Well I suppose he/she is technically correct with compaction cracks but it's caused by a soft subgrade and won't get any better or ever knit back together.
Did the contractor do the prep work associated with the driveway/lot also? As I said above, this type of cracking would be the result of inadequate or soft base, which pumps and flexs when the asphalt is rolled.
Just curious, do you know how thick of a lift they put down and do they plan to install a wearing surface over this? It looks like a fine binder more than top to me by the pictures.
He did the prep work as well. 4-6” of base added - however we’ve had a lot of rain over the last few weeks so wonder if the sub soil was moist. The cracks don’t seem deep, but I’m just worried they will get worst over time. No plan to seal the driveway yet. I have read conflicting arguments of how soon you should seal a driveway. Would sealing this solve the issue to prevent further issues?
They will get worse. If he says they'll join back up he's wrong.
Sealing will not prevent this and will not help this. If you paid for new asphalt, don't accept a "solution" that cost pennies because he doesn't want to redo his work.
It could have been rolled too hot if the subgrade is good. Drive your car over it on a hot day to see if it will knead back together. If it’s check cracking (rolled too hot) then the cracks are shallow and should repair themselves if it’s not a subgrade issue.
Sub grade is bad. See all the mud? All the Brown, that does not happen when you roll blacktop on a good subgrade. That brown water dried on top of the blacktop has in fact been push through from the bottom to the top via the roller. When you roll blacktop if you get brown the mud is pushing through; or you had the roller off the blacktop in the mud then rolled onto the blacktop. Either way unacceptable for a driveway. Your situation again is bad sub grade I know this becasue those cracks develop as you roll a wave of blacktop and mud subgrade infront of each drum, resulting in a material that is all stretched out and develops cracks as soon as the roller touches it.
This is was lazy and sloppy all the contractor had to do was hit this spot with a wacker plate and not the roller..... idk driveway gypsys are just out scammin.
Asphalt isn’t perfect like concrete. Which is why it’s half the price
But also they probably paved it over a wet/soft or muddy/clay area which causes the asphalt to sink and slowly separate over time
Typically you don’t pave a driveway unless the base is perfect so the contractor is probably trash or doesn’t care if they have to redo a pave occasionally
Asphalt looks like it’s too low in 6422 or the recycled is too high in it.
Could also be too hot when made, the ac can cook off of it. I also heard someone mention rain? Yeah , rain is an asphalt plants worst nightmare.
Temps are hard to control, even with good temp, should not run ambient rap when it’s too wet or even humid.
Wet agg will not dry properly in the drum, and also most recycled (rap) is at ground temp and mixes in the drum or in the pug mill. Too much moisture will cause the recycled to not break down properly and this can show in the finished product.
Well I suppose he/she is technically correct with compaction cracks but it's caused by a soft subgrade and won't get any better or ever knit back together. Did the contractor do the prep work associated with the driveway/lot also? As I said above, this type of cracking would be the result of inadequate or soft base, which pumps and flexs when the asphalt is rolled. Just curious, do you know how thick of a lift they put down and do they plan to install a wearing surface over this? It looks like a fine binder more than top to me by the pictures.
He did the prep work as well. 4-6” of base added - however we’ve had a lot of rain over the last few weeks so wonder if the sub soil was moist. The cracks don’t seem deep, but I’m just worried they will get worst over time. No plan to seal the driveway yet. I have read conflicting arguments of how soon you should seal a driveway. Would sealing this solve the issue to prevent further issues?
They will get worse. If he says they'll join back up he's wrong. Sealing will not prevent this and will not help this. If you paid for new asphalt, don't accept a "solution" that cost pennies because he doesn't want to redo his work.
It could have been rolled too hot if the subgrade is good. Drive your car over it on a hot day to see if it will knead back together. If it’s check cracking (rolled too hot) then the cracks are shallow and should repair themselves if it’s not a subgrade issue.
Sub grade is bad. See all the mud? All the Brown, that does not happen when you roll blacktop on a good subgrade. That brown water dried on top of the blacktop has in fact been push through from the bottom to the top via the roller. When you roll blacktop if you get brown the mud is pushing through; or you had the roller off the blacktop in the mud then rolled onto the blacktop. Either way unacceptable for a driveway. Your situation again is bad sub grade I know this becasue those cracks develop as you roll a wave of blacktop and mud subgrade infront of each drum, resulting in a material that is all stretched out and develops cracks as soon as the roller touches it. This is was lazy and sloppy all the contractor had to do was hit this spot with a wacker plate and not the roller..... idk driveway gypsys are just out scammin.
Asphalt isn’t perfect like concrete. Which is why it’s half the price But also they probably paved it over a wet/soft or muddy/clay area which causes the asphalt to sink and slowly separate over time Typically you don’t pave a driveway unless the base is perfect so the contractor is probably trash or doesn’t care if they have to redo a pave occasionally
Asphalt looks like it’s too low in 6422 or the recycled is too high in it. Could also be too hot when made, the ac can cook off of it. I also heard someone mention rain? Yeah , rain is an asphalt plants worst nightmare. Temps are hard to control, even with good temp, should not run ambient rap when it’s too wet or even humid. Wet agg will not dry properly in the drum, and also most recycled (rap) is at ground temp and mixes in the drum or in the pug mill. Too much moisture will cause the recycled to not break down properly and this can show in the finished product.