Condo Media - February 2018 - 47

DOING IT RIGHT
Pavement isn't complicated. It begins
with good soil compacted properly
to create a stable base that should be
covered by two layers of asphalt-a
base course on bottom and a wearing
course on top. There is some disagreement about the desired thickness,
but no question that the thicker the
asphalt layers, the longer their life. The
industry standard calls for a combined
thickness of between 2.5 and 5 inches,
with the top layer thicker than the bottom. Only about half of the parking lots
we inspect meet that standard.
Poor construction quality isn't the
only issue that affects the life expectancy of pavement; climate also plays
a huge role. Harsh winters and the
damage inflicted by the steel blades of
snow plows take a toll in New England.
You can't skip the snow plowing or the
application of de-icing materials, but
some of those materials are harder on
asphalt than others. Proper application
of the material is also essential; adding
more salt won't necessarily improve its
effectiveness, experts say, but it will increase the cumulative damage to paved
areas and reduce their useful life.
Poor drainage can also accelerate deterioration. Even the best-laid surface
will be compromised over time if water
"ponds" on it instead of draining properly. You can spot evidence of ponding
even if it isn't raining-areas of discoloration (shadows) and collections
of dirt, twigs, and other debris are red
flags indicating a drainage problem.
MAINTENANCE GUIDELINES
All paved surfaces, however well or
poorly constructed, require proper
care. The maintenance schedules will
vary but the protocols will be essentially the same.
A few small cracks here and there
will be the first sign of wear. They will
usually appear between the three- and
five-year marks, and filling them will be
the first line of defense. The important
thing about cracks is that small ones
will quickly become larger, so you don't
want to ignore them. They represent
both a safety hazard (people can twist

their ankles or trip over them) and a
structural concern (water can seep
through the cracks causing damage below the surface of the asphalt and in addition will trigger a destructive freezethaw-freeze process in the winter).
As asphalt ages, one or more sections
may begin to break up or flake, indicating that the surface is beginning to
deteriorate. Patching will probably take
care of the problem, at least for a while,
but you don't want to just pave over
the failed area-you want to cut out the
area, fill in the subsurface and then pave
over that. This will give you a sturdier,
longer-lasting repair, but it is still a temporary fix-a band aid, not a cure.
At some point, deterioration will accelerate and repairs will become more
frequent requiring more aggressive and
more expensive responses. One option
is to resurface the area-either lay a
new surface over the existing one, or remove the old asphalt and pave the area
anew-and these options make sense
if the underlying soil base is stable.

But if the underlying soil isn't stable,
a new surface laid over that unstable
soil won't wear any better and it's time
to start over. The old asphalt should
be removed, the bad soil scooped out,
and replaced with gravel and stone to
create a solid base, and then new pavement laid over it.
While that's the traditional approach, a newer technique calls for
pulverizing the old asphalt and using it
as a base for the new pavement. In addition to creating a "super-solid" base,
pulverizing the old asphalt eliminates
the cost of trucking it away and disposing of it at a hazardous waste site.
Either technique will give you nice,
new pavement that will last another 25
or 30 years or more.
n JACK CARR, P.E., RS, LEED-AP,
IS SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT WITH
CRITERIUM-ENGINEERS SERVING
ALL OF NEW ENGLAND.

Representing Condominium Associations, Homeowner
Associations and Management Companies throughout
New Hampshire and Northern Massachusetts.
Providing representation in all areas of condominium
law from drafting and execution of condominium
instruments, amendments, collection of assessments to
litigation from trial through appeal.
For specific questions and to find out how we can
service your particular needs, please contact our office
and speak with one of our attorneys.

(603) 627-5997

45 Bay Street
Manchester, NH 03104

(603) 742-1052
3 Webb Place
Dover, NH 03820

(800) 828-3200

565 Turnpike Street
North Andover, MA 01845

www.fenigeranduliasz.com
Serving clients in all of NH and northern MA
February 2018

Condo Media - February 2018

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