Sealant Degradation during Crack Sealing of Pavements

Abstract

Application practices of bituminous hot-poured crack sealants, typically used to effect repairs on pavements, were monitored in the field and heating conditions were reproduced in the laboratory. From viscometry, thermogravimetry, and tensile testing measurements, it was found that sealants degrade upon heating at recommended installation temperatures. Consequently, given the level of product degradation observed from laboratory evaluations, it is not expected that a consistent low temperature sealant performance could be obtained in the field. These conclusions help explain the number of premature sealant failures that exist despite the fact that these materials may be in accordance with the requirements in ASTM D 3405.