Hot mix asphalt technology has developed an important range of construction and structural design options to meet the constant demand for more durable pavements and with lower maintenance requirements.
The performance of asphalt mixtures is the result of the combination of a large number of factors: materials and processes. In order for an asphalt mixture to perform as expected (service life equal to the design life), it is required that all materials and processes be suitable and uniform.
Concrete pavements are usually placed continuously in widths between 7.5 m and 15.25 m. Sometimes longitudinal cracks occur in the middle of the slab. This usually happens the day after finishing the placement. These cracks appear mainly in concrete pavements placed in the morning hours on very hot days.
In developing countries, especially in the context of Latin America, during the 1990s a long process of analysis and reflection arose regarding the prevailing situation of the road network management models of these countries, and the consequent impact on economic development and on the quality of life of the population.
Road signage, accident prevention, and traffic management during road repair works are administrative tasks that must be handled with special care by engineers, foremen, and workers of road construction or general repair companies. Road safety and traffic regulation must be planned to prevent accidents and inconveniences that cost drivers money, whether due to vehicle repairs, medical attention for injuries, or fuel operation over-costs resulting from delays caused by uncontrolled congestion.
International and Central American intraregional trade has at its disposal a 'natural corridor' that runs along the Pacific coast, of which our Inter-American Highway (Peñas Blancas to Paso Canoas) is a part, along with the connections to the ports of Limón/Moín (Braulio Carrillo Highway) and Caldera (Route 23), and to the airports Juan Santamaría (General Cañas Highway) and Daniel Oduber (Route 21).
This article presents some experiences regarding the use of thin layer nuclear densimeters in road maintenance projects in Costa Rica. Road maintenance programs in Costa Rica must begin with basic road maintenance activities, such as drainage and vegetation cleaning, pothole repair, and the restoration of severely damaged surface areas. In these projects, the fundamental task was the construction of patches in asphalt pavements with high levels of quality, both in the mixture used and in the repair procedures.