The process of heating up an area of existing asphalt pavement to make it workable, raking the existing asphalt material (and adding new material if needed) to cover any inconsistent spots and rolling to finish is known as Infrared Asphalt Patching. This process is sometimes also referred to as cold weather patching, or seamless cold weather asphalt repair. This is a temporary solution to correct pavement failures until warmer weather creates conditions allowing a traditional repair. Infrared patching provides a stopgap repair alternative that is functional for a longer period of time than an old-school cold patch repair, allowing pavement to be utilized until more permanent repairs can be performed.
Common uses for Infrared Patching:
1. Repairing a newly installed asphalt overlay so as not to create new seams
2. Repair of freeze damaged pavement
3. Elevation adjustments around manholes
4. Installing speed bumps by bonding to the existing asphalt surface
5. Creating stamped patterns in asphalt for decorative purposes
It is vitally important to remember that while Infrared Patching is more durable than a cold mix repair, it is not designed to be a long term repair and will not be a permanent solution to most asphalt failure scenarios. Asphalt failures are typically due to a combination of vehicle/truck loading, the thickness of the pavement section, poor drainage, and/or poor subgrade conditions. If any of these common failure conditions are present, removal and replacement of the failed asphalt as soon as the weather allows is the best solution.
Make the right choice when selecting the proper repair type for your asphalt pavement. Contact ARM Pavement Services for more details!
