Minnesota Department of Transportation

511 Travel Info

Road Research

Research Topics

Orange barrels on a highway

Chip Seal

Chip seals apply a thin layer of asphalt and aggregate that seal the surface of an asphalt pavement. This protects the pavement from the effects of sun and water, increases skid resistance, fills small cracks and other surface defects. Chip seals extend the life of an asphalt pavement by 5 to 7 years and is a common preventive maintenance activity that involves spraying asphalt cement on the surface of existing pavement followed by the application of a cover agent.

Active Research

  • Pavement Marking Performance Under Challenging Pavement Surface Condition Chip & Seal Coat and Microsurfacing
  • Comparative Performance Study of Chip Seal and Bonded Wear Course Systems Applied to Bridge Decks and Approaches
  • Stripping of Hot Mixed Asphalt Pavements under Chip Seals

Materials

Tools

Contact

Jerry Geib, jerry.geib@state.mn.us

Thomas Wood, thomas.wood@state.mn.us