A 31-mile stretch of I-70 near Richfield, Utah—from mile marker 18 to mile marker 49—was in serious need of repair. Two lanes in each direction of interstate concrete pavement had corner breaks, surface and joint spalls and panel-length cracking. In addition to heavy traffic, this area receives an average of 9 in. (22.8 cm) of precipitation per year, and temperatures range from 90°F (32°C) to -1°F (-18°C).
The Utah Department of Transportation (UDOT) received bids for the project from numerous local contractors with vast experience in concrete pavement. Ultimately, the project was awarded to Interstate Improvement from Minnesota.
Crews began work by cutting the defective pavement with a large self-propelled pavement profiler and router. After removing all debris, they cleaned and primed the pavement cavities. For the repair, Interstate Improvement and UDOT used TechCrete by Crafco. TechCrete is a hot-applied repair mastic sealant, aesthetically suitable in all concrete pavements. It is used in sealing wide cracks and joints and repairing a large variety of pavement distresses.
To apply huge quantities of the material quickly and efficiently, Interstate Improvement rented four Patcher II mastic melters and used two shuttle carts.
To improve efficiency even more, Interstate Improvement and Crafco representative Robby Rutherford devised a new repair method. Using a skid-steer loader to position the Patcher II, the crew was able to quickly drop material directly into the repair. This reduced the time and labor required, speeding up the completion on the repairs.
The new method, along with the ability to close a lane for 24 hours, enabled Interstate Improvement to place large amounts of TechCrete in a short period of time. Crews averaged over 300 cu ft of repairs per day. On some days, over 320 cu ft loads of TechCrete were melted and applied.
The material went in well, the equipment performed well, the roads were open to traffic the next day after lane closures and the contractor’s workmanship was very good. After the material cooled, the UDOT inspector confirmed that the repairs were level or within 1/8 in. of the existing pavement surface.
Work on the project began in mid-September, and the portion involving TechCrete was completed by the end of October. In just six weeks, five-person crews working six to seven days per week installed approximately 3,700 cu ft of TechCrete.
UDOT has been using TechCrete for over ten years with great success. Repairs made in 2004 are still in place with no cracking, delamination or other damage. Several projects per year are contracted by the state specifying this type of repair as a result of the proven results.
