TRCS Portal 2025

Inspection Guidelines

Weathering - Surface Wear - Dense Mix Asphalt

The wearing away of the asphalt binder and fine aggregate matrix from the pavement surface.

How to Measure

Surface wear is measured in square feet (square meters). Surface wear is not recorded if medium or high severity raveling is recorded.

SeverityDistress ExampleDescription
Low
Asphalt surface beginning to show signs of aging which may be accelerated by climatic conditions. Loss is the fine aggregate matrix is noticeable and may be accompanied by fading of the asphalt color. Edges of the coarse aggregates are beginning to be exposed (less than 0.05 inches or 1 mm). Pavement may be relatively new (as new as 6 months old).
Medium
Loss of fine aggregate matrix is noticeable and edges of coarse aggregate have been exposed up to 1/4 width (of the longest side) of the coarse aggregate due to the loss of fine aggregate matrix.
High
Edges of coarse aggregate have been exposed greater than 1/4 width (of the longest side) of the coarse aggregate. There is considerable loss of fine aggregate matrix leading to potential or some loss of coarse aggregate.