Asphalt Paving and Sealcoat  Blog

Concrete Pavement Restoration and Preservation

Faced with limited funding for both capital improvements and
maintenance, many cities and counties are facing serious
challenges to repairing streets and roads.

In some cases, the service life can be extended using techniques
known as pavement restoration methods. These include minor
concrete slab repair, diamond grinding the surface, and resealing
joints. When done at the proper time, these repairs can bring new
life to streets and roads ... and are less expensive than asphalt
overlays.

Portfolio of Solutions
The concrete pavement industry
offers a portfolio of restoration
methods known as Concrete
Pavement Restoration (CPR).

CPR is a is a viable alternative to
thin asphalt overlays, which have
been proven time and again to be
nothing more than short-term
solutions.

CPR techniques have been shown
to add 12 to 15 years of service life
to a roadway, compared with
asphalt overlays, which provide
between 2 and 5 years. Equally
important, the costs are about the
same for either method.

Why worry? Routine pavement evaluations and other "CPR"
strategies can help prolong the life of a pavement and help
agencies set the stage for funding, plans, and specs.

The key to any preservation strategy is timing.
Planning CPR typically needs to begin at approximately
2/3 to 3/4 of the pavements original design life, so for a
20-year pavement, agencies can expect to do start
thinking about pavement preservation at about 12 to 15
years.

This helps ensure that maintenance funding, project
plans, and specifications are ready before extensive
deterioration has occurred.

CPR techniques typically required for city streets and
other local roads include: full- or partial-depth
pavement patching, diamond grinding, and joint
sealing.

These and other techniques are outlined in the
American Concrete Pavement Association's "Concrete
Pavement Repair Manual."

Here's a quick guide to these common CPR techniques, all of which can be done inexpensively and quickly by local contractors.

Diamond Grinding
> Contractors remove top 1/8 in. to 1/4 in. of
pavement using special grinding equipment.

Advantages
• Removes bumps, quiets noisy pavements
• Does not affect ground-level or overhead structures
• Does not reduce gutter capacity
• Does not require expense driveway tie-ins
• Requires only minimal traffic control requirements
• Cost less than a typical asphalt overlay

Partial Depth Replacement
> Mark outer perimeter of patch
> Remove affected area
> Clean allow to dry patch area
> Place, finish, and cure new patch

Advantages
• Fast, easy, and inexpensive
• Can be done under traffic
• Pre-cast concrete panels are an option

Full Depth Replacement
> Mark outer perimeter of patch
> Saw-cut the full depth of pavement
> Remove deteriorated concrete
> Replace and compact subgrade/subbase
> Install load transfer dowels
> Place, finish, and cure new concrete

Advantages
• Fast, easy, and inexpensive
• Can be done under traffic
• Pre-cast concrete panels are an option