LTPP Pavement Maintenance Materials: SHRP Crack Treatment Experiment, Final Report
Primary Topic: Pavement Maintenance
Description: The Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP) H-106 maintenance experiment and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Long-Term Monitoring (LTM) of Pavement Maintenance Materials Test Sites project studied two distinct asphalt concrete (AC) crack treatments: transverse crack sealing and longitudinal crack filling. Both activities are performed frequently in order to extend pavement life by preventing or substantially reducing the infiltration of water into the pavement structure.
Highway agencies use different materials and methods to treat cracks in AC pavements, and some of these treatments are inherently better than others; however, the relative effectiveness of a treatment often depends on the situations or condition under which they are used. The primary objective of the H-106/LTM crack treatment experiment, then, was to determine the most effective and economical materials and methods for conducting crack sealing and crack filling operations. Secondary objectives included the identification of both performance-related material tests and quicker, safer installation practices.
This report documents the entire AC crack treatment study, including the installation of 31 unique crack treatments (i.e., combinations of sealant/filler materials and installation method) at 5 different test sites, the laboratory testing of experimental sealant/filler materials, and the 7-year performance monitoring of the various crack treatments. It also discusses the results of comprehensive statistical analyses conducted on material performance and laboratory testing data. The results of a detailed cost-effectiveness analysis are also presented.
FHWA Publication Number: FHWA-RD-99-143
Publication Year: 1999