The effectiveness of the crack and seat process in preventing reflection cracking on asphaltic overlays of portland cement concrete pavement (pccp) is evaluated. New mexico has approximately 145 mi ofpccp existing on the interstate system. In a 4-year period from 1984 to 1988, 110 mi were rehabilitated using the crack and seat process. The existing portland cement concrete was cracked and seated and overlaid with asphalt concrete. To further reduce reflection cracking, a paving fabric was used. The areas that were cracked and seated were inspected for distresses, mainly reflection cracking. Roughly 3% of the cracked and seated sections exhibited low-severity transverse reflection cracking, whereas the experimental sections not cracked and seated exhibited a high rate of transverse cracking. The crackand seat process with paving fabrics is greatly reducing the reflection cracking that has been a major problem in asphalt overlays of pccp. This method seems to be a sound alternative for rehabilitating the existing pccp. This paper appears in transportation research record no. 1307, Pavement analysis, design, rehabilitation, and environmental factors 1991.
Abstract