Lesson 1Overview of asphalt pavement behavior and pothole formation mechanisms (fatigue, raveling, water infiltration)This lesson reviews tar road build and how vehicles, age, and water cause potholes, covering cracks from wear, loose bits, stripping, base fails, and water issues so crews match fixes to root causes.
Asphalt layers and pavement structureFatigue cracking and pothole evolutionRaveling, oxidation, and surface wearWater infiltration and stripping damageBase, subgrade, and drainage problemsLesson 2Tools, equipment, and materials checklist (inventory of hand tools, saws, jackhammers, rakes, vibratory plate/rammer/roller, tack coats, hot or cold asphalt mixes, backer/aggregate, safety equipment)This lesson lists and explains must-have tools, gear, and stuff for pothole fixes, like cutters, compactors, tack sprays, hot and cold mixes, stones, and safety kit, with tips on checks, storage, and prep.
Hand tools for cutting and cleaningSaws, breakers, and coring equipmentCompaction plates, rammers, and rollersTack coats, mixes, and aggregate typesSafety gear and traffic control devicesLesson 3Compaction techniques and acceptance criteria (layers, target density, visual and simple tests)This lesson covers right compaction for tar patches, like layer thick, passes, gear pick, density goal, joint care, and easy site tests to check patch strength and cut future fails.
Lift thickness and compaction sequenceSelecting rollers, plates, or rammersRolling patterns and number of passesChecking density with simple field testsVisual signs of under or over compactionLesson 4Step-by-step semi-permanent asphalt pothole repair: cutting and shaping, cleaning, drying, tack application, material selection, placement, compaction, edge finishingThis lesson gives a full site guide for lasting pothole fix, from marking spot, cutting shape, cleaning drying, tack coat, mix pick, layering, compacting, edge seal, and last checks.
Marking and squaring patch boundariesCutting, trimming, and shaping the holeCleaning, drying, and moisture controlTack coat type, rate, and applicationMix placement, lift thickness, and levelingLesson 5Selection of repair strategy: temporary vs permanent, throw-and-roll, semi-permanent, full-depth patching—criteria for choiceThis lesson compares quick and lasting pothole fixes, like throw-and-roll, semi-lasting, and deep patches, and how road state, traffic, weather, and gear guide best pick.
When to use temporary emergency patchesCriteria for semi-permanent patch selectionWhen full-depth patching is requiredTraffic level and safety considerationsBudget, crew, and equipment constraintsLesson 6Effect of weather and traffic on method selection and timing (temperature limits for hot mix, rain mitigation, curing time, night vs day work)This lesson looks at how heat, wet, and traffic affect fix times and picks, like hot mix temps, rain and freeze risks, dry time, lane close slots, and night over day work.
Temperature limits for hot and cold mixesRain, snow, and surface moisture risksCuring time before opening to trafficNight versus daytime work trade-offsSeasonal planning for patch programsLesson 7Maintenance recordkeeping for patch performance (date, mix, crew, weather, observed defects on follow-up inspections)This lesson shows how to note fix work to track how it holds, with dates, spots, mixes, teams, weather, and later checks, helping improve ways and back budgets.
Standard patch report form fieldsDocumenting mix type and sourceRecording crew, equipment, and hoursWeather and site condition recordsScheduling and logging follow-up visits
