How Frozen Water Destroys Roads Every Winter

Added: 2026-05-28

[00:00:00]Winter can literally tear roads apart from the inside. Almost every road already contains tiny invisible cracks.

[00:00:07]When rain or melted snow enters those cracks, the real damage begins.

[00:00:12]Unlike most liquids, water expands when it freezes.

[00:00:16]As the ice expands, it pushes against the road with enormous force.

[00:00:20]Then temperatures rise, the ice melts, water goes deeper and freezes again.

[00:00:25]Eventually, heavy vehicles crush the weakened road into giant potholes.

[00:00:30]This freeze-thaw cycle damages millions of roads across the planet every single winter.

[00:00:36]So, the next time you hit a pothole, remember, it may have been created by frozen water slowly tearing the road apart.