It is usually caused by fatigue in the pavement surface. As fatigue fractures develop they typically interlock in a pattern known as "alligator cracking". The chunks of pavement between fatigue cracks are worked loose and may eventually be picked out of the surface by continued wheel loads, thus forming a pothole.
[Continuing discussion]
Ice wedging, maybe? Water freezes and expands in cracks, weakening the road. The process repeats itself, and soon the street cannot withstand its own weight.
ice wedging
Ice wedging is not a common cause of potholes in streets. Potholes are typically formed due to a combination of factors such as weathering, traffic, and poor road maintenance. Ice wedging primarily occurs in natural environments where water freezes and expands in cracks in rocks or soil.
Ice wedging causes potholes by expanding cracks in pavement when water seeps into them, freezes, and expands. This repeated cycle of freezing and thawing weakens the pavement, leading to the formation of potholes.
Freeze-thaw weathering is a common process that creates potholes. Water seeps into cracks in the road, freezes during cold weather, expands, and weakens the pavement material. This cycle of freezing and thawing causes the road surface to break up, leading to the formation of potholes.
The formation of potholes in streets during severe winters is primarily a mechanical process. It occurs when water seeps into cracks in the pavement, freezes, expands, and then thaws, causing the pavement to crack and break apart. However, there can be some chemical processes involved, such as the impact of road salt on the pavement's deterioration.
Potholes and breaks in rocks from the freezing and thawing cycle are caused by water seeping into cracks in the rock, freezing and expanding, and then thawing and contracting. This repeated cycle weakens the rock and can eventually lead to the formation of potholes or breaks.
The formation of potholes in streets during severe winters is a result of physical weathering, specifically frost action. When water seeps into cracks in the pavement and freezes, it expands, putting stress on the pavement and causing it to crack and break apart. This process repeats with each freeze-thaw cycle, eventually leading to the formation of a pothole.
They are called potholes because a pot (cookware) has a big dent in it used for filling much like potholes in out roads. They are called potholes because a pot (cookware) has a big dent in it used for filling much like potholes in out roads.
Potholes in My Lawn was created in 1988.
about 100,000 are caused yearly by potholes
Potholes in limestone regions are typically formed by the chemical weathering process known as carbonation. Rainwater combines with carbon dioxide in the atmosphere to form weak carbonic acid, which dissolves the limestone and creates cavities. Over time, the weakening limestone is further eroded by abrasion from sediment carried by water, eventually creating potholes.
Freeze/thaw cycle doesn't create potholes. It creates cracks on pavement. Potholes form when water, whether from melting snow, rain or frost thawing gets into the cracks in the pavement and cause the road base to shift and develop voids just under the pavement. When this occurs, the weight of vehicles causes the pavement to crumble causing potholes.