As the core carrier of transportation, highway pavement is subjected to multiple effects such as vehicle loads, temperature changes, rainwater erosion, and geological settlement for a long time. Cracks are one of the most common diseases of pavement. If road cracks are not treated in a timely manner, they can cause rainwater and debris to seep into the interior of the road structure, erode the base and roadbed, exacerbate road damage, cause secondary diseases such as potholes, subsidence, and cracks, reduce road bearing capacity and traffic comfort, shorten the service life of the highway, increase maintenance costs, and even affect traffic operation safety. The scientific application of crack treatment and maintenance techniques for highway pavement is the key to delaying the development of pavement diseases and ensuring long-term stable operation of highways. Based on industry standards and engineering practices such as the "Technical Specification for Maintenance of Asphalt Pavement on Highways" (JTG/T 5142-2019) and the "Technical Specification for Maintenance of Cement Concrete Pavement on Highways" (JTG/T 5141-2019), the technical methods for crack treatment and maintenance of highway pavement revolve around five core links: crack detection, classification treatment, daily maintenance, special maintenance, and long-term control. The various technical methods work together to build a comprehensive and full process pavement maintenance system, ensuring effective treatment of cracks and maintaining good pavement condition.
The treatment and maintenance of highway pavement cracks follow the core principles of "prevention first, classified measures, timely disposal, and long-term management". The core goal is to effectively control crack development, repair pavement damage, restore pavement function, and balance maintenance effectiveness and economy through targeted technical methods. The selection of technical methods should be based on the type, size, cause, and pavement material (asphalt pavement, cement concrete pavement) of cracks, and targeted plans should be developed to avoid blind disposal and ensure that the technical methods are scientifically feasible and effective, meeting the actual needs of highway operation.
Road crack detection is a prerequisite for treatment and maintenance. The core is to comprehensively investigate the distribution, types, sizes, and causes of road cracks through scientific detection methods, providing accurate basis for the formulation of subsequent treatment plans. The focus covers three key aspects: detection methods, crack classification, and cause analysis.
Crack detection needs to be combined with highway grade and road surface conditions, and suitable detection methods should be selected. Common methods include manual inspection, drone aerial photography, and road surface inspection vehicle detection. Manual inspection is suitable for small and medium-sized highways or local areas. Inspection personnel record the location, length, width, depth, and shape of cracks through visual inspection, ruler measurement, and other methods. The operation is convenient and the cost is low; Drone aerial photography is suitable for large-scale road inspection, which can quickly cover the inspection area and identify cracks through high-definition images to improve detection efficiency; The road inspection vehicle is equipped with professional inspection equipment, which can accurately measure the size and distribution density of cracks, synchronously collect relevant data such as road smoothness and compaction, and provide data support for maintenance decisions. The frequency of testing should be determined based on the service life, traffic volume, and environmental conditions of the highway. Newly built highways should be tested at least once a year, while highways with more than 5 years of service life should be tested every six months. The frequency of testing should be increased during seasons such as rainy season and winter when cracks are prone to develop.
Road surface cracks can be classified into load type cracks, temperature type cracks, and other types of cracks based on their causes. Load type cracks are mainly caused by heavy loads and overloading of vehicles, and are often manifested as longitudinal and transverse cracks. The direction of the cracks is related to the direction of the load, and they are easily accompanied by road subsidence and damage; Temperature induced cracks are mainly caused by temperature changes. Asphalt pavement is prone to low-temperature shrinkage cracks, while cement concrete pavement is prone to temperature stress cracks, which are mostly manifested as transverse cracks and network cracks. The crack width fluctuates with temperature changes; Other types of cracks include settlement cracks, construction defect cracks, etc. Settlement cracks are caused by roadbed settlement and are mostly longitudinal cracks, while construction defect cracks are caused by non-standard construction processes and have diverse forms. The crack size can be divided into fine cracks (width<2mm), medium cracks (2mm ≤ width<5mm), and wide cracks (width ≥ 5mm) according to their width. Different sizes of cracks require different treatment methods.
The analysis of crack causes should be combined with the detection results to clarify the core causes of crack formation, providing a basis for targeted treatment. Load type cracks need to be investigated with a focus on traffic load conditions, combined with the strength of the roadbed and base layer, to determine whether there are problems such as excessive heavy load and insufficient base bearing capacity; Temperature induced cracks need to be analyzed in conjunction with local climate conditions to assess the impact of temperature changes on road surface structure; Settlement type cracks need to be investigated for roadbed settlement, to determine whether there are problems such as weak foundation and insufficient backfill, and to ensure that subsequent treatment methods are in line with the causes of the cracks, in order to control the development of cracks from the root.
The classification and treatment technology for pavement cracks is the core, and suitable treatment processes need to be selected according to the type, size, and cause of cracks to ensure that the cracks are properly treated and avoid secondary damage. The focus is on the treatment methods for fine cracks, medium cracks, wide cracks, and special cracks, taking into account the differences between asphalt pavement and cement concrete pavement.
Minor cracks (width<2mm) are mainly treated with sealing, with the core being to block the infiltration of rainwater and debris, preventing the cracks from further expanding. Minor cracks in asphalt pavement can be sealed with crack sealant. Clean the debris and dust inside the cracks, dry the cracks, and inject specialized sealant into the cracks to ensure that the sealant fills the cracks, tightly adheres to the road surface, and has a smooth surface to avoid damage from vehicle rolling; Fine cracks in cement concrete pavement can be treated with pressure grouting method, using epoxy grouting material. The grouting material is injected into the cracks through pressure equipment to fill the gaps and enhance the overall integrity of the pavement. After grouting is completed, maintenance is required to ensure that the grouting material is cured and formed.
Medium cracks (2mm ≤ width ＜ 5mm) require repair treatment, taking into account both sealing and structural reinforcement. Medium cracks in asphalt pavement can be filled with grooves using the slotting and grouting method. The width and depth of the grooves should meet the requirements of the specifications. After cleaning the grooves, a waterproof cushion layer should be laid, sealant should be injected, compacted and leveled to ensure a tight seal and meet the strength standards; Medium cracks in cement concrete pavement can be repaired by pasting steel plates or epoxy mortar. The pasting steel plate method requires fixing the steel plates on both sides of the crack to enhance the structural strength of the pavement. The epoxy mortar repair method requires cleaning the cracks, applying epoxy mortar, filling the cracks, and ensuring a tight connection between the repaired area and the original pavement.
Wide cracks (width ≥ 5mm) and cracks accompanied by damage require excavation and repair treatment to thoroughly remove the damaged areas and restore the integrity of the road surface structure. The wide cracks on asphalt pavement can be repaired by cutting and excavating along both sides of the crack, removing damaged asphalt surface and base layer, repairing the base layer to be flat and solid, laying new base layer and asphalt surface layer, compacting and forming, ensuring that the repaired area is consistent with the original pavement elevation and smoothly connected; The replacement repair method can be used for wide cracks in cement concrete pavement, which involves chiseling away damaged concrete slabs, cleaning the base layer, pouring new concrete, setting up dowels to ensure firm connection between slabs, and curing until the strength meets the standard before opening to traffic.
Special cracks (such as mesh cracks and settlement cracks) require comprehensive treatment methods, first investigating and solving the core causes, and then repairing the cracks. Network cracks need to be analyzed for their causes first. If they are caused by road aging, local road surfaces need to be milled and repaved; If it is caused by damage to the base layer, it is necessary to first reinforce the base layer and then repair the cracks. Settlement type cracks require first addressing the issue of roadbed settlement, using methods such as replacing the cushion layer and grouting reinforcement to enhance the bearing capacity of the roadbed, and then repairing the cracks to avoid their recurrence.
The daily maintenance techniques for highway pavement are important guarantees for delaying the occurrence and controlling the development of cracks. The core is to reduce the damage of external factors to the pavement through regular maintenance, focusing on cleaning, drainage maintenance, and preventive maintenance.
Regular cleaning of road debris, dust, snow, and accumulated water is required to prevent debris from blocking cracks and water from seeping into the road structure. The cleaning frequency is determined based on traffic volume, with main roads cleaned at least once a day and secondary roads cleaned every 2-3 days. During the rainy and snowy seasons, the cleaning frequency should be increased to promptly remove water and snow from the road surface, reducing rainwater erosion and freeze-thaw damage.
Drainage maintenance needs to ensure smooth road drainage system, regularly clean up debris in road drainage ditches and rainwater wells, check the integrity of drainage facilities, repair damaged drainage components, avoid rainwater accumulation on the road surface, reduce rainwater erosion on the road surface, especially in the rainy season, strengthen drainage inspections, timely clear blocked drainage facilities, and prevent road damage, cracks and other diseases.
Preventive maintenance should be combined with the road surface usage conditions, and maintenance measures should be taken in advance to delay the occurrence of cracks. The asphalt pavement can adopt fog sealing, slurry sealing and other technologies to enhance the waterproof performance of the pavement and improve the anti-aging ability of the pavement; Cement concrete pavement can use surface sealing, silane impregnation and other technologies to enhance the wear resistance and impermeability of the pavement, reduce the occurrence of temperature cracks and shrinkage cracks. Preventive maintenance should be based on the service life and road conditions of the road surface, and the maintenance period and plan should be reasonably determined to avoid excessive maintenance or untimely maintenance.
Special maintenance and long-term control of pavement cracks are key to ensuring sustained and stable maintenance effects, with a focus on three aspects: special inspections, defect rectification, and maintenance file management. Special inspections should be carried out on the crack treatment areas, and the repair effect should be regularly checked. If cracks or detachment are found in the repair areas, secondary repairs should be carried out in a timely manner to ensure that the cracks are thoroughly disposed of; Defect rectification requires the establishment of a hidden danger ledger, clarifying the rectification time limit and measures for cracks and secondary diseases found during testing, ensuring that rectification is in place and avoiding the expansion of hidden dangers.
The management of maintenance records requires detailed recording of crack detection data, processing methods, maintenance time, maintenance effects, and other information. A comprehensive maintenance record should be established to provide reference for subsequent maintenance decisions. At the same time, combined with maintenance data, the development law of cracks should be analyzed, maintenance plans should be optimized, and the level of maintenance refinement should be improved. In addition, it is necessary to regularly conduct comprehensive evaluations of the road surface based on the operation of the highway, adjust maintenance strategies according to the evaluation results, and achieve long-term control of road cracks.
The application of crack treatment and maintenance techniques for highway pavement needs to run through the entire process of highway operation, strictly follow industry standards, optimize technical solutions based on the actual condition of the pavement, and strengthen full process control. With the application of intelligent detection equipment and new maintenance materials, the level of refinement and standardization in crack treatment and maintenance continues to improve. Through scientific detection, classification processing, regular maintenance, and long-term control, it can effectively delay the development of road cracks, reduce secondary diseases, extend the service life of highways, reduce maintenance costs, ensure the safety, smoothness, and comfort of highway traffic, and provide strong support for the high-quality development of highway traffic.
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