The science behind how potholes form

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) - It’s that time of the year, pothole season, and one of the biggest causes for those pesky potholes is mother nature.

The science behind a pothole is pretty simple. Rain seeps into the cracks of the pavement, creating a void underneath. That water will freeze at 32° Fahrenheit. When it does, it expands, weakening the pavement above. Traffic consistently going over this void, underneath the concrete or blacktop, will weaken that pavement even more, and eventually, it collapses, creating a pothole.

“Any excessive moisture that could come from excessive rain contributes to the formation of potholes,” said Natasha Lacy of the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. “All it takes is a tiny crack in the pavement, or asphalt, or concrete, and for water to seep in, and a pothole begins to form.”

While we may see most of the potholes during this time of the year, it’s not uncommon for us to see them during other seasons.

However, there is some good news, thanks to science.

“We have done research that’s ongoing, testing, so we hope, in the future, perhaps there will be a material that will be able to be more sustainable,” said Lacy.

If you see a pothole, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet encourages you to report it.

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