An asphalt applicator has been acquired by the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) to accelerate sealing of road cracks and joints along Leyte’s national road network.
In his report to DPWH Secretary Mark A. Villar, District Engineer Lino Francisco C. Gonzales of DPWH Leyte Fourth District Engineering Office (L4DEO) said the newly acquired equipment is a much faster alternative to the manual application which is conventionally used for the patching of cracks and road joints.
Cracks and joints sealing is part of the DPWH’s preventive maintenance activities to ensure the full operation of national roads and prolong the service life of concrete roads.
Cracks result from the instability of the weather together with the increasing number of vehicles that travel through our roads.
Joints, on the other hand, are placed to control random cracking yet need to be sealed to prevent water from damaging the concrete pavement.
With the new asphalt applicator, DPWH will be able to accomplish more comprehensive maintenance work this year.