In 2022, SuperSealing were contracted by Main Roads to crack seal a section of highway in Regional Queensland. The highway was in need of a new reseal, but there was significant cracking evident throughout the sections to be resurfaced. Previous experience had shown that existing cracking would reflect through the new surface, undermining the effectiveness and reducing the longevity of the new works.

The soils in the area were also problematic. The black soil was producing sections of cracking that were 15-50mm wide and seemingly bottomless. Rain had washed away sections of the soil, resulting in large cracks. These posed a safety hazard, particularly for motorbikes, and threatened to impede commerce as trucks and vehicles had restricted access on the affected road area.

Main Roads had three options for dealing with the cracking:

1. Band-aid works to ensure the usability of the road.
2. Reconstruct large sections of the road.
3. Leave it and reduce traffic accessibility.

The department decided that the best option was to have SuperSealing crack seal the road prior to a new reseal. This would prevent the onset of reflective cracking and extend the life of the new surface. It would also remove the safety concerns from the wide cracking.

After assessing the full scope of work over 2 days, we determined that the initial client estimate of 8 days was not realistic due to the extent of the problems, and thus provided a detailed report and quotation for 19 days of work.

We then prepared the cracks by removing the grass that was growing in many of them and proceeded to seal between 2000-8000 lineal metres of cracks per shift.

The crack sealing works were completed as planned and within budget. The client was very happy with the results and the new reseal was successfully completed.

SuperSealing’s crack sealing solution prevented reflective cracking and improved road safety. The new reseal will last longer and be more durable, thanks to SuperSealing’s preventive maintenance.