Portuguese 
English 
Spanish 
3 min of reading 
0 comments 
Technology Adopted by Cities in the United States Allows Specialized Truck to Operate with Only One Worker and Reach Up to 146 Potholes Repaired Daily, Using Heated Asphalt and Reopening Traffic in About Two Minutes After Each Road Intervention
In the United States, cities have started using the Cimline P5 truck to repair potholes on streets, achieving up to 146 daily repairs with heated asphalt and reopening traffic in just two minutes after each application.
The adoption of the equipment occurs in response to the large volume of potholes recorded on American urban roads. Operated by only one person, the system uses specific technology to speed up the maintenance process and reduce disruptions in traffic.
Technology Allows Potholes to Be Filled in Just Two Minutes
The Cimline P5 truck uses DuraPatcher technology to quickly repair potholes. The system applies heated pulverized asphalt directly to the damaged area, allowing the repair to be completed in about two minutes.
-
Motorola launched the Signature with a gold seal from DxOMark, tying with the iPhone 17 Pro in camera performance, Snapdragon 8 Gen 5 that surpassed 3 million in benchmarks, and a zoom that impresses even at night.
-
Satellites reveal beneath the Sahara a giant river buried for thousands of kilometers: study shows that the largest hot desert on the planet was once traversed by a river system comparable to the largest on Earth.
-
Scientists have captured something never seen in space: newly born stars are creating gigantic rings of light a thousand times larger than the distance between the Earth and the Sun, and this changes everything we knew about stellar birth.
-
Geologists find traces of a continent that disappeared 155 million years ago after separating from Australia and reveal that it did not sink, but broke into fragments scattered across Southeast Asia.
After the sealant and aggregate material are applied, the road can be immediately reopened to traffic. The operational speed has elevated the daily average of repaired potholes from 20 to 146, representing a sevenfold increase in productivity.
The equipment is already in operation in the state of Texas. Authorities in the city of Akron, Ohio, have classified the method as a permanent solution to the ongoing problems of potholes on streets.
According to Anthony Dolly, deputy public works director of Akron, the material has greater durability, reducing the need for new repairs after three to six months.
How the DuraPatcher System Works in Pothole Repair
The DuraPatcher design includes a large nozzle connected to an Isuzu truck fueled with asphalt emulsion similar to tar. The material is heated before being applied directly to the potholes.
The process occurs in three stages. First, the nozzle is positioned between 23 and 30 centimeters from the pothole, while a compressor uses high-speed air to remove water and debris.
In the second stage, the heated emulsion stored in a 300-gallon tank is sprayed on the sides and bottom of the cavity. Then, a layer of dry aggregate is applied to prevent tires from coming into contact with the still-sticky material.
The truck has a Tier 4 Final auxiliary engine with 74 hp and a blower of 450 CFM. The structure is mounted on an Isuzu chassis with an Allison 2500 six-speed transmission and a GVWR of 33,000 lb.
According to the manufacturer Cimline, the vehicle can carry approximately 10 tons of material, allowing it to repair multiple potholes over a single day of operation.
Simplified Operation Reduces Costs and Worker Exposure
The operators control the system via a joystick with four colored buttons installed in the cabin. Digital screens display operational data, measurement levels, total number of potholes repaired, and operating hours.
The need for only one operator reduces operational costs for local governments. The model also decreases the presence of workers near traffic and reduces the use of additional machinery during repairs.
This feature has been identified as an additional safety factor compared to traditional methods used for road maintenance.
High Cost and Technical Challenges Still Limit Expansion
Despite the results, the cost of acquisition remains an obstacle. Municipal authorities in Akron reported an investment of US$ 300,000 per unit, having acquired two trucks for operation on the city’s streets.
Reports from observers indicate that the system may have difficulties leveling the surface completely after filling in the potholes, resulting in ripples and small bumps.
There is still no confirmation whether the truck will become a widely adopted solution across the country. Expansion occurs as the United States faces an estimated presence of about 55 million accumulated potholes on its urban roads.
Seja o primeiro a reagir!