Driveway patching when below freezing?

[Off-Street Parking]

We moved houses this summer, and one of the lower-priority projects we didn't get to is that the driveway entrance against the street has years ago cracked and settled, leaving what is basically a large triangular pothole we have to drive over every day. It's one of those not-critical, but annoying things.


We did some concrete patching in other areas last month, but now that the weather is dropping below freezing on a daily basis, I'm trying to think through my options for this section...

I think filling it with concrete would be iffy, as it would be too thick to cure before freezing, and not practical to keep warm artificially due to the location.

I thought of just filling it with gravel for the season as a temporary fix, but that would get a bit exciting when I hit it with the snow blower.

So what is left... I could fill it with dirt, but that would just be a mud pit half of the time. Would an asphalt patch hold if applied cold? Or would mud jacking be cost effective on such a small section?


Ideas for temporary fixes to get through until next spring would be completely fine.. The driveway has enough other issues that it isn't worth a re-pour of this section, but eventually it might get a re-pour as part of a larger project.

Thanks.

 

[SunsetsAndFriends]

I would advise including some photos to get the best advice.

 

[dfiler2]

You can have calcium chloride added to the concrete to get it to set up quickly, we have poured in the middle of winter using a 2% mix and then covering with an insulation. The concrete will heat as it sets.

 

[Gear Box]

Asphalt cold patch at the hardware store just like what DOT uses when hot mix plants are closed for the season. We use it at work year round pack it down good with a forklifts tires ,make sure the hole is fairly clean when you poor it in and wear gloves.

 

[OccupantRJ]

Get this. It is a badass product. Pour it in a pothole, smooth it out with a hard rake, and drive on it. I am not easily impressed, but I am by this product. It looks alive when poured out, and tends to creep to a level state. I use it for our asphalt dock area paving at work. I buy it from Zoro.
http://www.zoro.com/perma-patch-permanent-pavement-repair-60-lb-bag-pp-60-c/i/G1088857/

 

[Off-Street Parking]

I would advise including some photos to get the best advice.

Will do. I thought I had a picture here, but I'll have to find it or take another one.

 

[Off-Street Parking]

Get this. It is a badass product. Pour it in a pothole, smooth it out with a hard rake, and drive on it. I am not easily impressed, but I am by this product. It looks alive when poured out, and tends to creep to a level state. I use it for our asphalt dock area paving at work. I buy it from Zoro.
http://www.zoro.com/perma-patch-permanent-pavement-repair-60-lb-bag-pp-60-c/i/G1088857/

Haha. The description for that reads like it is either concentrated magic in a bag, or something from another planet.

What does it look like when you pour it out? Is it sticky?

 

[TommyK]

Haha. The description for that reads like it is either concentrated magic in a bag, or something from another planet.

What does it look like when you pour it out? Is it sticky?

It is just cold patch. No magic.

 

[thickhead]

-Call your local asphalt plant to see if they are still open.
-Line a cooler with thick cardboard and ask them if you can fill it up.
-Go home and repair driveway
-Also get some emulsion to tack the edges.

 

[LB-1911]

What does it look like when you pour it out? Is it sticky?

 

[kgordon]

If you want to carry yourself to spring get some runner crush. Compact it really well and it will be solid. Shouldnt dig into it to much with the snow blower.

 

[Off-Street Parking]

Ok, can only do one picture at a time from the phone, so these will be spread across a few posts.

 

[Off-Street Parking]

(Photo 2)

 

[Off-Street Parking]

(Photo 3)

 

[OccupantRJ]

It works just as easily as that video. No special editing going on there. Instead of squishing out, it seems to more tightly lock itself in the hole as it is driven over.

 

[Off-Street Parking]

You can have calcium chloride added to the concrete to get it to set up quickly, we have poured in the middle of winter using a 2% mix and then covering with an insulation. The concrete will heat as it sets.

How cold can it be and still have a successful pour with the calcium chloride added? (And would it help to do it as two or three thinner layers over multiple days?)

I would probably lean toward a concrete patch if it was possible, for aesthetic reasons.

 

[BillK]

Just a thought ...... in some areas the part of your driveway that is busted (the apron) is actually county or city property and is their responsibility. You might want to call them and ask, it cant hurt anything. They might fix it for nothing.

When we put in a driveway at my first house, I had to put up a performance bond to insure that I would do the apron to the county specs. I was told the reason for the bond was that once I finished the apron was the counties responsibility as it was on their right of way.

If it is on you to fix I would just fill it with some cold patch till you can repour the whole thing in warm weather.

 

[tlmartin84]

With or without the calcium chloride it will be fine. As long as it has enough time to get the initial set usually a couple hours (basically when you can walk on it without prints) before it get below freezing you will be good.

Actually the thicker the better, the more concrete the bigger the chemical reaction, the more heat it will produce.

I wouldn't recommend this if it was a "permanent" pad, but for a patch it will suffice.

Unfortunately we have had several bridge decks freeze...........after we've cored them we still see strengths above the design. It just slows the curing and is slower to reach maximum strength. Typically if it does freeze the only issue you might have is a top layer flaking off.