Foamed bitumen stabilisation is a process that involves mixing air and water with bitumen at high pressures and directing it into damaged paving. It expands to many times its original volume to completely seal the cavities and fix other weaknesses created by water ingress, so it's a great way to get your asphalt paving back in reliable shape.
Of course, you need to be able to spot the signs that water ingress has caused significant damage to your paving. With that in mind, here are just four common symptoms to watch out for.
1. Dips and Depressions
When water does manage to seep through small cracks and get trapped, it will start to damage the underlying structure. Unfortunately, this is often tough to spot right away, but dips and depressions in your paving are often some of the first signs. This happens when certain areas have started to deteriorate beneath the surface. It can be easy to ignore when no other damage is visible. However, fixing the problem now should save you time and money in the long run, so don't ignore any slight dips in your paving.
2. Cracks
If your asphalt is allowed to continue deteriorating, you're probably going to see cracks start to appear across the surface. This is a sure sign that water has reached the base and started to soften it. Unfortunately, cracks will only allow more water to get beneath the surface, which can in turn create more cracks. Best to stop that cycle as soon as possible, especially since cracked paving won't support loads as reliably.
3. Stripping
When you're talking about asphalt, stripping refers to the process by which the aggregate materials and binder that make up your paving start to separate. This happens when moisture that reaches the bottom layer of your asphalt causes aggregate materials to pull away from the binding agents that hold everything together. Deeper and longer cracks are likely to develop at this point, as are long stretches where your paving appears rutted.
4. Potholes
Potholes are often one of the last signs of water ingress that people notice before contacting a professional for foamed bitumen stabilisation. Often seen during colder months, potholes develop when water gets beneath the surface of your paving and then expands as it freezes. This spot becomes much weaker once the ice has thawed, and it will then break down to create a pothole when cars are driven over it.
Speak to a contractor to learn more about foamed bitumen stabilisation.
