Crumbling driveway and full-length cracks.

[Crimea]

What is best way to repair multiple potholes and full-length (left to right) cracks that have opened up in a driveway?

The depth of the holes is 2 - 5 cm and the largest hole is about 25cm by 50cm. Both cracks have propagated to the brick decorative wall, though the cracks have been stable for years and the wall is stable, but the driveway base is really brittle around the holes and breaking up. Most of the driveway is perfectly sound however - scraping with a trowel barely makes a mark. I hope the photos show the problem.

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• Crimea
• 1 Sep 2014
• 1

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• Crimea
• 1 Sep 2014
• 1

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• Crimea
• 1 Sep 2014
• 1

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• Crimea
• 1 Sep 2014
• 1

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• Crimea
• 1 Sep 2014
• 1

There's a gentle slope (where car is parked) and steep slope up to it, from the tarmac public pavement. If you look at the fence behind, it looks steeper than it is.

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• Crimea
• 1 Sep 2014
• 1

I think I might also need to break up the corner section by the garage door and re-do it.

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• Crimea
• 1 Sep 2014
• 1

I wish I could have the drive relaid, but it's too much at the moment. I can live with the mild crumbling at the front, but the large potholes collect water and when it freezes, it probably causes greater damage. One of the potholes has reached the concrete base beneath the driveway, which you might be able to see in one of the photos.

I've had a search of the forum, so I don't waste anyone's time, but feel I might need some specific advice, such as how to patch the holes for now.

I'd appreciate some advice. Cheers.

 

[ree]

The problem appears to be essentially that there are no movement/expansion joints esp. at the garage threshold and footpath, and no expansion gaps along the edges.

This driveway appears to be a one slab pour with exposed aggregate added. Why do you say that there is concrete base below - are you saying that this is a topping or a screed?

Use a stihl saw to cut out the potholes and provide expansion rips. Remove all broken bits and re-instate with a dry pack.

 

[Crimea]

It certainly looks like the current driveway surface was added to an existing concrete one - it definitely feels like concrete underneath and sounds like it when scraped. Apologies - the original photos weren't clear.

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• Crimea
• 3 Sep 2014
• 1

I can't cut out any sections using a circular saw as it's a bit beyond my capabilities and I wasn't wanting the added expense of hiring a tool. Can the potholes simply be filled, once the loose debris is cleared?

 

[ree]

You are correct, there is concrete below the top driveway.

You can clean up the holes and cracks, and prep with a slurry of S&C, then fill with a dry pack of S&C. Or google bitumen liquid and "putty" seals.

The repairs wont last but, depending on usage, you might get a year or two before crack movements from the lower slab disturbs the wear surface.

 

[Crimea]

Sorry for my ignorance.

Is your advice to apply a 'wet' mix of sand & cement (ready-mix bag maybe) to the cleaned surface of the potholes, but not fill them entirely, and then once set, wet the new concrete surfaces and fill the remaining voids with a dry mix, which I would sprinke with water?

Before I decided to ask for some pro advice, I was considering Lafarge High Strength Concrete (40N). Am I on the right lines here?
http://www.trade-point.co.uk/building-materials/lafarge-high-strength-concrete-bag/135765_TP.prd

I was thinking of opening up the two side-to-side cracks with a chisel and using the same concrete, but I like the idea of a putty or concrete sealant, applied with a caulking gun. I found this US site:
www.todayshomeowner.com/video/how-to-caulk-and-seal-cracks-in-concrete-driveways/