Asphalt pavement cracks vary in shape, size, and severity. The most common types of cracks you will see on roadways, parking lots, and driveways include:
Fatigue cracking – also known as alligator cracking because the crack pattern is similar to that of an alligator’s skin, fatigue cracking is common and can be caused by a weakened pavement base or overloading. The right repair method will depend on how deep the cracks are and how much area they cover.
Block cracking – block cracks are often seen on roadways, in areas that receive little to no traffic. They appear as large rectangular cracks (hence the name “block”) and usually occur after pavement strain caused by temperature changes.
Edge cracking – pavements with insufficient support on the outer edges often suffer from edge cracking, longitudinal cracks that run close together and sometimes even weave into each other.
Transverse cracking – you may have noticed large cracks that run straight across a roadway or driveway, these are transverse cracks caused by asphalt shrinkage or an existing crack in the pavement.
Slippage cracking – slippage cracks are a little less common because they are due to poorly installed pavement; either bad asphalt mix was used or the paving process did not properly bond the pavement layers together. Slippage cracks are crescent-shaped and occur under the pressure of vehicles braking or turning on the surface.
If your pavement suffers from any of the cracks above, give us a call for crack repair. It may require asphalt patching if the damage is too severe for a standard crack filling fix.
