Efficient Pothole Solutions

Potholes may seem insignificant to the average eye. Nothing more than a dip
in the road. However, potholes can cause major damage to one's vehicle. While the
driver and passengers do not feel anything except a jolt, excessive and deeper
potholes will eventually damage the car. This is why more efficient potholes
solutions are needed, as traditional solutions are inefficient and harmful to the
environment.
Traditionally, the city will block of the part of the street that is being
repaired. The potholes are then power washed to remove any loose material.
Trucks then dispense asphalt or a patch compound into them. The asphalt is then
packed into the pothole and left to dry. This traditional process comes with many
issues. First of all, blocking off the road for an extended period of time causes
traffic and detours. Power washing uses up water. Asphalt is nothing but cement
and sand, but some patch compounds are made of chemicals that can run off into
water supplies. In the end, the potholes reappear in a relatively short time period.
As one can see, traditional pothole repair is very inefficient and can be harmful to
the environment. With the issue addressed, solutions must also be addressed.
One solution is a cornstarch patch. Cornstarch is known to be used to
thicken soups in cooking. When mixed in roughly equal parts, where cornstarch
slightly outweighs the water, what is called a non-Newtonian fluid is created.
This is a substance that can act like a liquid and a solid. When cornstarch and water
are mixed together, they do just that. When left alone, it will act like a liquid. When
forced is placed upon the mixture, it can become rock solid, yet return to its liquid
state when left to rest. This mixture can then be placed in a reinforced elastic
plastic or rubber bag, and there is the patch. Ideally, the patch can be placed in any
pothole. It remains in its fluid state until it is driven over, where it goes solid and
provides a flat surface for the vehicle to remain in motion without any disturbance.
This solution is more environmentally aware because cornstarch is made of corn,
obviously, and corn is an easy crop to raise, grow, and harvest. However, these
cornstarch patches can only be used as a temporary fix.
Another solution is using microwaves to heat asphalt. The microwaves used
in repairing potholes are not the kitchen appliance, but the energy waves on the
electromagnetic spectrum. The electromagnetic spectrum ranges from low energy
radio waves to high energy gamma rays. In the electromagnetic spectrum, energy
waves are based on frequency, wavelength, and energy. Frequency is how many
waves are made within a certain time length. Wavelength is the distance between
the peaks of a series of waves. These factors are also in relation to each other. As
frequency increases, wavelength decreases, and energy increases. The waves used

in this new pothole process can heat recycled asphalt mixed with taconite. Taconite
easily absorbs microwaves. This process bonds the asphalt to the walls of the
pothole, guaranteeing a lasting repair. Another advantages this process has over
traditional pothole repair is that it is very fast and doesnt block up the road for an
extended period of time.
Potholes can be a menace, but new ideas are being made to combat them.
Fortunately, these new ideas are also better for the environment. In the end, that is
the goal, to better our society with the least impact on the world.