Field performance with state-of-the-art patching repair material

Abstract

Significant efforts have been made to identify the correlations between pavement design, materials and construction variables and pavement performance for new pavement construction; in response to these efforts, specifications and design standards have been developed to optimize pavement performance. On the other hand, less positive correlations have been found between pavement repair materials/methods and the performance of repairs. This issue is primarily due to the incompatibility between existing pavement and repair materials including bonding at the repair interface, as well as the complex nature of pavement behavior near distressed areas. As a result, the variability in the performance of pavement repairs has been rather large. As more pavement sections have reached or even exceeded their design lives, with more frequent distresses, it is important to identify optimum repair methods and/or materials. This paper presents the field performance of several repair strategies with Fiber Reinforced Polymer Patching Binder (FRPPB) patching material for the repairs of spalling, partial-depth punchout and longitudinal joint separations in rigid pavement, for retarding reflection cracking in asphalt overlay on jointed concrete pavement, and for repairs at the transition area between rigid and flexible pavements by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). The repairs for these distress types have been a challenge to TxDOT districts; repair specifications with acceptable properties of repair materials and methods have not been as well-developed as the specifications for new construction have, resulting in a large variability in the performance of repairs of these distresses.The performance of repairs for the distresses mentioned above with FRPPB has been excellent, with no need for repeated repairs up to this point. The results from this study indicate that if the right materials are used for repairs, along with the correct repair method, the performance of pavement repairs and rehabilitations could be substantially enhanced, minimizing traffic delays and financial resources associated with further repairs and rehabilitations.