By: Schwarze
For many cities plagued by potholes, it may seem like the repairs never end—and that’s because for many cities using traditional “throw-and-go” repair methods, workers often find themselves fixing the same pothole over and over again.
“They’re truly just throwing asphalt in the hole, and they’re going to the next hole,” said Frank Connelly of RCM Specialties Inc., a dealer of pavement repair equipment. “It’s a very fast process, but there’s no longevity to it.”
Connelly champions another option to resolve cities’ pothole woes: spray patching. Called “the most economical and longest lasting method of pothole repair” by the National Research Council’s Strategic Highway Research Program report, spray patching is a safe, cost-effective technology that offers durable, reliable pothole repair.
How to Repair a Pot Hole with Spray Patching
Truck-mounted models, such as Schwarze Industries’ Roadpatcher, are all-in-one solutions for spray patching. The Roadpatcher utilizes a four-step process to complete pothole repairs. First, a blower uses compressed air to clean debris from the pothole and surrounding cracks. Second, the area is tacked with a hot asphalt emulsion to provide adhesion to the existing pavement. Next, the pothole is filled with a combination of the aggregate mix and the hot asphalt emulsion. Finally, a dry coat is applied.