Looking to save money on maintaining your asphalt pavement while extending its lifespan? Look no further than micro surfacing! This technique is a budget-friendly way to improve the function of your pavement and prolong its service life.
In this article, we’ll break down what micro surfacing is and explain how micro surfacing can benefit your pavement.
What is Micro Surfacing?
Microsurfacing is a pavement maintenance treatment that can help extend the life of existing asphalt pavement. It is a mixture of polymer-modified emulsified asphalt, mineral aggregate, mineral filler, water, and other additives that are proportioned, mixed, and uniformly spread over a properly prepared surface.
The application of micro surfacing is similar to slurry seal but differs in how it hardens. While slurry relies on the evaporation of water in the asphalt emulsion, micro surfacing contains chemical additives that allow it to set without relying on the sun or heat. This means that micro surfacing can be used in a broader range of temperatures and weather conditions, making it ideal for areas with heavy traffic or little sunlight.
These qualities mean micro surfacing is a valuable pavement preservation option that can improve the safety, durability, and appearance of existing asphalt pavement. Its unique properties and benefits make it a popular choice for road maintenance crews looking to extend the life of their roadways.
What are the Common Applications of Microsurfacing?
Microsurfacing is used in pavement preservation projects to improve the condition of the pavement surface and extend its service life by treating the following:
● Loss of skid resistance
● Oxidation
● Raveling
● Surface permeability
● Rut damage
Microsurfacing is typically applied on a per-project basis. Also, micro surfacing is not usually used when significant damage occurs. Instead, it extends the lifespan before the need for resurfacing.
5 Benefits of Microsurfacing
Maintaining and preserving the quality of pavement surfaces is critical to ensuring road safety and minimizing infrastructure costs. Microsurfacing’s quick setting properties and flexibility offer numerous advantages over traditional methods.
Improve Road Safety
Microsur facing improves the skid resistance and friction of the pavement surface, which reduces the risk of accidents caused by slippery surfaces. The skid resistance of the pavement surface is a critical factor in maintaining the safety of the road. Microsurfacing ensures that the pavement surface maintains its skid resistance over an extended period.
Extends the Life of Existing Pavement
Micro surfacing seals the existing pavement surface, which minimizes oxidation and reduces water infiltration. This, in turn, reduces the risk of pavement deterioration and extends the life of the pavement structure.
Sealing the existing pavement surface minimizes oxidation and reduces water infiltration, two leading causes of pavement deterioration. This treatment also addresses roadway distresses such as rutting, raveling, bleeding, and minor cracks, which can lead to significant pavement damage if left unaddressed.
Sets Quickly
Unlike other pavement maintenance treatments that require extended periods of curing time, micro surfacing sets up quickly, allowing traffic to resume on the treated pavement within a few hours of application. This quick-traffic feature is especially useful in urban areas where traffic disruptions can have significant economic and social impacts.
Additionally, micro surfacing is particularly suitable for night applications on heavy-traffic streets, highways, and airfields. Nighttime applications minimize the disruption to traffic flow during the day, enabling the pavement maintenance crew to work more efficiently without causing undue delays to motorists. The night application also allows the micro surfacing to cure overnight, reducing the risk of damage or deformation caused by heavy traffic.
The flexibility to apply micro surfacing in a broad range of temperatures and weather conditions and its quick-traffic properties significantly reduce the impact on road users, making it an ideal choice for high-traffic roads and highways. It also means that pavement maintenance work can be carried out throughout the year, regardless of the weather conditions, maximizing the time available to repair and preserve the pavement.
Improves Aesthetics
Microsurfacing improves the appearance of the pavement surface, which is an essential factor for many property owners. A well-maintained pavement surface adds value to the property and enhances curb appeal.
Environmentally friendly
Microsurfacing is an environmentally friendly treatment option for pavement preservation. It requires relatively low energy consumption and produces reduced greenhouse gas emissions. It is also applied at ambient temperature, reducing the energy needed to heat the material and minimizing the environmental impact.
Can Microsurfacing Save You Money?
Incorporating crack sealing, minor patching, and micro surfacing into a proactive pavement preservation plan can extend the overall life of the surface by up to 45 years. This is a cost-effective option for pavement maintenance compared to major rehabilitation, which only extends the surface life by about 22 years.
Choosing micro surfacing over major rehabilitation provides an additional 20+ years of service, making it a smart investment for pavement preservation.
In conclusion, micro surfacing asphalt is a cost-effective way to extend the lifespan of existing pavement by sealing the surface and improving its skid resistance, which enhances road safety. It also sets quickly, making it ideal for urban areas with heavy traffic, and it can improve the pavement’s appearance while being environmentally friendly.
Incorporating micro surfacing into a proactive pavement preservation plan can save money in the long term by extending the surface life by up to 45 years, making it a wise investment for property owners and road maintenance crews.
Asphalt Paving and Repair in Tucson, Arizona
Saguaro Asphalt is a premier asphalt paving company based in Arizona that specializes in providing quality pavement solutions for commercial and residential clients. With over 20 years of experience in the industry, Saguaro Asphalt has built a reputation for delivering superior service and exceptional results.
From pavement maintenance and repair to new construction and installation, we offer a wide range of services to meet each client’s unique needs. Whether you need help with a small residential project or a large commercial development, Saguaro Asphalt has the expertise and resources to get the job done right.
With a commitment to using the latest technology and techniques in the industry, Saguaro Asphalt is dedicated to delivering long-lasting and cost-effective pavement solutions.
