Common Causes of Asphalt Parking Lot Damage

Pavement wear and damage are unavoidable. However, what is avoidable is total pavement failure resulting from routine wear caused by:

1. 1. Poor grading or drainage construction methods – Asphalt parking lot damage may be caused by issues that come before the pavement is installed. This includes grading and drainage construction.
      
      During grading, the parking lot’s base is shaped and compacted. If the base is not graded with precision, and if the base is not sufficiently compacted, the asphalt will be installed on an unstable foundation. This may lead to warping, depressions and cracking that cannot be permanently corrected.
      
      Parking lots also require efficient drainage to prevent water from collecting and intruding into the asphalt. This includes drainage structures like gutters, catch basins and drainage trenches. If these are not positioned and installed properly, it is only a matter of time before excessive runoff overwhelms the parking lot.
      
      
   2. Poorly executed installation techniques – Quality materials and quality installation practices are both needed to guarantee the pavement’s long-term durability. When installing the parking lot, a stable base course typically made from gravel or crushed stone is installed first. Multiple layers of asphalt are overlaid over the base, and this must be done with precision. If the asphalt is not installed evenly, it will result in weaknesses susceptible to worsening damage.
      
      Curing is another important step that inexperienced or cut-rate contractors frequently foul up. Common curing issues include poor temperature control, a bad mix or poor curing timing. If any of these interfere with your parking lot’s curing processes, it may result in micro flaws in the asphalt that will not be obvious until it sustains significant damage. 
      
      
   3. Excessive vegetation growth – Prior to asphalt installation, your parking lot contractor should clear the site of excessive vegetation. If they fail to do so, that vegetation may develop root structures that penetrate into the parking lot’s edges and cause significant edge cracking. Those root structures may also intrude into the pavement’s drainage structures and cause blockages, accelerating water-related wear.
      
      The only way to avoid this is to partner with a pavement contractor that is willing to provide quality site clearing services.
      
      
   4. Heavy vehicle traffic – Heavy traffic is a constant in Houston, and it is also a threat to asphalt parking lots. Asphalt is capable of withstanding heavy loads and for extended periods of time, but it does have a limit. For example, if a parking lot is used as a long-term holding area for commercial trucks, the asphalt will eventually buckle and crack under that weight. Fatigue cracking is a common sign of weight-related damage.
      
      
   5. Heavy rains and water intrusion – Nothing deteriorates an asphalt parking lot faster than water penetrating into its surface. If water reaches the asphalt’s deeper layers, it will eat away at its binders. Once the binders fail, the asphalt’s surface will collapse under its own weight, opening up potholes, which will eventually lead to even worse damage.
      
      A top priority for asphalt installers is to ensure adequate drainage to prevent water intrusion from causing damage to your parking lot.
      
      
   6. Intense sun and heat – Houston’s intense heat and UV radiation are another common source of damage for asphalt parking lots, though the kind of damage they cause may not be obvious at first. Intense heat softens asphalt and reduces its surface integrity, which can lead to significant damage if it is then exposed to heavy traffic or impact. UV radiation attacks the binders in the asphalt’s surface, which will discolor and cause the pavement to become brittle. In effect, UV accelerates the aging process for asphalt.