In the United States, chipseals are typically used on rural roads carrying lower traffic volumes, and the process is often referred to as asphaltic surface treatment.
Chipseals are constructed by evenly distributing a thin base of hot tar, bitumen or asphalt onto an existing pavement and then embedding finely graded aggregate into it.
The aggregate is evenly distributed over the hot seal spray, then rolled into the bitumen using heavy rubber tired rollers creating a paved surface.
Chips precoated with about one percent bitumen have been used successfully to minimize aggregate loss and to give the surface a black look.
If not removed, this can cause safety and environmental problems such as cracked windshields, chipped paint, loss-of-control crashes (especially for motorcyclists, bicyclists and small trucks), and deposition of foreign material into drainage courses.
The chip seal matt surface handles thermal variation well and doesn't crack like asphalt roads.
[7] There is a considerable range in acoustical intensities produced depending upon the specific tire tread design and its interaction with the roadway surface type.