Resealing concrete pavement joints is a common pavement maintenance activity. Joint sealants reduce the amount of water entering the pavement
structure and prevent incompressible materials from filling the joints. Water entering the pavement structure can lead to pumping, faulting, base and subbase erosion, and loss of support. Incompressibles can cause joint spalling, blowups, buckling, and slab shattering. To address the deficiencies in current joint resealing materials, designs, and practices, the Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) sponsored the most extensive joint seal investigation ever undertaken. Between April and June 1991, 1,600 joints were resealed at 5 test sites using 12 sealant materials and 4 methods of installation. For 82 months, field performance data on the different sealants and installation methods were collected at each site.