Repair of old asphalt road

centex · Apr 1, 2002

Mark, you may just have the right idea although I could just use my BH to tear the stuff up. My problem
then would be what to do with the old chunks of asphalt although there is an old bridge abutment down the
road and where the creek has over flowed the bridge abutment there is a big hole that has eroded away behind it so maybe I could use the old asphalt for some of the fill for this hole. I hate all these minor problems that keep getting in the way of starting on my house so I can finally get out of this crazy city!

On down the road the asphalt is still in good shape even after 60 years of so of neglect. I plan to build a
pole barn on this so I don't have to spend money on a slab. Otherwise it is just wasted land.

Egon · Apr 1, 2002

If you tear it up perhaps wait till after the house construction vehicles are done with it. It can also be broken up with a packer after its been ripped up.

Egon

Soundguy · Apr 2, 2002

I'll speak my .02 worth here.

If you were doing this for a neighborhood.. I would say that the road is not repairable, and needed re-construction. For a single user, it sounds like you can salvage this road.

Cold mix patches are a possibility, cement is also a possibibility... If using cement, remember to add in friction surface sized gravel ( pea sized ).

Slag is also possible. As with cold mix, sweep the area to be patched free of loose debri.. and wait till it is dry and above freezing if possible.

Brush ( old mop or broom ) a layer of tar into the depression to act as a bonding agent ( we call this prime or tack coat )
add larger gravel, brush off excess gravel, add more tar, add smaller gravel. This patch works for areas where the finish grade material ( limerock or possibly clay )is still intact.. and you are only replacing road surface.

In big depressions you will need to fill with limerock before coldpatching or slagging. Remember to compact the base before patching, and then tamp the patch as well.
Let me know if you have any questions.. my degree is civil engineering..., and I've been working for a road contractor in florida for about 11 years.

Chris

Rodneyd · Apr 3, 2002

Don,
Don't rule out the ground up asphault. My neighbor did his driveway with it. I didn't ask the cost but if he did it, it couldn't have cost too much. With all of the road work being done here in Austin (that's right, I'm a Central Texan also) it shouldn't cost too much. Also, summer is the best time to do it when it is hot. It melts together and by fall is good and packed. Also, another fix, especially for a low usage road would be to use some good old road base from Georgetown. That stuff packs like concrete. The county puts that down in large areas, sprays it with that black sealer and leaves it like that for quite some time. The county road to my house was done like that for about 100 yds. and they didn't come back with a chip seal for at least a year.

Rod

Soundguy · Apr 4, 2002

Another good idea. asphalt millings compact well, and also seal nicely with prime, or even the brush on asphalt paints.

Clay is also an alternative to limerock, as a compacted material under a col patch.. ( millings too. ) Any stabilized material that compacts well.

We have made driveways of asphalt millings... once sealed, it does well.

Have also seen reclaimed tires used as driveways... havn't worked with it straight though.. have worked with asphalt that contained reclaimed tires, and terra cotta pipe millings though... ( red asphalt )

Chris