How to Repair Potholes and Patches in Bituminous Roads?

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Patching is the process of filling potholes or deteriorated parts of asphalt pavements. Potholes and other pavement disintegration should be repaired as soon as possible to prevent additional degradation and costly pavement repairs.

 The repair of bituminous road includes the following works: 

1. Removal of all deteriorated material of the pavement courses until the root cause of the failure is identified. 
2. Trimming of the excavated sides to provide firm vertical faces.
3. Replacement of material with the standard which was originally specified for the pavement layer.
4. Painting of tack coat onto the sides and bases of excavations prior to placing of any bituminous materials.
5. Compaction and finishing of the surfaces of all patches to form a smooth continuous surface, level with the surrounding road.

Repair Materials Specification

1. All materials used for the pothole and patch repair of bituminous surface and underlying layers shall be in accordance with the standards and shall be of the same type as specified for the original construction.
2. A mix that is superior to the one on the existing surface may well be applied.
3. A modified bitumen mix/emulsified bitumen compatible with the existing layer shall also be considered appropriate. 
4. Patching materials must always be of the same type and construction standard, if not better than the material being patched at the same level of construction.
5. The materials used for patching shall never be of lesser bearing capacity nor a greater porosity than the adjacent previous construction.
6. The non-bituminous material must not be used for patching bituminous materials. 

Preparation of the Area for Pothole and Patch Repair

1. Each pothole and patch repair area shall be inspected, and all loose material shall be removed.
2. The area shall be cut/trimmed either with jackhammers or with hand tools, such that all the defective material responsible for the failure is removed and in a regular shape. 
3. The excavation pit area must be cut vertically.
4. The area shall be thoroughly cleaned with compressed air to remove all dust and loose particles.
5. The layers below the level of the bituminous construction must be replaced with material that meets the same specifications as the original construction, including the required compaction criteria.
6. Depending on whether the lower area is bituminous or granular, the area for bituminous construction will be tacked or primed with cutback or emulsion.
7. The sides must be painted with hot tack coat material.

Laying of Bituminous Mixture

1. The mixture to be used in bituminous patching shall be either a cold mix or a hot mix.
2. The mixing shall be done in a plant of suitable capacity.
3. The bituminous mixture shall be placed in layers not more than 100 mm thick and shall be compacted in layers with a hand roller/plate compactor/rammer to the required compaction.
4. While placing the top layer, the mix shall be laid slightly proud of the surface so that after compaction, the surface shall be in level with the adjoining surface.
5. If the patch area is large, the spreading and leveling shall be done using band shovels and straight wooden edges.
6. During the compaction, the surface levels shall be checked using a 3 m straight edge.

Benefits of Repairing Potholes and Patches in Bituminous Road

It is important to maintain bituminous roads in order to extend their service life. By addressing problem areas on the pavement as early as possible, it will be possible to save money by delaying or preventing more expensive repairs.

1. Prevents complete deterioration
2. Saves cost
3. Encourages tourism
4. Limits accidents
5. Reduces congestion

FAQs

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