Why Roads Fail Prematurely

December 24, 2018
Listed in Road Maintenance

In a perfect world, pavement would last forever. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Before deciding on the proper repair, we need to understand why there may be premature distresses. Before discussing why roads fail prematurely, we need to start with, “What is a road?” What is a Road? A road allows transportation from point A to B in all weather and traffic conditions. While a basic definition, this does not answer the question of why we build roads. Essentially, we build roads to …continue

Kinds of Highway Drainage

December 24, 2018
Listed in Stormwater Management

Effective roadway drainage is one of the most important and often underestimated elements of road design, construction, and long term maintenance. Water is the single greatest enemy of pavement structures. When drainage systems fail or are poorly designed, water accelerates pavement deterioration, weakens subgrade soils, increases freeze thaw damage, and creates ongoing maintenance issues. Understanding the difference between roadway drainage and roadside drainage helps clarify how water should …continue

Understanding Water Movement

December 24, 2018
Listed in Stormwater Management

Hydrologic Cycle Rain and snow falling on the ground will run overland or soak into the ground. Eventually all the runoff will reach lakes, streams, or the ocean where the water will evaporate and start the cycle all over again Water Movement Around Roads When maintaining and building roads and streets, we must be concerned with water flowing around them. Figure 2 shows a conceptual drainage system and how watermay enter a road. Water may enter roadways through “cracks and surface defects&…continue