The Best Industrial Pavers in the Midwest 630.963.7800
The Best Industrial Pavers in the Midwest

Pothole Problems

April 8, 2016

Got Potholes?

Got PotholesPotholes cause nerve-racking, bone-jarring, and wheel-bending results.  Avoiding some of these craters takes near NASCAR skill. Most potholes are formed due to fatigue of the road surface and as fatigue fractures develop, they typically interlock in a pattern known as "alligator cracking".  The chunks of pavement between fatigue cracks are worked loose and may eventually be picked out of the surface by continued wheel loads, thus forming a pothole.  The formation of potholes is exacerbated by low temperatures; and as water freezes, it expands and puts greater stress on an already cracked pavement.  Once a pothole forms, it grows through continued removal of broken chunks of pavement.  The growth may be accelerated as water "washes away" loose particles of road surface as vehicles pass. In the Midwest, potholes tend to form most often during spring months when the subgrade is weak due to high moisture content.  Potholes can grow a foot in width, though they usually only become a few inches deep, at most. If they become large enough, damage to tires and vehicle suspensions occurs. In addition, it is a huge liability for foot traffic because they cause tripping hazards. 

Contact us to have one of our site engineers evaluate your pavement with you.  


Copyright © 2024. Briggs Paving. All Rights Reserved.