Full-Depth Concrete Pavement Repair

Full-depth concrete repair or patching involves removing and replacing a portion of a slab to the bottom of the concrete. This allows you to restore areas of deterioration.

For concrete parking lots and streets, full-depth repairs are required where utility cuts were made to access existing utility infrastructure or to install new ones. They are also required for deteriorated joints or cracks in the roadways and parking lots.

Aspects of full-depth repairs include some of the following details:

  • The use of full-depth sawcuts around the perimeter of the area needing repair.
  • Removing the deteriorated concrete.
  • Compacting the existing or adding base material.
  • To re-establish the load transfer along the full-depth sawcut.
  • Placing, finishing, texturing, and curing the concrete in the patch area.
  • Opening to the traffic once the desired strength of the concrete is reached.

Full-Depth Concrete Pavement RepairConcrete streets usually receive full-depth repairs due to utility cuts, and utility cut trenches which are usually long and narrow. The width depends on the type of the utility for Concrete repair in Houston.

  1. Put new joints inline with existing joints so the original panel sizes are in place again.
  2. Replace all dowel bars that were removed.
  3. Tie all longitudinal edges of the long patches to existing concrete by drilling and grouting tie-bars. (see drawing)

Concrete parking lots and street failures occur for a variety of reasons including:

  • Deteriorated sub-base structure due to water intrusion or poor stabilization.
  • Inadequate rebar reinforcement.
  • Time – all paving surfaces have a life expectancy and over time will begin to show signs of failure. It is recommended that facility owners perform yearly assessments of their paving structures and establish an annual paving repair plan to allow for any paving restoration requirements.

Distressed locations are typically restored by full-depth patches. Texture should match the surrounding pavement in type and depth, so the path blends into the pavement imperceptibly.

Despite the differences, the purpose of full-depth repairs for any facility is the same: Repair and Preserve the existing concrete pavement. This will extend it’s life and defer expensive rehabilitation options.

Effective Full-Depth Repairs

Full-depth repair is the only long-term solution for most distresses found in concrete pavements, including repairing structural damage. Restoration techniques are designed to repair specific types of distress. See below for points in performing long lasting, cost effective full-depth repairs.

Allow Adequate Working Room – All full-depth repairs should have enough room to drill dowel bar holes and the width depends on the size of repair need.

Prepare for Changes During Your Repairs – While making restoration plans, it is recommended to allow for altering the repair quantities and types.

Uniform, Stable Platform – Full-depth repairs will require a uniform, stable platform. If poor support conditions caused the distress, they will have to be repaired prior to pouring the concrete. This may be done by lift-out and/or break-up methods to remove the existing concrete.

Saw Cuts – Saw cuts are required regardless of the method used for concrete removal. Saw cuts result in smooth faces at the transverse joint locations. Adequate load transfer at the transverse joints will be necessary to prevent differential movement or faulting, that can occur with moderate to heavy truck traffic volumes.

Placement Techniques – Standard placement techniques are used for normal portland cement-based materials.

Remember, the operating partners of Corestone Paving have over 30 years of combined experience in the Houston construction market and have performed projects involving a wide range of specialized trades. Our project scopes range from small concrete and asphalt repair to large scale renovations involving complete replacement of facility parking areas. Our experienced crews provide our customers with quality and efficiency that insures a job done right! Call for a FREE ESTIMATE today!