AC paving at Lip of Concrete Gutter
AC paving at Lip of Concrete Gutter
(OP)
I have a client that want his contracter to "fix" the AC paving that is currently 1" above the lip of gutter. The contractor says this is ok and that they leave the AC above the gutter lip on purpose. The Greenbook only talks about a 1/8" tolerance when matching new pavement to existing pavement. The Greenbook also repeats "the pavement shall be true to grade and cross section." None of our local standards deal with this issue. Thanks for the help.
Ben
PE, San Diego
Ben
PE, San Diego





RE: AC paving at Lip of Concrete Gutter
RE: AC paving at Lip of Concrete Gutter
Is the contractor figuring the subgrade and base beneath the AC is going to settle and bring this down? Unfortuantely, many pavement failures occur after the pavement section settles and becomes lower than the adjacent concrete - the water goes into the pavement base and subgrade. Unfortuantely, the 1 inch height will ravel and crumble long before the pavement settles 3/4 inch (hopefully it does not settle that much).
RE: AC paving at Lip of Concrete Gutter
It does seem that a full one-inch rise is a little excessive, but, as previously stated, it is definitely better to be too high than too low.
RE: AC paving at Lip of Concrete Gutter
RE: AC paving at Lip of Concrete Gutter
If your compaction tests for the native soil and aggregate sections meet the specified standard, i.e., 95% relative compaction, then the 1" above the concrete lip is to high. Compaction is irrelative if this was an overlay of existing asphalt.
This creates an obvious hazard to "catching your toe" and causing a fall. Liability can be an issue here.
The solution is to lower the edge of asphalt to meet the 1/8 requirement. Again, 1/8 inch is optimal, with up to 1/2 inch maybe acceptable to allow for settling of the A/C over time.
There are propane indirect heaters that can accomplish the re-heating of the A/C in localized areas, thus making the A/C pliable again and then it's just a matter of workers raking away the excess and removing it and then re-compacting the A/C to seal it again.
The contractor probably did not figure removing asphalt into his bid, however, it seems the contractor gave you a "honest section" with the 1 inch above lip. Coring is also a quality control technique that will verify that specified standards have been met by the contractor.
RE: AC paving at Lip of Concrete Gutter
RE: AC paving at Lip of Concrete Gutter
What credit is given for the mistake?
I'd ask for a discount of 20 percent or more for the whole paving job, followed by tack coat of the gutter, then place one inch of surface course there after compaction.
The alternative to this is rip out all asphaltic concrete and build it to specs.
Leaving it "as is" is opening up the road owner to expensive law suites.
RE: AC paving at Lip of Concrete Gutter