Maintenance –
The extent and frequency of routine maintenance of surfaces depends on exposure and Location. Maintenance includes sweeping surfaces clean of all loose aggregate; removing vegetation in cracks, decreasing whenever heavy build-up is evident, repairing small areas, and for flexible surfaces applying cold-pour crack filler with ‘a pour pot and a squeegee to fill small cracks 3 mm. to 6 mm. cracks.
The durability of flexible surfaces like asphalt can be increased by properly compacting sub grades during construction, consistently mixing asphalt in the base and sub grade, adequately mixing pavement, stabilizing the sub grade, and minimizing moisture in the sub grade.
Inflexible-surface (concrete durability) can be improved through proper surface treatment. However, care must be taken not to use a surface sealer, which will seal moisture into the concrete by preventing evaporation of water penetrating from unsealed surfaces. Coatings can be secured to concrete surfaces by bonding, Percolation into the pores, or chemical reaction.
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Asphalt surfaces in good condition may show fine cracking or other minor effects of wear and tear. The application of a light seal coat to the pavement helps keep it in good condition.
Such surfaces in fair condition may have random cracks up to 12 mm width; random cracks should be filled with hot rubberized crack filler. The cracks should be prepared for filling by removing vegetation, cleaning with a broom or a stream of compressed air, and applying soil sterility if weed growth is anticipated.
A hand torch or weed killer also can be used to destroy existing vegetation. The cracks then should be filled using a pour pot and a hand squeegee.
Fine cracks up to 3 mm wide are too small to be effectively filled and usually can be ignored, especially when an overlay or slurry seal is applied. A fine sand/ asphalt hot mix also can be used for filling.