Have you ever wondered why there are potholes on roads or your driveway? Having potholes
around can be quite troublesome and make pavements look awful.
Where do these potholes come from, really?
To understand why there are many potholes around is to get to the root of how they are formed.
The most probable reason why potholes exist is the cycle of freezing and melting within roads
and pavements.
If the pavement is made of asphalt then it is more likely to absorb water. The more water a
pavement contains, the higher chance of it getting potholes. This is because the pavement’s
absorbed water freezes and expands during extremely cold weather causing the pavement to
deform in the inside.
These frozen waters contained in the pavements melt during springtime causing another shift
within. This is where the deformation becomes more visible. The continued cycle of expanding
and contracting within pavements gradually deteriorates the pavement aggregate.
Weakened pavement aggregate can deteriorate further forming a hole on its surface. These
resulting holes are what we call potholes.
Aside from the continuous cycle of freezing and thawing within the pavements, potholes can
result from the amount of traffic a surface caters. Foot and vehicular load also contribute to the
formation of these potholes. Also, weather and other natural elements can be contributors in
pothole formation.
These are the general causes of pothole formation. You can observe this for yourself as well.
More road repairs are done during spring when all the ice have melted down.
What can we do to prevent potholes from forming?
One variable we can control in the formation of potholes is the installation of proper drainage
beside pavements. We need to avoid water from being absorbed within these pavements if we
want to prevent potholes from forming.
Your best bet is to call a professional paving company to assist you with your pavement’s
installation and maintenance. Dealing with potholes should be the least of your concerns.
