Heavy Frost Damage to Driveways

Causes

• The main cause of frost damage to a concrete driveway involves ground heaving. The soil beneath your driveway rises up vertically when ice forms in the soil and attracts moisture from the surrounding area, says the National Research Council Canada. This creates an ice lens that exerts enough force to lift and crack sections of the driveway. Recently poured concrete becomes damaged when the water in the concrete freezes. This causes surface crumbling called spalling.

Considerations

• Soil that stays dry won't cause as much frost damage to a driveway. Soils with high clay or silt contents swell the most when frost occurs, according to the City of Calgary Department of Transportation. Creating a deep bed of gravel or sand beneath the driveway helps limit frost heaving damage. The soil far beneath the driveway will still heave, but the materials between the driveway and the soil absorb this pressure and prevent large cracks from occurring.

Treatment

• Replacement remains your only option once the driveway is badly cracked or spalling from heavy frost damage. Cutting or chiseling out the effected sections allow for patching, says the City of Calgary Department of Transportation. In most cases, you'll need to install some kind of drainage or other preventative measure. The frost damage may occur under the rest of the driveway the next winter if you don't install these materials. Light spalling weakens the surface of the driveway but responds well to surface patching without concrete removal.

Prevention

• Installing special drainage pipes, including perforated PVC, drains water away from the soil below the driveway. This lowers the amount of frost that forms each winter and limits heaving damage from frost. Sealing the control joints or large cracks in your driveway each year with caulk also helps, according to Hearthstone Homes. This practice prevents water from soaking through the driveway through the cracks or joints. Sealing the driveway surface so it is less porous cuts down on water transmission as well.