Patching

An area of pavement that has been replaced with new material to repair the existing pavement.  A patch is considered a defect no matter how well it performs.

Two patches on an urban arterial placed after utility cuts.

A patch on an urban arterial used to repair a spalled joint reflective crack.

Problem

Roughness

Possible Causes

• Previous localized pavement deterioration that has been removed and patched
• Utility cuts

Repair

Patches are themselves a the results of a prior repair action.  The only way they can be removed from a pavement’s surface is by either a structural or non-structural overlay. It is important to make sure that the existing patch was constructed properly and shows no signs of failure prior to overlaying the patch.