Our system of parking lot or roadway analysis is based on our encyclopedia of asphalt and concrete defects. Now, you have access to this encyclopedia of common parking lot problems in geographic areas and industry best practices for remedying these issues. A complete version of this knowledge base is also available upon request.
Cracking
Cracks naturally develop in asphalt due to oxidation and pavement deterioration. Neglected cracks quickly develop into much more serious and costly issues. Cracks that form in the pavement surface can allow many harmful substances – including water, salts and engine oils – into the base and subgrade, effectively leading to the failure of the pavement surface.
There are many types of cracking and causes for these problems. In many cases, cracks develop because of the expansion or contraction of the base or subgrade, or they develop because of voids that form between the layers or courses of pavement. These cracks can form randomly or in the previously mentioned forms. In all cases, if repaired while still within ¼” to ½”, these cracks are easily repaired and maintained.
Remedy. Crack sealing is an effective way to correct cracking issues and prevent further cracking or deterioration of areas in your asphalt. Click here to learn more about Crack Sealing.
Alligatoring
Cracks that form very closely together and in high prevalence are more serious than the cracks repairable with sealant and fill. These cracks are usually caused by inadequate strength or compaction of base and/or subgrade. Also, poor drainage can lead to early development of alligatoring pavement.
Stage One. These cracks begin with branched, discontinuous thin cracks that interconnect slightly to form a typical alligator pattern. In many cases, the initial alligatoring forms around a single, center crack with many intermittent smaller cracks running at angle from it. The cracks are usually no more than ¼” wide.
Stage One. These cracks begin with branched, discontinuous thin cracks that interconnect slightly to form a typical alligator pattern. In many cases, the initial alligatoring forms around a single, center crack with many intermittent smaller cracks running at angle from it. The cracks are usually no more than ¼” wide.
Stage Three. The cracks are most prevalent and wide, and they are highly interconnected. Although the pieces are still small – usually less than 12” at the longest dimension – they are very loose and may be easily displaced with traffic. As the pieces become progressively larger and deeper pieces and are displaced, potholes develop in the pavement surface that can reach as deep as the subgrade (depending on base condition).
Remedy. Alligatoring inherently means that there are many interconnected cracks in the pavement as well as in the underlying base, subgrade and/or drainage problems. Cutting and patching (patching repairs) are the only effective repair remedy here. Click here to learn more about Patching Repairs.
ADA Compliance
The specifications outlined by the Americans with Disabilities Act regarding parking and pavement markings, although different in many states and municipalities, require one accessible parking space per 25 parking spaces or stalls, and at least one van accessible parking stall for parking up to 400 stalls.
Accessible spaces must be accompanied by the international symbol of accessibility within the 8’ or 96” parking stall and on signage with the same international symbol. The van-accessible stall must be 8’ or 96” with 8’ or 96” access aisle immediately adjacent to the stall, with the same signage and “Van Accessible” demarcation.
The ADA requirements for accessible parking are shown in the table above, along with the layout of a Van-Accessible parking space. Complying with ADA specifications, both nationally and with state and municipal regulations, not only ensures avoiding fines and other penalties but caters to all types of customers, tenants and other potential visitors and guests.
Remedy. Regularly re-painting the lines and pavement markings is important for maintaining the efficiency of traffic and parking control as well as ensuring adherence to ADA requirements.
Drainage
An important aspect of any parking lot or roadway is the drainage system and the accompanying drainage structures, for example, catch basins. Structures that do not functioning properly, and surrounding surfaces that do not allow water to flow properly, expedite deterioration of the asphalt and invite serious liability issues.
Emergency Repairs. Sinkholes and other types of depressions can develop quickly, and must be addressed immediately. These urgent liability concerns are handled by our in-house crews, who are equipped to fix the underlying issues and eliminate the problem directly, on-site.
Drainage Cleaning & Jetting. In order to maintain the integrity of the drains and drainage system, structures and drainage lines may need to be cleaned. Cleaning the drainage and jetting will remove sediment, debris, and other blockages from your existing system, ensuring proper drainage.
Potholes
Potholes create serious liability issues in parking lots and roadway areas due to the potential hazard to vehicles and to pedestrians. Repairing potholes before liability issues arise can avoid fraudulent and unreasonable injury settlements. Potholes can form during any season and should be repaired immediately before causing serious injury or damage.
Remedy. From our roots as a maintenance contractor, we are experts in patching repairs as an essential component of a proper pavement maintenance preservation program. Patching repairs are a cost-effective way of eliminating further damage, liability, deterioration, and pavement-related headaches. Click here to learn more about Patching Repairs.
Rutting
As base material is displaced, channels areas are created in the wheel paths, also known as rutting. These vertical deformations along the wheel paths are caused by the consolidation or lateral movement of pavement layers.
The rutting could be due to compaction from traffic or unstable or insufficient materials, especially in the base. These ruts usually form at loading docks or other areas where vehicle traffic has a frequency of high traffic or heavy loads. To avoid this, greater depths of base or aggregate are often used in areas where traffic has a frequency of higher loads.
Remedy. Rutting areas can be repaired with patching repairs, and in some cases, milling and paving the concrete-to-asphalt transition can solve the problem. Click here to learn more about Patching Repairs.