When replacing pavement over a trench, what is meant by 'overcutting'?

When replacing pavement over a trench, what is meant by 'overcutting'?

• A. The paving is cut outside the ditch line by a few inches
• B. The paving is cut inside the ditch line by a few inches
• C. The paving is not cut
• D. The paving is cut along the ditch line

Answer: (A)

Overcutting means extending the cut beyond the trench boundary onto the undisturbed pavement by a few inches. This extra width provides a clean, stable edge for bonding and proper compaction when the new pavement is placed, helping to avoid edge pull-out or weak joints at the trench line. Cutting inside the ditch line would remove essential support right at the trench, making the patch harder to compact and bond. Not cutting at all or cutting exactly along the ditch line wouldn’t give the necessary margin for a solid transition between old and new pavement.

Overcutting means extending the cut beyond the trench boundary onto the undisturbed pavement by a few inches. This extra width provides a clean, stable edge for bonding and proper compaction when the new pavement is placed, helping to avoid edge pull-out or weak joints at the trench line. Cutting inside the ditch line would remove essential support right at the trench, making the patch harder to compact and bond. Not cutting at all or cutting exactly along the ditch line wouldn’t give the necessary margin for a solid transition between old and new pavement.