@evalpavement.bsky.social
An account to discuss pavement and related infrastructure.
@edgardoblock.bsky.social
@edgardoblock.bsky.social
Stone dust, in this terminology, looks to be the same as screenings (that is just how I’ve learned to talk about it in my neck of the woods), I should have included both terms for clarity, so thank you (and for the illustration as well!)
July 22, 2025 at 2:09 PM
Stone dust, in this terminology, looks to be the same as screenings (that is just how I’ve learned to talk about it in my neck of the woods), I should have included both terms for clarity, so thank you (and for the illustration as well!)
sieve (4.75mm) and screenings are angular and well-graded, providing support for the riders and performance even in the rain.
Distress: 90 (I think I see remnants of a couple potholes on the left side not compacted or with more of the coarse chips)
Function: 100
Photo: 100
Subject (bike path): 110
Distress: 90 (I think I see remnants of a couple potholes on the left side not compacted or with more of the coarse chips)
Function: 100
Photo: 100
Subject (bike path): 110
July 22, 2025 at 2:33 AM
sieve (4.75mm) and screenings are angular and well-graded, providing support for the riders and performance even in the rain.
Distress: 90 (I think I see remnants of a couple potholes on the left side not compacted or with more of the coarse chips)
Function: 100
Photo: 100
Subject (bike path): 110
Distress: 90 (I think I see remnants of a couple potholes on the left side not compacted or with more of the coarse chips)
Function: 100
Photo: 100
Subject (bike path): 110
In short, the relationship between the contact area of the bike tire with the ground. Aggregate that is larger than 3/8” tends to result in an uncomfortable ride (and complains to the road managers.)
I don’t have much more to say except they seem to have done it correctly here, mat’l passes #4…+
I don’t have much more to say except they seem to have done it correctly here, mat’l passes #4…+
July 22, 2025 at 2:33 AM
In short, the relationship between the contact area of the bike tire with the ground. Aggregate that is larger than 3/8” tends to result in an uncomfortable ride (and complains to the road managers.)
I don’t have much more to say except they seem to have done it correctly here, mat’l passes #4…+
I don’t have much more to say except they seem to have done it correctly here, mat’l passes #4…+
It could be related to Har-Tru or one of those tennis surfaces. But that is a short length and this Pathway is ar least 20 km long. Much harder to use a high-maintenance material like that, Yet for bicycles in particular ride comfort means the surface texture is important… +
July 22, 2025 at 2:33 AM
It could be related to Har-Tru or one of those tennis surfaces. But that is a short length and this Pathway is ar least 20 km long. Much harder to use a high-maintenance material like that, Yet for bicycles in particular ride comfort means the surface texture is important… +
In the meantime, here is a case study we did for the City of Milwaukee (Wisconsin) Comptroller in 2007-2008, following a similar set of conditions.
www.milwaukee.gov/ImageLibrary...
www.milwaukee.gov/ImageLibrary...
www.milwaukee.gov
July 18, 2025 at 2:18 PM
In the meantime, here is a case study we did for the City of Milwaukee (Wisconsin) Comptroller in 2007-2008, following a similar set of conditions.
www.milwaukee.gov/ImageLibrary...
www.milwaukee.gov/ImageLibrary...
like this one.
I guess I have to do some organizing of thoughts here to write about how to a) avoid this state of affairs, and also b) how to move forward so you don’t repeat the same mistakes. The field is “pavement and asset management” and it’s my professional passion… +
I guess I have to do some organizing of thoughts here to write about how to a) avoid this state of affairs, and also b) how to move forward so you don’t repeat the same mistakes. The field is “pavement and asset management” and it’s my professional passion… +
July 18, 2025 at 2:18 PM
like this one.
I guess I have to do some organizing of thoughts here to write about how to a) avoid this state of affairs, and also b) how to move forward so you don’t repeat the same mistakes. The field is “pavement and asset management” and it’s my professional passion… +
I guess I have to do some organizing of thoughts here to write about how to a) avoid this state of affairs, and also b) how to move forward so you don’t repeat the same mistakes. The field is “pavement and asset management” and it’s my professional passion… +
In large part this is because users really “aren’t bothered by the road until they actually are:” For most of the deterioration trajectory the user experience is pretty much the same. I hate to use the term “tipping point” but there definitely is one, and it usually involves a bad press story… +
July 18, 2025 at 2:18 PM
In large part this is because users really “aren’t bothered by the road until they actually are:” For most of the deterioration trajectory the user experience is pretty much the same. I hate to use the term “tipping point” but there definitely is one, and it usually involves a bad press story… +
As we under-invest in pavements, the deteriorating state is appropriately expressed as “loss of slack in the system.” Then one day the whole thing appears to break almost at once. … +
July 18, 2025 at 2:18 PM
As we under-invest in pavements, the deteriorating state is appropriately expressed as “loss of slack in the system.” Then one day the whole thing appears to break almost at once. … +
There are many ways and threads to answer this, but I would like to focus on my observation of the *failure mode of a pavement network:*
July 18, 2025 at 2:18 PM
There are many ways and threads to answer this, but I would like to focus on my observation of the *failure mode of a pavement network:*
when the entire network is painful for everyone to use, like in this example.
Why is that? Why do we look like “the sky is falling” types and then “how come these people didn’t see it coming?” when the (huge!) bills come due? … +
Why is that? Why do we look like “the sky is falling” types and then “how come these people didn’t see it coming?” when the (huge!) bills come due? … +
July 18, 2025 at 2:18 PM
when the entire network is painful for everyone to use, like in this example.
Why is that? Why do we look like “the sky is falling” types and then “how come these people didn’t see it coming?” when the (huge!) bills come due? … +
Why is that? Why do we look like “the sky is falling” types and then “how come these people didn’t see it coming?” when the (huge!) bills come due? … +
and they get press and all, but until next year everyone pretty much forgets about them (particularly at public budget times). Except… +
July 18, 2025 at 2:18 PM
and they get press and all, but until next year everyone pretty much forgets about them (particularly at public budget times). Except… +
One of the hardest things to communicate for infrastructure managers everywhere is the backlog of needs of a network. We come out (ASCE in the US) with dire report cards… +
infrastructurereportcard.org/cat-item/roa...
infrastructurereportcard.org/cat-item/roa...
Roads
Road infrastructure in America is in need of updates. Click to learn more about the ASCE's 2021 report card grade and steps we can take to improve it.
infrastructurereportcard.org
July 18, 2025 at 2:18 PM
One of the hardest things to communicate for infrastructure managers everywhere is the backlog of needs of a network. We come out (ASCE in the US) with dire report cards… +
infrastructurereportcard.org/cat-item/roa...
infrastructurereportcard.org/cat-item/roa...
Pavements typically don’t die- they become zombies - they keep on being there, they just become harder and harder to traverse and costly for you (in vehicle operating costs.). … +
July 18, 2025 at 2:18 PM
Pavements typically don’t die- they become zombies - they keep on being there, they just become harder and harder to traverse and costly for you (in vehicle operating costs.). … +
Or, as the entire article hints at, the overall network has pretty much failed. That’s because generalized potholes are what a failed pavement looks like. … +
July 18, 2025 at 2:18 PM
Or, as the entire article hints at, the overall network has pretty much failed. That’s because generalized potholes are what a failed pavement looks like. … +
it is highly unlikely that paving contractors and inspectors all forgot how to pave over an entire region. So either you have road-manager and road-builder incompetence (in the country (UK) of Telford and MacAdam? unlikely) or you are seeing structural failure expressed in terminal distress… +
July 18, 2025 at 2:18 PM
it is highly unlikely that paving contractors and inspectors all forgot how to pave over an entire region. So either you have road-manager and road-builder incompetence (in the country (UK) of Telford and MacAdam? unlikely) or you are seeing structural failure expressed in terminal distress… +
Potholes can be formed (as in the case of British Bigfoot, discussed in this account a couple of days ago) by deficiencies in the surface lift of a pavement. At the scale of a segment of road, the fix fot surface potholes is rather straightforward: “Mill and fill” the lift. But: … +
July 18, 2025 at 2:18 PM
Potholes can be formed (as in the case of British Bigfoot, discussed in this account a couple of days ago) by deficiencies in the surface lift of a pavement. At the scale of a segment of road, the fix fot surface potholes is rather straightforward: “Mill and fill” the lift. But: … +
is in parking areas and lower-traffic streets and roads.
Here it looks in good, sound condition, even if I can see some aggregate without the asphalt coating, which can lead to early raveling (see previous post)
Distress: 85/100
Function: 90/100
Photo: 100/100
Here it looks in good, sound condition, even if I can see some aggregate without the asphalt coating, which can lead to early raveling (see previous post)
Distress: 85/100
Function: 90/100
Photo: 100/100
July 17, 2025 at 1:30 PM
is in parking areas and lower-traffic streets and roads.
Here it looks in good, sound condition, even if I can see some aggregate without the asphalt coating, which can lead to early raveling (see previous post)
Distress: 85/100
Function: 90/100
Photo: 100/100
Here it looks in good, sound condition, even if I can see some aggregate without the asphalt coating, which can lead to early raveling (see previous post)
Distress: 85/100
Function: 90/100
Photo: 100/100
and then rely on a thick(ish) coat of asphalt binder to help the stone stick together.
These pavements are also quieter. Achieving stability requires tight control of the sizing of the aggregate in production, and when they don’t work they deform, so the primary use at least in the US… +
These pavements are also quieter. Achieving stability requires tight control of the sizing of the aggregate in production, and when they don’t work they deform, so the primary use at least in the US… +
July 17, 2025 at 1:30 PM
and then rely on a thick(ish) coat of asphalt binder to help the stone stick together.
These pavements are also quieter. Achieving stability requires tight control of the sizing of the aggregate in production, and when they don’t work they deform, so the primary use at least in the US… +
These pavements are also quieter. Achieving stability requires tight control of the sizing of the aggregate in production, and when they don’t work they deform, so the primary use at least in the US… +
This would be known as a band-aid treatment, and there is nothing wrong with that over the short term (the pavement is smoother), but eventually you are inviting British Bigfoot to visit your road.
Thank you for the awesome example, Joel!
Thank you for the awesome example, Joel!
July 17, 2025 at 12:56 PM
This would be known as a band-aid treatment, and there is nothing wrong with that over the short term (the pavement is smoother), but eventually you are inviting British Bigfoot to visit your road.
Thank you for the awesome example, Joel!
Thank you for the awesome example, Joel!
I could easily imagine (this is all conjecture) that the road owner decided to place a thin-nish overlay to provide a smooth ride over old pavement, probably trying to save a buck (thinness and no proper tacking, and probably less care in compaction) and take care of complaints. … +
July 17, 2025 at 12:56 PM
I could easily imagine (this is all conjecture) that the road owner decided to place a thin-nish overlay to provide a smooth ride over old pavement, probably trying to save a buck (thinness and no proper tacking, and probably less care in compaction) and take care of complaints. … +
The top and bottom of the paving lift create a plane where there is less contact with the layer below, so pavers will apply a “tack coat” of asphalt or emulsion to promote adhesion at that interface. This seems to be missing at the bottom of the pothole, where you just see the layer below… +
July 17, 2025 at 12:56 PM
The top and bottom of the paving lift create a plane where there is less contact with the layer below, so pavers will apply a “tack coat” of asphalt or emulsion to promote adhesion at that interface. This seems to be missing at the bottom of the pothole, where you just see the layer below… +
a surface that is irregular and can hold. even more water and have more surface exposed to air.
And there is evidence of yet another factor adding to the pothole formation: … +
And there is evidence of yet another factor adding to the pothole formation: … +
July 17, 2025 at 12:56 PM
a surface that is irregular and can hold. even more water and have more surface exposed to air.
And there is evidence of yet another factor adding to the pothole formation: … +
And there is evidence of yet another factor adding to the pothole formation: … +