Pothole Filling
Potholes form when weak spots of the paving are broken by traffic. Several factors can contribute to weak spots, including overweight vehicles, construction flaws, and water. Damages to the pavement typically start small, such as cracks. If left untreated, smaller damages can worsen and become craters. Another cause is improperly/poorly repaired road surface. As such, cavities come in many different sizes and shapes. Some are shallow, some deep and some irregular.
Potholes need to be repaired as soon as possible because they are a major safety hazard. They can damage vehicles if driven through, slow down the flow of traffic, and can even cause serious accidents. With that said, craters are way more than just an eye disturbance and are not to be taken lightly. In Vaughan and its surrounding area, Vaughan Paving Pros has zero tolerance for disastrous cavities. Leave them to us! Call us at 289-217-9180 to schedule a free on site quote. By the way, if you happen to live in Chicago, IL and are in need for some concrete-related help, we recommend concrete and masonry Chicago!
Regardless of the sizes and shapes, repair procedures are the same. The repair process generally consists of nine steps. In chronological order, they are placing traffic control devices, marking the defective area to be repaired, cutting out the defective material, cleaning out the hole, applying the tack matter, placing the mix, compacting the mix, cleaning up the jobsite and preparing to move to the next jobsite. Below the procedure will be elaborated.
Pothole Filling Procedure
The first phase covers placing traffic control devices. In any transport related construction, the safety of the crew and the motorists comes first. A well visible location needs to be found for the placement of control devices. Place signs, cones or barricades such that people can see them and react in a timely manner. All in all, traffic control standards and procedures are to be followed.
The second stage is about marking the defective region. Prior to marking, loose substance from potholes need to be swept away. Then, the zone needs to be examined to see the extent of weakened/damaged pavement. With a chalk, crayon or paint, mark the zone to be removed in a rectangular shape with straight sides and square corners. The marked region may have to be enlarged once cutting begins and more subsurface conditions are revealed.
The third phase is to cut out defective matter. A jackhammer with a spade bit or a pickaxe is used for cutting. Slashing needs to begin in the centre of the marked area and proceed toward the edges. Doing do has two advantages. First, there will be less resistance to the gashing process. Second, the good pavement on the outer rim will not be weakened by the cutting. The cutting should come down to stable substance and make sure the bottom is level. These serve as a good foundation for the patch.
The fourth stage is about removing defective matter. A clean surface free of debris can ensure best adherence of patch substance. Loose material and debris are to be shoveled out of the defective area. Fine matter should be blown out using an air compressor. Alternatively, they can be swept out with bristled brooms. Any debris needs to be disposed of properly as any debris can affect the subsequent procedures negatively. Make a thorough inspection to make sure no weakened material is left in the corner before moving on.
The fifth phase is all about tacking the hole. Tack refers to the glue that bonds the patch and hole together. With either a hand broom or a sprayer, tack is applied to the sides first. Pouring and overlapping on surrounding pavement need to be prevented. Properly applied tack should form a thin film on the sides and the bottom.
The sixth stage involves placing premix material. Regardless or the temperature of the mix, it has to be workable. Do not use it if a mix is hard to shovel or crusted. With a square pointed shovel, apply the mix to the corners and sides first. The maximum depth of a layer is 8 cm so it may take several layers depending on the depth of the hole. After placing each layer, level it with a rake.
The seventh phase is about compacting the premix. This, along with step three are the two most important steps because the duration of a patch correlates with the quality of compaction. Equipment including vibratory roller, vibratory plate, and hand tamp can all be used to compact, with the vibratory roller being the best. The process always starts from the corners and edges and proceeds to the middle. If a hole takes several layers to patch, compact each layer thoroughly before placing another.
The eighth stage is cleaning up the jobsite. No debris should be thrown onto the shoulder, into ditches or near catch basins as it will cause drainage problems.
Step nine is moving onto the next jobsite or simply wrapping up. In either case, make sure all the equipments are cleaned and packed up and nothing is left on the jobsite.
