Pavement Distress Factors

Why Subgrade Strength Matters The subgrade is the ultimate load-bearing layer of every pavement system. If it lacks adequate stiffness or uniformity, vertical wheel loads are amplified downward, causing plastic deformation that migrates back to the surface as ruts. FHWA research shows that rutting i…

Water is the silent saboteur of pavement systems. Long before potholes, pop-outs, or rutting appear on the surface, moisture is busy stripping asphalt binders from aggregate, wedging ice crystals into concrete capillaries, and eroding the structural integrity that keeps our roads and parking lots so…

In cold-climate regions, a single kilometre of asphalt pavement can experience 50-100 freeze-thaw events every winter. Each event may seem insignificant, but together they account for billions of dollars in pavement‐related repair costs, traffic delays, and vehicle damage every year. Understanding t…