Some of the most useful information about asphalt pavement costs nothing to uncover. It’s visible on the road surface, waiting to be read.
In his CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2026 session, Asphalt Pavement Forensics, Buzz Powell, Technical Director at the Asphalt Pavement Alliance, will focus on practical ways to spot distress early, even when time and resources are limited. The goal is to interpret pavement conditions before overlay decisions are locked in, rather than after problems arise.
“There’s a lot you can learn about a roadway that won’t cost you anything.”p>
Buzz Powell
Asphalt Pavement Alliance
Why Surface Clues Matter
Overlay failures often trace back to conditions that existed long before paving began. When deeper structural problems go undetected, surface treatments may perform well initially but remain vulnerable to conditions that expose the underlying issues.
This is where early observation becomes critical. Instead of focusing only on how much cracking is present, contractors can learn to look at where distress appears, how it aligns and whether it is isolated or widespread.
“When you look at a road and see what type of cracking it has, where the cracks are located and how they’re aligned, that’s giving you clues,” Buzz shares.
Those clues can help determine whether preservation strategies are appropriate or whether additional investigation may be needed before committing to an overlay.
When Preservation Treatments Are Vulnerable
Buzz points to pavement preservation research conducted at the National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT) to illustrate what can happen when surface treatments are applied over existing structural cracking.
On Lee Road 159 in Alabama, multiple preservation treatments were installed on adjacent test sections and monitored over time as part of NCAT’s Pavement Preservation Group Study, conducted in partnership with the Minnesota Road Research Project (MnROAD) and funded by state DOTs, FHWA and industry partners.
“We already had structural cracking in place, and we intentionally didn’t repair it,” Buzz explains. “We wanted to see how quickly it would come back.”
After heavy rainfall saturated the pavement foundation, water began pumping up through existing cracks. Some sections lost bond and failed, while others remained intact, reinforcing the risk of relying solely on surface treatments when deeper problems are present.
This case study reinforces a key lesson Buzz will expand upon in his session: when structural cracking is present, overlays and preservation treatments may perform well initially, but they’re vulnerable to conditions that expose what’s happening below.
Tools That Support Better Decisions
For teams focused on long-term pavement management, Buzz will highlight how standardized tools can help create more consistent assessments across projects and over time.
“The Long-Term Pavement Performance Distress Identification Manual helps compartmentalize data and differentiate between structural and functional distress,” he notes. “It’s especially useful for agencies and owners building datasets.”
Buzz will also discuss how contractors and owners can apply these evaluation methods in different project settings, and how consistent assessments can support clearer communication and more informed treatment decisions.
“You don’t have to close the road, and you don’t have to spend a lot of money,” he says. “There’s a lot you can learn about a roadway that won’t cost you anything.”
Attendees will leave with practical references and free tools they can use to apply surface-level observations more effectively in the field, helping reduce surprises and improve overlay performance.
Don’t miss your chance to see Buzz share practical ways both contractors and agencies/owners can identify early pavement distress, interpret surface clues and make informed overlay decisions before problems surface at the CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2026 session, Asphalt Pavement Forensics. Seats are limited, so register today.
Save 10% off show admission with promo code: WEB10.
Photo credit: SHUTTERSTOCK/SODEL VLADYSLAV
