Spikes and ruts. What is rutting on the road Is it possible to redo bad roads

19.10.2019

Salon

The problem of rutting on the road worries the vast majority of motorists, because the formed "rutting" causes accidents, and with quite serious consequences. There is an opinion that the main culprit for the appearance of the track is the motorists themselves, who “shoe” their vehicles in studded tires. But, is this really the case?

The main reasons for the appearance of a rut

The track from the spikes is formed in the form of a small narrow strip, but the wider strips formed, most likely appear from a large number of large vehicles and traffic. And, most likely, it is for this reason that “rutting” with hills and depressions appears.

From everything, one conclusion is drawn that the main reason why the problem of rutting on the road arises is rather not properly carried out road work, as well as the extremely low quality of the coating and material itself. If we pay attention to the technical documentation of the coating, we will find a clear wording that the canvas must be laid in two layers. Moreover, the time period between them should be at least three days. But, as a rule, even one layer cannot be put in good faith on domestic roads. And rarely it meets even the minimum indicators, and according to experts, most roads in Russia are designed for use with a traffic intensity of no more than 500 cars per day.

NOTE
In addition, even if they lay asphalt according to the technology, adhering to the norms and order, they do not even let it freeze for a day. Often, traffic is immediately opened along an unformed canvas, from which drops and ruts appear.

There is another reason, which is hidden in poor-quality repairs. Surely everyone noticed that when repairing a section of the road where there are already depressions, they simply remove the top layer of the canvas, without additional processing and strengthening the base. That is, the problem remains, and it is covered with new asphalt. Of course, this type of "repair" is much cheaper, but, as we see, there is little sense in carrying it out.

NOTE
It is not enough to remove the old coating layer, because when used, not only the upper canvas is deformed, but the entire “cushion”. Therefore, it is necessary to build the base again to avoid the appearance of a rut. An interesting fact about the construction of roads in Europe, patching and surface repairs have been prohibited there for quite a long time.

Therefore, it is clear that the low quality index of the material itself, the improper performance of official duties, becomes the fundamental reason for the appearance of a rut. Of great importance is the role of the workers and managers themselves, because the quality of the work performed will allow the road to remain smooth for many decades. But, still a large percentage of people see spikes as the culprit of the problem, even referring to the experience of their colleagues from Germany.

NOTE
Indeed, in Germany since 1975, a ban on the use of any tires with spikes has been introduced, but this is not due to damage to the canvas, but to the large braking distance and inertia of such cars.

A categorical question arises, is it really possible to completely remake disgusting roads into good ones? Of course, experience shows that all this is real, but local specifics must be taken into account. For example, high traffic congestion, street layout, with long-term repairs form a real collapse. But, at the same time, surface repairs will not give any positive results, the road will shine only for the first year, and maybe much less. Therefore, it is much cheaper to completely block a section of the road and carry out a major overhaul than to carry out patching every year.

NOTE
Today officials prefer to choose the lesser negative – bad roads. Summing up, I would like to remind you again that the spikes do not play any role in the destruction and formation of the rut. The fault is not the quality of work and material.

Methods by which the problem of rutting on the road can be eliminated

As we have already found out, for a quality repair it is important not only to eliminate the track itself, but also to remove the underlying cause. Therefore, it is important to carry out not only surface repairs, but also carefully revise the “cushion”. Identify shortcomings, determine the level of work and take appropriate measures.

In companies involved in laying roads, they divide repairs into two main subspecies:

Asphalt repair.
Concrete repair.

In the first case, the process involves the use of two technologies:

The repair is carried out with the cutting of the road map, that is, such work allows you to completely remove the destroyed and damaged coating, followed by an analysis of the base. If the “cushion” is ready to last another season, then asphalt mixture is poured into the cutouts. The cold type is often used, because hot asphalt is difficult to compact in small sections.
The second type of work already takes into account the absence of a map cut, as such. The technology involves pouring the canvas with a cast mixture. Such a mixture does not even require mandatory compaction.

In the second case, the use of two technologies is also implied:

In the same way, a part of the canvas, the so-called “card”, is cut out, after which the reinforcement is laid in pre-cut grooves. Before installation, fittings, coating, base are carefully processed and cleaned. After that, only proceed to direct pouring.
Repair without cutting "cards" is carried out using special fillers. That is, the track is cleaned, debris and dust are removed, the surface layer is removed, as a rule, no more than 0.2 mm. Then it is processed with special solutions and emulsions based on cement.

Rutting Prevention

In Europe, for example, the main causes of rutting are caused by water ingress with subsequent destruction of the canvas. Of course, in our country there are also sections of roads that are built in accordance with all the rules. Therefore, it would be reasonable to carry out destruction prevention, to save the layer, using a variety of technologies.

The problem of rutting on the road can be solved with the help of special emulsions that are poured into the formed pores and provide protection against moisture ingress. The disadvantages of this method include only the need to periodically restore the protective layer every two years.

In addition to the use of various solutions and emulsions, the so-called wear layer is also used. This is a layer of asphalt canvas, consisting of 1 cm of asphalt and 1 cm of crushed stone recessed into the canvas. This coating protects the road from moisture, and also helps to improve traction with the wheels. According to its technical parameters, this type allows you to save the original appearance of the road, but on the condition that initially the work on the arrangement of the roadway was carried out taking into account all the rules and regulations.

The evenness of the road surface is one of the main factors of traffic safety. But during operation, a track inevitably appears that prevents safe movement. What is the reason for its formation, how to avoid its occurrence, is it possible to control the process of rutting and prevent it - we talked about this and much more with the largest professional in this field, professor at the Rostov State Civil Engineering University, chairman of the board of directors of Avtodor-Engineering LLC Sergei Konstantinovich Iliopolov.

- Sergey Konstantinovich, what is the reason for the formation of a rut on the highway?

- The main cause of rutting is explained by the accumulation of residual deformations in the elements of the road structure, that is, in each layer of the pavement and in the upper road layer. This is the so-called plastic track. The second and main reason is the wear of the top layer of the coating as a result of the combined effect of wear and premature non-standardized destruction of the asphalt concrete layer under the influence of external factors, which include, along with the impact of wheels, precipitation, temperature changes and solar radiation. This track of destruction and wear is formed only in the upper, closing layer of the pavement. And it's good that the sectoral regulations issued last year in the ODN, which regulate the period for the restoration or replacement of the upper layers of the coating, as well as in the GOST, which is being prepared, introduced the concept of a wear layer. Therefore, it is more correct to say that the second type of track is formed during the premature destruction and wear of the pavement layer, that is, the upper layer. In real conditions of operation of the road, both of these factors also act together and significantly affect traffic safety. But they must be separated not only in order to understand the reasons for the formation of rutting, but also in order to know how to deal with this rutting.

- Is it possible to get away from the plastic track in general and solve this issue in a normative manner?

– It is absolutely impossible to get away from the plastic track. Even if we take into account all the factors involved, we cannot change the existing nature of the material. For example, any asphalt concrete is inherently an elastic-viscous plastic material that has all the main manifestations characteristic of this category of material: both load perception fatigue and redistribution of the main frame material - crushed stone, which is part of asphalt concrete, since the main element of asphalt concrete is dispersed asphalt-binder structure, giving it the properties of an elastic-viscoplastic body. This is not an elastic body, it will accumulate residual deformations as it is loaded. The only difference is that the elastic-plastic properties and the properties of the accumulation of residual deformation of asphalt concrete are somewhat dependent on temperature.

I want to note the absolute disregard for the physical nature of asphalt concrete in the calculation of non-rigid pavement, where each body taken into account is taken as having elastic properties, which in its essence is not. This also eliminates permanent deformation after loading. As you know, when a load is applied, the body deforms, and when it is removed, it must be restored to its previous dimensions. Here, asphalt concrete under cyclic load, being an elastic-viscoplastic body, cannot recover to the same parameters, it will recover, but a little less. This difference is called permanent deformation.

– Is it possible to control the process of rutting on our roads?

- Under the existing regulatory framework, it is impossible. Asphalt concrete, as well as other materials present in non-rigid pavement, as already mentioned, are accepted as rigid, not being such in fact.

- Is there a way out in this situation?

– It is necessary to improve the design standards for non-rigid pavements by introducing two additional controllable criteria into the calculation: the accumulation of design of non-rigid pavements for the accumulation of permanent deformation and the formation of fatigue cracks. Asphalt concrete in the existing regulatory framework is considered as a material that can withstand any number of loads for the billing period, which is laid down in the regulations. Until recently, depending on the road-climatic zone and road category, this period was 18 years, today it is 24 years. These are the overhaul periods during which it is assumed that an absolutely elastic body, which is asphalt concrete, should work without breaking its continuity, more precisely, without the formation of fatigue cracks. This is a myth that anyone understands. Even if steel, a much more solid body, has fatigue, upon the occurrence of which the metal breaks, then what can we say about asphalt concrete. In the current regulatory framework, there is no difference for which road we are designing: with a traffic intensity of more than 110,000 vehicles per day or 20,000 vehicles per day. It is clear that the effectiveness of asphalt concrete in different conditions will be different. The service life of the pavement is determined by the category of the road and the existing loads taken into account, but nowhere are there requirements for the resistance to fatigue failure of asphalt concrete, on the basis of which the service life is not calculated or, for a given service life of the pavement, the period of operation is not determined and calculated, after which fatigue failures in order to plan repair activities. It is precisely for this purpose that it is necessary to develop one of the two criteria that I named above.

If the formation of rutting is an obvious fact, then cracks are that insidious factor that is not always evident, but its influence and the need to take it into account in the calculation are sometimes more significant.

First reason. Asphalt concrete is included in the calculation of pavement with certain specified physical and mechanical properties, primarily its modulus of elasticity. And even in everyday life we always call the strength of a certain structural element, consisting of asphalt concrete, the elastic modulus of asphalt concrete. And therein lies another root of evil. For pavement, the parameters and strength of not the material, but the layer, are extremely important. Thus, the performance of even non-rigid pavement is primarily influenced by the elastic modulus of the asphalt mix or asphalt concrete layer. As soon as fatigue cracks form in this layer, discontinuity occurs. And with the same modulus of elasticity as a material, we get a sharp decrease in strength, since when broken into blocks, the load distribution system fundamentally changes, and all lower layers will experience a much greater load in the crack zones. It would seem that they are elementary things, but no one talks about them today, they are the scourge of our highways.

The second reason. Getting fatigue cracks, we get non-standard condition of non-rigid pavement. Under these conditions, the design schemes laid down in the regulations no longer work, and the pavement should continue to work.

For highly loaded highways with a traffic intensity of over 100 thousand vehicles with four lanes, that is, roads of the first category, and often the second category, the package of asphalt concrete layers should usually consist of three layers. And these three layers in total should not be less than a certain thickness - 28 cm. By the way, in the regulatory framework of the Russian Federation there is no criterion that would determine the recommended thickness of asphalt concrete layers and what it depends on. Today you will not find anywhere any explanatory material that could point to the factors that make it possible to determine the minimum thickness of the package of asphalt concrete layers. We are approaching the development of this regulatory document, which will answer the question why the package of asphalt concrete layers cannot be less than a certain value. This value is determined by the composition and intensity of traffic and the need for this package to absorb the high-frequency part of the dynamic spectrum of the impact of the car. This criterion, in my opinion, is very important. The most high-frequency energy-intensive part of the spectrum of the dynamic impact of cars should be absorbed by asphalt concrete, since it, having a certain continuity, contains asphalt binder, that dispersed part in which these frequencies of the impact of the car are absorbed as in a viscous substance. What is frequency? This is a certain effect, determined by the wavelength. We must absorb that part of the dynamic spectrum, the wavelengths of which are comparable to the thickness of the pack of asphalt concrete layers. With a decrease in this thickness, a significant part of the spectrum falls lower, into those layers that are not capable of resisting a given energy effect at long frequencies. And if crushed stone is even further away, this will mean a significant excess of abrasion of the material and its transformation into stone flour within 5–7 years, with a pavement service life of 24 years. On this topic, too, there are no recommendations, no criteria.

– Why are fatigue failures more dangerous than plastic ones?

– Accounting for fatigue failures and preventing their occurrence is very important. Fatigue cracks are formed on the lower face of the last layer of asphalt concrete from the top in the package of asphalt concrete layers, since it is this face that experiences maximum tension. Consequently, we can get fatigue cracks on the bottom face of the last, third layer. The upward propagation of a crack is very fast. Within six months we will get a sprouting crack, and with each subsequent layer, the rate of its formation will be higher, because an ever smaller mass of asphalt concrete will resist tensile stress, especially since the edges have always served as a stress concentrator. Thus, cracks appear on the surface of the coating, and they can be strictly transverse, and at an angle, and longitudinal, and networks of cracks. The problem is not even that this creates discomfort during movement, with the formation of a network of cracks, fragmentation of the asphalt concrete of the top layer of the pavement is quickly achieved, moisture will penetrate into the resulting crack, but that the continuity of the package of asphalt concrete layers is broken, which at the same time radically change their distributing ability to the lower layers. And the lower layers of the base begin to experience those stresses for which they are not designed by their physics. As a result, we drastically reduce the resource of the underlying layers, the working resource of which significantly exceeds both 20 and 30 years. We are simply destroying this resource. Therefore, fatigue failures are of fundamental importance from the point of view of the durability of non-rigid pavements.

The way out of this situation is very simple. You cannot talk about certain things and phenomena until you control them. Neither rutting nor fatigue failure today in the Russian Federation is regulated anywhere and no one controls this process, because it can be controlled only when you know how to calculate it, you know the laws of its formation.

Thus, it is urgent to develop two new criteria. The first is the calculation of flexible pavements for their operational durability, or reliability, which would allow calculating the accumulation of residual deformations in the form of transverse unevenness or plastic rutting during the design service life of flexible pavement. The second criterion is the calculation of non-rigid pavements for the accumulation of fatigue failures. Until, at the design stage, we get two graphs of the accumulation of residual deformation of fatigue failures by years of the life cycle, we will not only control these processes, but we will not even be able to meaningfully state the very fact of the existence of these problems.

Is there a way to solve these problems? In what direction should you move?

- Over the past five years, the Avtodor State Company has repeatedly stated at all levels that such criteria are necessary. Moreover, the main difficulties in developing these criteria are not even that we have to admit the imperfection of the methods for calculating pavements. We need new criteria for the level of operational condition of roads during the operation of non-rigid pavements. The biggest problem that the State Company proposed to take on was those methods, those knowledge, scientific schools that can implement and solve it. These are calculation methods, development of criteria on the basis of which the methods will work. Today we have scientific schools that are not only able to solve this issue, but are already working for the Avtodor State Company to resolve these problems. And I really hope that by the end of 2018 these criteria will be submitted for testing. This will allow us to manage the processes that we are talking about, because today even the technical elite of the road industry does not have a clear understanding that all problems with the top layers of the pavement, including extended turnaround times, cannot be solved with the top wear layer alone. There is an integral cumulative indicator of the health of the entire road structure.

Each element of the road structure, including the subgrade, contributes to the formation of plastic ruts or unevenness. The evenness of the upper layer of non-rigid pavement should begin with the evenness of the upper layers of the subgrade, the lower underlying layers, the lower asphalt concrete layers of the package, and the evenness of the upper, closing layer is their integral, summing indicator. So, all the problems that drivers face on our roads are fatigue damage, rutting resulting from the destruction of the upper layer, because all these parameters do not have not only criteria, but even an internal understanding of the need to take them into account.

– What are the main factors in determining the durability of pavements?

“It's about accumulation. If we are talking about rutting, then remember that two factors contribute to it: the accumulation of residual deformation in each element of the road structure plus the destructive and abrasive effect of the car wheels, for which the structure of the upper closing layer is primarily important. In order to control these processes, as I have already noted, it is necessary to create methods that take into account the accumulation and formation of residual plastic deformation in non-rigid pavement. Humidity and temperature are of paramount importance for each item of clothing. Humidity, for example, for subgrade soil or sand and gravel is important because the strength of the subgrade is directly proportional to its density, and the density is inversely proportional to moisture. Humidity will necessarily be taken into account in these criteria. The same is true for asphalt concrete: at 20°C it works in a completely different way than at 60°C. All these factors should be included in the methodology for calculating non-rigid pavement for the accumulation of residual deformations. As well as fatigue, it is significantly dependent on the moisture content of the subgrade soil, since when waterlogged, the bearing capacity is generally lost and asphalt concrete will work in much more severe conditions, since there is practically nothing to rely on. Therefore, all these factors are essential in determining the durability of pavements.

WHAT WEAR?

Unfortunately, in Russia, serious studies of premature wear and damage to the structure of the road surface are not carried out. Therefore, we will use the experience of specialists from the American state of Washington (not to be confused with the capital of the same name). This is the most northeastern state of the USA, winters are snowy, although not very frosty. Studded tires are also used there, although less often (Americans prefer all-weather tires). Despite this, the condition of the roads cannot be called ideal.

To study the origin of the track, the Americans, in turn, turned to their northern neighbors. The National Institute of Optics of Quebec has developed a laser track measurement system LRMS (Laser Rut Measurement System). Devices mounted on outriggers at the rear of the car read the texture of the road surface every 3 millimeters. At the same time, the canvas was monitored by video cameras. Computer systems analyzed the width, depth and shape of the track.

All major highways of the state were subjected to similar control. The main difficulty was to distinguish the damage caused by the studs from the wear and tear caused by trucks and conventional (non-studded) passenger cars. As it turned out, the track caused by each of these factors has its own characteristics. From the spikes, for example, two thin furrows arise, and outside of them the road is absolutely smooth. And from the rest of the tires, including trucks, the ruts seem to be pressed through, there are characteristic elevations on the sides of both recesses. Asphalt does not wear out, but deforms and spreads into zones of reduced load.

Thus, it was possible to isolate wear from studded tires. For example, on the I-5 highway, the track depth from them was 7 millimeters. An important clarification: the pavement was laid 40 (!) years ago, 194 thousand cars pass this road every day. For such circumstances, wear is simply negligible!

WHAT WEAR?

In Russia, the average service life of a road is 8 years. For the construction of roads in the United States, concrete is still used - a mixture of sand, gravel and cement. We have not used it since the days of the USSR - bitumen is cheaper in an oil-producing country. The concrete pavement has a characteristic feature: on average, every 10 meters, the road is crossed by transverse seams filled with bitumen. This allows you to compensate for the pliability of the material and reduce the effect of temperature changes.

Concrete was replaced by asphalt concrete - a homogeneous black material, which, in addition to sand, contains crushed stone, minerals and astringent bitumen, thanks to which the road turns into a single canvas. In addition, asphalt concrete has better grip properties. In America, where simple concrete is preferred, to increase safety in wet weather, shallow risks are applied to the not yet frozen top layer that diverts water.

WHY WEAR?

In practice, it turns out differently. Drivers scold the road builders for the narrowing, the city administration - for the deadlines. But few people understand what the rush turns into in the future. Satisfied drivers press on the gas on the barely cooled road.

The prescribed 72 hours are simply neglected. As well as two-layer technology. Why spend twice as much time and materials? Especially when overexpenditure and non-compliance with deadlines can be seriously secured.

Even cutting and replacing the top damaged layer does not give a lasting effect. Because the ruts are the deformation of the coating as a whole, and not just a few centimeters removed. A year will pass, and the new surface, like a carbon paper, will show the defects of the old one. Therefore, this scheme is not used in Europe. If the road needs repair, it is completely closed. It costs more, but the result is more profitable ...

SHIP OR ZILK?

Can our bad roads be turned into good ones? The success of this undertaking is doubtful. The layout of the streets of Russian cities, as well as the lack of a real alternative to most intercity routes, will lead to the fact that with a real overhaul, entire areas will be covered by traffic paralysis. Of the two evils - lack of roads and bad roads - choose the lesser. But the spikes definitely have nothing to do with it ...

A rut on asphalt is, as a rule, the result of non-compliance with the technology of its laying.

GERMAN ORDER

Almost throughout Germany, the use of studded tires has been banned since 1975. But the main reason for the ban is the increase in stopping distance on clean asphalt! German winters are mild: if snow falls, it does not last long. Studs are allowed only in the 15-kilometer zone near the border with Austria, in mountainous Thuringia and in a few other places where snow or ice on the roads is the norm in winter. Gauges familiar to us are found even on autobahns, but, of course, not on such a scale. However, road control services are looking for flaws in their work. A report by the German Road Association (Deutscher Asphaltverband) lists the main causes of rutting:

Errors in road design; incorrect selection of the composition of the asphalt concrete mixture (does not correspond to the temperature and humidity of the environment);

Insufficient bonding between asphalt layers;

Shortcomings of the final control.

Let's ask readers

Why do ruts appear in asphalt?

9% - climate is to blame

10% - from excess cars

81% - due to the negligence of the road builders

Rutting on the roads: we are looking for the perpetrators and understand the reasons.

Each owner of motor transport, when driving on highways and highways of our beloved Motherland, has repeatedly encountered such an unpleasant phenomenon as rutting on the roads. A track is a type of deformation of the asphalt concrete pavement in the roadway. Rutting on the roads is one of the most common problems of domestic roads, and also the most dangerous, because it is often accompanied by road traffic injuries. Of course, we all dream of a perfect asphalt surface and no less perfect car suspension and often scold negligent road builders. Let's talk about who is to blame for the current quality of the road surface and what are the causes of rutting on the roads.

Rutting on the roads: causes of formation.

As a rule, rutting on the roads occurs due to the following reasons:

1. Violation of the technology for the construction of roads.

The quality of the base prepared for asphalt has an impact on the strength of the upper layers of the asphalt concrete pavement. These are works on the preparation of a sand and gravel base and other types of work. High-quality compaction of sand-gravel and natural base, maintaining the necessary proportions of components in accordance with regulatory documents, SNiP, GOST, compliance with asphalt laying technology - all these are important aspects of a good result.

Design documentation for the construction of roads should be developed taking into account the climatic, landscape and other features of the area. Also, categories and capacity of roads, etc., should be taken into account.

Therefore, it is necessary to produce only with the help of organizations with highly qualified employees who are able to fully complete all stages of work.

2. Poor quality of materials used for road construction.

An important role in the quality of asphalt concrete pavement is played by the materials used in the construction of pavement. If the materials do not meet the required technical parameters, there is an accelerated deformation of the pavement. Potholes, cracks, spalling, abysses, subsidence, ruts, as well as the collapse of roadsides can be observed on the roadway. Eliminates many deformations. Pothole repair can significantly extend the life of asphalt if it is carried out in a timely manner.

2. Deconsolidation of the pavement structure.

Decompression of the pavement structure can be observed in several cases:

The ingress of precipitation into pavement;
Production near the construction of pavement.

3. Improper road maintenance.

Often the roads are operated improperly, it is unacceptable on the roads:

Violation of weight control. Overloading trucks has a deplorable effect on the asphalt concrete road surface;
Violation of the terms of the current repair. The ingress of precipitation through cracks and pits leads to decompression of the pavement structure;
Violation of conditions. With poor-quality road maintenance in winter, cars are forced to drive along the “knurled track”, as a result of which the load on a certain section of the road increases and a rut appears.

3. Climatic aspects.

Today, it is increasingly possible to meet climatic anomalies, weather phenomena atypical for a particular area. Excessive heat, or, conversely, frost, can seriously affect the road. Precipitation or its absence, landscape changes, groundwater and many other aspects of natural phenomena can affect the quality of the roadway.

Rutting on the roads: who is to blame?

Thus, it can be concluded that there may be many culprits here. These are road construction companies, material suppliers, service organizations, motorists themselves, accidental disasters, etc. After all, it is important not only to carry out road construction with high quality, but also to preserve the result of work.

Where do ruts on asphalt come from? And are studded tires to blame? Those in power either blame the spikes for the destructive effect on the roads, or they remember our difficult climate and look for other culprits, or they argue with each other. Gleb Makarov studied how and why roads wear out.

WHAT WEAR?

In Russia, the average service life of a road is 8 years. For the construction of roads in the United States, concrete is still used - a mixture of sand, gravel and cement. We have not used it since the times of the USSR - bitumen is cheaper in an oil-producing country. The concrete pavement has a characteristic feature: on average, every 10 meters, the road is crossed by transverse seams filled with bitumen. This allows you to compensate for the pliability of the material and reduce the effect of temperature changes.

WHY WEAR?

Each construction requires strict adherence to technology. From this side, asphalt concrete is more vulnerable. A lot of precision is required: two layers of asphalt concrete 60-80 millimeters thick are laid on an underlying layer of sand and gravel and kept for at least three days each. One layer of asphalt concrete is suitable only for the quietest streets, where less than 3,000 cars pass per day. There are simply no such people in the Russian capital!
In practice, it turns out differently. Drivers scold the road builders for the narrowing, the city administration for the deadlines. But few people understand what the rush turns into in the future. Satisfied drivers press on the gas on the barely cooled road.

SHIP OR ZILK?

It turns out that studded tires are by no means the main source of rutting. Yes, their contribution is visible after careful computer processing, but it is minimal against the background of exposure to cold, heat, wind, heavy trucks and other vehicles. Much more important is the quality work of engineers and builders. If everything is done correctly, then a flat and smooth road surface will delight drivers for decades.
Can our bad roads be turned into good ones? The success of this undertaking is doubtful. The layout of the streets of Russian cities, as well as the lack of a real alternative to most intercity routes, will lead to the fact that with a real overhaul, entire areas will be covered by traffic paralysis. Of the two evils - lack of roads and bad roads - choose the lesser. But the spikes definitely have nothing to do with it ...

A rut on asphalt is, as a rule, the result of non-compliance with the technology of its laying.

GERMAN ORDER

Almost throughout Germany, the use of studded tires has been banned since 1975. But the main reason for the ban is the increase in braking distance on clean asphalt! German winters are mild: if snow falls, it does not last long. Studs are allowed only in the 15-kilometer zone near the border with Austria, in mountainous Thuringia and in several other places where snow or ice on the roads is the norm in winter. Gauges familiar to us are found even on autobahns, but, of course, not on such a scale. However, road control services are looking for flaws in their work. A report by the German Road Association (Deutscher Asphaltverband) lists the main causes of rutting:

Errors in road design; incorrect selection of the composition of the asphalt concrete mixture (does not correspond to the temperature and humidity of the environment);
- insufficient connection between asphalt layers;
- shortcomings of the final control.

Let's ask readers

Why do ruts appear in asphalt?

9% - climate is to blame
10% - from excess cars
81% - due to the negligence of the road builders