Al-Qadi Discusses Potholes with Rockford Register Star
The Rockford Register Star contacted ICT Director Imad Al-Qadi for his input regarding how potholes are formed and how construction techniques could prevent their formation.A February 18, 2008, article By Sadie Gurman and Sean F. Driscoll titled, "Buckle up, it's going to be one bumpy ride" discusses how increasing asphalt thickness in road construction is a potential way to decrease the number of potholes formed.
The forementioned article explains the following about pothole formation: "Asphalt used in road construction is made up of crushed rocks, called aggregate, and liquid asphalt, which is a petroleum product. The rocks are heated and dried before being mixed with the asphalt to create the gooey, hot asphalt most people see being poured on roads. Potholes form when water gets into the asphalt, freezes and expands."
The article then features Al-Qadi explaining how water enters the asphalt and forms potholes. "Water can enter a roadway three ways: from the surface through cracks, from the ground below or from the asphalt rocks themselves, if they haven't been properly dried. Assuming the rocks are dry, the next place to stop the water is at the surface level."
Al-Qadi then explains how "increasing the thickness of the liquid asphalt by using a polymer in the production process can stop water from ever getting deep enough to form a pothole."
Al-Qadi maintains that asphalt mixes can be created to withstand the effects of moisture. The ICT conducts extensive research on asphalt pavements, including Project R39-1, Validation of Extended Life Hot Mix Asphalt Pavement Design.
The full article from the Rockford Register Star which is excerpted above, can be found on the archives of