Reflective cracking—where cracks in old pavement propagate through new overlays—is the primary cause of premature overlay failure. Traditional methods provide only temporary solutions. Soil Solutions’ approach eliminates reflective cracking permanently.
The Reflective Cracking Problem:
Crack Propagation: Cracks in the old pavement base create stress concentrations. As the base moves (from traffic loads, temperature changes, or moisture), these stresses transfer upward through the new overlay, creating new cracks directly above old ones.
Traditional “Solutions” Fail: Crack sealing before overlay only delays the problem (cracks reappear within months), fabric interlayers provide minimal benefit (cracks still propagate within 1-2 years), and thick overlays only delay cracking (eventually all cracks reflect through regardless of thickness).
Why Traditional Overlays Can’t Stop Reflective Cracking:
The fundamental problem is that overlays leave the cracked base in place. As long as the old cracks exist beneath the surface, reflective cracking is inevitable—it’s only a question of when, not if.
Soil Solutions’ Permanent Solution:
Eliminate the Cracks at Their Source: Full Depth Reclamation (FDR) with EBS stabilization pulverizes the entire existing pavement structure, completely destroying all existing cracks. Mix the pulverized material with EBS stabilizers, creating a new, monolithic base with no pre-existing cracks. Compact to create uniformly strong, crack-free foundation.
Create Crack-Resistant Base: EBS stabilization creates flexible, durable bases that resist crack formation, distribute stresses uniformly (eliminating stress concentrations), and maintain structural integrity under traffic and temperature cycling.
Apply New Surface: With all old cracks eliminated and a crack-resistant base created, new surface applications last for decades without reflective cracking.
Proven Performance:
Roads rehabilitated with FDR and EBS show zero reflective cracking years after construction, smooth surfaces maintained for decades, no crack sealing or patching required, and superior lifecycle performance versus traditional overlays.
Long-Term Economics:
While FDR costs more initially than simple overlay, eliminating reflective cracking means no crack sealing, no early overlay failure, no repeated rehabilitation cycles, and dramatically lower total cost of ownership over the road’s lifecycle.
Eliminate reflective cracking permanently. Soil Solutions delivers proven crack-free road solutions: www.soilsolutions.com
