As vehicles run over it, the unsupported surface layer collapses. The pothole expands as traffic hits the hole. In the summer, highway departments can take preventive measures such as sealing cracks and improving drainage. In the winter and spring the only alternative is pothole patching. To ensure a longer-lasting pothole patch, crews must apply the right combination of materials and procedures.
Cold mix is less expensive, easier to use, and can be stockpiled.
Local cold mix is a blend of local aggregates and liquid asphalts, either cutbacks or emulsions. When highway departments specify cold mixes, asphalt plants will produce the material according to these specifications using high-quality aggregates and modified liquid asphalts. Proprietary cold mixes are commercially produced blends of carefully matched aggregates, liquid asphalts, and additives. By applying cold-mix in the following techniques, highway departments can make repairs that will last for many months. Repair Techniques Repairs can be performed during weather conditions, ranging from clear spring days to harsh winter storms, with temperatures from 0 to 100F. Repairs are generally performed as an emergency repair under harsh conditions or as a routine maintenance, scheduled for warmer and drier periods.