Infrared Repair and Reclaiming Infrared Repair and Reclaiming By Stefanie R. Fishman, Project Assistant Pothole patches and utility cut repairs often leave small cracks between the new and old pavement. Traffic over road surface depressions and humps create small cracks also. Water can seep through the surface to the base through these very narrow cracks.
Roads deteriorate much faster when water has penetrated their surface.
For conventional crack repair methods to be effective, cracks need to be wide enough to allow sealant to flow into the cracks. Infrared repair and reclaiming can be applied when cracks are very narrow, even when hardly visible to the human eye. One source of infrared rays is the sun. In the last 25 years machine produced infrared rays have been used in road repairs. Many cities and towns are finding it an effective and cost-effective way to repair small cracks and to level the road surface.