If a material is to be placed in an overband configuration, consideration must be given to the amount of traffic expected over the material and whether or not snowplows, particularly direct-contact plows, are used. The most durable, yes flexible, material would be desirable on roads where traffic levels are medium or high or Crack Sealing Machine are operated.
Crack characteristics, such as width, movement, and edge deterioration, will also influence which materials and procedures should be used before Crack Sealing Machine start working. Some of these characteristics, along with crack density, are needed for estimating the amount of material required for the project.
Among the thermoplastic bituminous materials, asphalt cement and liquid asphalt possess little, if any, flexibility and are very temperature-susceptible. Hence, they are limited to use as fillers for non-working cracks. Similarly, since fiber particles provide minimal elasticity to asphalt and do not significantly affect temperature susceptibility, fiberized asphalts are most appropriate in Crack Sealing operations.
