Paving joint and widening cracking

Lane cracking may develop at the transverse direction at the initiation or termination of asphalt works, at the joint between the old and new paved lanes. 

The cases are attributed only to poor construction, such as lack of material at the joint, poor or insufficient adhesion of the vertical surfaces of the joint (weak bond in the joint) or insufficient compaction at the joint. The temperature difference between lanes during paving may affect the development of joint cracking, and thermal stresses during the service life of the pavement should not be excluded, particularly on wide paved lanes. 

In rare cases, paving joint cracking may be caused by insufficient compaction of underlying asphalt lanes where the construction joint is on top of each other. However, in these cases, minor longitudinal settlement will most certainly appear. 

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