To seal or not to seal has been a strongly debated question for more than a quarter century. This debate has continued due to the variable performance of installed sealants and the inability to relate sealant condition to pavement performance. Joint sealing has been a process in constructing concrete pavements for over a hundred years, yet the challenge of quality installation continues. With the introduction of the OSHA PM10 regulations (29 CFR 1926.1153), this challenge has become even greater with the need to ensure environmental worker safety.

Sawing joints in concrete pavements potentially exposes workers to respirable crystalline silica dust which may increase the risk of health issues. OSHA has standards designed to protect workers from these risks: respirable Crystalline Silica Standard (29 CFR 1926.1153) and Respiratory Protection Standard (29 CFR 910.134) among others. This Tech Brief is not intended to address the health risks, but instead to provide information on devices which can be used to minimize them.

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Extending the Service Life of Heavily Traveled Highway Ramps; Transportation agencies seek to maximize the value of existing infrastructure while minimizing impact on motorists. A large-scale concrete pavement rehabilitation project in Arkansas demonstrates how full-depth concrete pavement repair, rapid-setting cement technology, and carefully coordinated nighttime construction can extend the service life of heavily traveled highway ramps while minimizing disruption to motorists. The project addressed 54 ramps along approximately 54 miles of Interstate 57 between the Cabot and Newport areas of Arkansas. The project also included partial depth patching, joint resealing and diamond grinding.

This guide is from the National Concrete Pavement Technology Center regarding Partial Depth Repairs (PDR). Partial-depth repairs are defined as the removal and replacement of small areas of deteriorated (or spalled) concrete pavement. Partial-depth repairs slow or eliminate the spread of spalling distresses that tend to occur under repeated thermal stresses, freezing and thawing, and traffic loading.

Sealing or filling transverse and longitudinal joints in concrete pavements is an important consideration for long-term pavement performance. For most pavement applications proactively sealing or filling joints provides a measure of added protection against potential problems, such as spalling, base/subgrade softening, dowel bar corrosion, pavement joint blow-ups, and even some materials-related distresses. However, to gain these benefits the installation and maintenance of the sealants/fillers must be performed with care.