Why do potholes appear after rain?

When you have rain and thunderstorms move into the forecast it allows rain to pond on the roadways. Potholes start to form when that moisture starts to get into the foundation below the asphalt. This will allow that layer to soften and eventually break down.

Does heavy rain cause potholes?

“Whenever it rains and the rainwater accumulates on the road, tires from the road actually squeeze the water into the pavement,” Caltrans spokesman Bob Haus says. Water gets through those cracks and weakens the soil under the road. That leads to even more cracking and eventually a pothole.

Why do roads break in rain?

During monsoon season or rainy season, the road pavement deteriorates due to various factors like poor drainage, low quality of pavement materialslet the rain water to penetrate through the pavement due to which various distresses like cracks, potholes, depressions, rutting, ravelling etc.

Can rain damage roads?

As water penetrates the asphalt, water enters the base material under the asphalt. This weakens the asphalt and reduces the load capacity of the underlayer. This causes depressions in the asphalt. As traffic drives over the weakened area, the asphalt begins to crack and a pothole is formed.

Are potholes bad for your car?

Potholes can puncture your tire or bend or crack your wheel. It can damage your tire’s sidewall or belts. Even a minor impact may knock your vehicle out of alignment. A pothole strike can damage your shocks or struts, or harm your suspension.

Why is the rain greasy?

When the first rain falls after days of dry weather, there’s a lot more of this residue to mix with the rainwater, which can form a slick surface on the roads, sometimes resembling an oil spill. This is why road surfaces become greasy and more slippery than usual.

Why do roads get greasy?

In extreme conditions, like those experienced this summer, councils will apply grit to the road surface to increase its skid resistance. Secondly, dry roads often have a build-up of rubber and oil particles. When it rains these substances can mix with water and create a greasy layer that can become very slippery.

How are roads damaged?

The performance of road depends greatly on the temperature variations (wet and dry/freeze and thaw cycles), rainfall and moisture ingress. Common failures resulting from climatic variations are swelling and shrinkage of road layers, thermal cracks, potholes, stripping, debonding, bleeding and raveling.

Why do roads get damaged?

How do potholes form in warm climates?

These cracks can appear due to heavy traffic or extreme heat. Water can easily drain into these cracks and wash out the layers of stone or dirt that support the pavement. Over time, the top layer of the pavement will begin to sag, and it will collapse and crumble, which results in creating a pothole.