Cracking in asphalt/concrete is a phenomenon that pavement design and maintenance engineers have had to contend with for years. Fatigue cracking is the principal consideration in pavement maintenance. Cracks are inevitable, and neglect leads to accelerated cracking and/or potholing, further reducing pavement life and serviceability.

The problem of cracks is handled in many ways, ranging from pavement maintenance activities, such as surface treatments (seal coating or road slurry and hot rubberized crack sealing) to full-scale pavement rehabilitation projects, such as resurfacing. Maintenance departments/Property management companies bear most of the burden of dealing with cracks. Agencies with sufficient funding are often responsible for adding a few more years of serviceable life to deteriorated pavements, through preventative or routine maintenance, or both.

One of the more common options exercised by city or state maintenance departments is crack sealing. This operation has been conducted for many years, generally on a routine basis. However, only in the last two decades has its potential benefit as a preventive maintenance tool been realized.

Hot applied rubberized crack sealants should not be confused with cold applied Latex crack fillers that are non-elastic. Due to their non-elastic nature, as seasonal temperatures change, causing the asphalt to expand and contract, these cold applied fillers will recrack prematurely causing further asphalt deterioration.