There are many crack treatment material products on the market today, each with distinct characteristics. The products essentially comprise three material families and are often grouped by material type, according to their composition and manufacturing process.
The first step in selecting a material is to identify the key properties that a material must possess to be efficiently placed and to perform successfully under the conditions provided for the time desired. Several of the more desirable properties include the following:
Short preparation time.
Quick and easy to place (good workability).
Short cure time.
Adhesiveness.
Cohesiveness.
Resistance to softening and flow.
Flexibility.
Elasticity.
Resistance to aging and weathering.
Abrasion resistance.
As can be seen, the rubberlike properties associated with some materials make them good choices for sealing working cracks, whereas the preparation and installation attributes of emulsion and asphalt cement make them desirable for crack filling.
