Publication Details
MORE EFFECTIVE COLD, WET-WEATHER PATCHING MATERIALS FOR ASPHALT PAVEMENTS 
Primary Topic: Materials-Asphalt
Description: To the motoring public, potholes are one of the most visible and annoying forms of pavement distress. Most pothole repairs made during the winter months are short-lived. Potholes that must be filled repeatedly are expensive to repair. One reason for the short life of repairs done during the winter is that the commonly used repair mixtures cannot withstand the cold, wet weather. The overall objective of this project was to develop and test improved cold-mix, stockpiled patching mixtures. To satisfy this objective, the predominant failure mechanisms and concomitant performance requirements were established. Binder performance was identified as the most promising area of study. More than 40 experimental binders were evaluated in the laboratory, and five of these binders were chosen for field trials. It was found that current mix designs for cold-mix, stockpiled patching materials were inadequate, and, therefore, a new mix design procedure was adopted for use in the study. Field trials were conducted, in which 410 repairs were made, and were monitored over a 1 -year period. Mixtures employing certain high-float medium-set emulsion binders performed demonstrably better than companion control mixtures. These binders, used in mixtures designed with the procedures described herein, are therefore recommended for trial installation by interested highway agencies.
FHWA Publication Number: FHWA-RD-88-001
Publication Year: 1988