A Durable Potholes Repair Method Using Polymer Modified Patching Material in Cold-Wet Weather

There are two common deficiencies of the existing cold asphalt mixtures, one is the contradiction between workability or storage and strength, and the other is the problem of low initial strength after paving. In order to solve the problems, new polymer modified patching materials with dense gradation (PADG mixtures) are recommended for durable pothole repair in cold-wet weather, based on microcapsule technology and reinforcement action. In this paper, laboratory test and field investigation were performed to assess the performance of PADG mixtures, compared with dense graded cold mixtures (DG mixtures) and open graded cold mixtures (OG mixtures). It showed that the PADG mixtures solved the contradiction between workability, storability and strength of cold mixtures, and had better cohesion, stability, freeze-thaw resistance and durability in low temperature and wet conditions. Besides, the field survey over 13 months indicated that the pothole patches using PADG mixtures met the requirements of traffic safety and ride-ability. Therefore, combined with laboratory and field text results, it can be concluded that PADG mixtures are applicable to durable maintenance in adverse conditions of cold-wet weather.