cause the formation of random unsealed cracks. These unsealed cracks allow moisture to infiltrate the subgrade and base. This moisture can cause stripping of the asphalt binder on the walls of the cracks, causing the pavement structure to weaken. The weakened pavement may form depressions at the cracks, which lead to bad ride characteristics and may also cause secondary cracking. Sawing joints into new asphalt pavements at regular intervals may help control the location of thermal cracking in flexible pavement. Sawed joints are easier to fill initially and maintain in the future. Early sawing and sealing joints into the pavement controls the infiltration and reduces the stripping of asphalts"--p. 1.