The Role of Salt in Asphalt Damage: Is It Helping or Hurting Your Pavement?

Table of Contents

1. Summary
2. Introduction
3. Understanding Asphalt Composition
4. Role of Environmental Factors in Asphalt Deterioration
5. The Use of Salt in Winter Maintenance
6. The Impact of Salt on Asphalt Integrity
7. Mitigation Strategies for Salt Damage
8. Conclusion
9. FAQs

Summary

For the safety of asphalt surfaces from weather, salt is used. Salt enhances the destruction of asphalt surfaces. It draws moisture from the pavement surface and breaks down the pavement. Excessive use of salt for ice melting creates cracks and erosion on asphalt surfaces. It also creates potholes on pavement surfaces. The use of sand is an alternative method for de-icing roads. This method minimizes pavement damage. Asphalt preservation techniques include sealcoating and crack-sealing techniques.

Introduction

Asphalt surfaces serve roads, driveways and parking lots. Asphalt pavement on roads serves the walk requirements of people who travel by foot. Asphalt surfaces are in demand due to their cost-effective nature. It supports heavy traffic and severe weather conditions. 

Asphalt surfaces face damage because of heavy ice. These surfaces are damaged because of snow build-ups during wintertime. Accidents are more likely to happen on damaged asphalt surfaces. The de-icing procedure of roads depends on salt utilization. Salt utilization is performed by the road maintenance team for de-icing. The freezing point of water decreases by the use of salt. It results in ice melting and stops the reformation of ice. It creates safe conditions for pedestrians and car traffic.

Understanding Asphalt Composition

Asphalt surface composition can be understood by knowing its components and their properties. Below are detailed compositions for asphalt used commonly.

Components of Asphalt Pavement

Asphalt pavement includes two main components. It is made up of mixed aggregated minerals mixed with a binding element. This binding element comes from petroleum sources. Both of these components are combined to produce a flexible surface. This robust, flexible surface resists any kind of stress on the surface.

Properties That Make Asphalt Susceptible to Damage

Asphalt maintains its strength for a long time. With the passage of time, its structure begins to be damaged. Damage is usually caused by the mechanical forces and environmental elements. The process of temperature change leads to material expansion. This expansion causes fractures of concrete used in pavement. Water penetration also causes the weakening of pavement.

Role of Environmental Factors in Asphalt Deterioration

Extreme cold or high heat causes damage to the asphalt. High moisture conditions also serve as a factor to cause asphalt damage. The process of freeze-thaw conditions harms asphalt the most. During this process, water gets into the cracks and freezes up. This water then expands and causes damage beyond the original deterioration. The use of de-icing salt also increases the damage to asphalt surfaces.

The Use of Salt in Winter Maintenance

Experts use salt for de-icing roads and pavements. The types of salt used for de-icing are mentioned below. 

Common Types of Salt Used for De-icing

Different forms of salt are used in de-icing operations.

1. Sodium Chloride (Rock Salt):

It functions as the most economical and commonly used ice-melting material.

2. Calcium Chloride:

It functions well at cold temperatures and speeds up the melting process.

3. Magnesium Chloride:

Pavement integrity stays vulnerable due to the usage of magnesium chloride solution. This substance shows lower levels of corrosion.

4. Potassium Acetate:

The salt material known as potassium acetate serves as a de-icing choice in areas that require environmental protection.

Benefits of Using Salt for Road Safety

Salt functions as an effective ice reduction agent. It creates better traction and reduces accidents. The de-icing method using salt operates very quickly. It is used by asphalt services to create safe travel during wintertime. It prevents road accidents caused by snow and ice accumulation.

Short-term vs. Long-term Effects on Pavement

Salt functions as a safety enhancer in the short term as it stops the formation of ice on surfaces. Use of salt has long-term effects on pavement also. It increases the risks of pavement deterioration by creating cracks and potholes in asphalt surfaces.

The Impact of Salt on Asphalt Integrity

Though salt is used for de-icing in winters, it also affects the integrity of asphalt surfaces. 

Mechanisms of Salt Damage to Asphalt

Various salt reactions lead to the damage, which manifests in the following ways:

1. Chain reactions of freeze-thaw become more rapid. It happens when salt reduces water's freezing temperature. It leads to pavement cracking and structural damage.

2. Surface damage occurs through chemical degradation. Salt weakens the adhesive bond between the materials used in asphalt pavement.

3. The moisture brought by salt usage creates prolonged pavement wetness. It accelerates the damage to the asphalt surfaces.

Comparison with Other De-icing Agents

There are other de-icing agents, such as sand and beet juice mixtures. These solutions provide better protection to asphalt than salt. Using these mixtures provides enhanced road safety performance. On the other hand, using salt for de-icing is dangerous.

Mitigation Strategies for Salt Damage

The damage caused by using salt for de-icing can be mitigated by following these practices:

Best Practices for Salt Application

The following practices provide the best approach to reduce salt-related deterioration:

1. Salt should be used with moderation according to the weather conditions.

2. If the surface is pre-wetted, it requires a smaller quantity of salt. Using brine solutions also reduces the quantity of solid salt required for application.

3. The amount of salt distribution should be very low. They can easily develop cracks in the pavements.

Alternative Materials and Methods for Winter Maintenance

Various methods exist to lessen salt consumption in winter maintenance operations, such as:

1. Sand application:

Sand acts as an effective traction enhancer. It does not create any chemical modifications to asphalt surfaces.

2. Beet Juice Brine:

Reduces the freezing point with less environmental impact.

3. CMA solutions:

A biodegradable alternative with minimal impact on pavement.

Recommendations for Pavement Maintenance and Repair

The maintenance of traditional asphalt needs to happen routinely. Best maintenance practices for asphalt surfaces include:

1. Sealcoating:

It protects asphalt from moisture infiltration.

1. Crack sealing:

It stops water and salt from entering the pavement.

1. Crack Repair:

Small damages should be repaired earlier to avoid their progression.

Conclusion

Road safety during wintertime depends on the use of salt for de-icing. The salt usage is highly dangerous for the asphalt surfaces. Knowing about the composition of asphalt will help you to maintain the life of the asphalt surface. A good solution for dealing with salt damage includes the use of the right de-icing techniques. Use alternative solutions for de-icing purposes. 

Maintaining regular upkeep of pavements will help your pavement to survive longer. Discover professional asphalt maintenance services at Asphalt Enterprises Inc. You can contact us for the best professional asphalt maintenance tips.

FAQs