June 11, 2012

National Asphalt Pavement Association conference in Cincinnati to highlight road innovation

OTTAWA

Innovations and sustainable practices in asphalt pavements are helping states and municipalities in the United States make the best use of each dollar during a time of tight budgets and uncertain economic outlooks, claims the National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA).

The 21st Century Asphalt Pavements technical conference, being held June 19–20 in Cincinnati, Ohio, will highlight ways contractors and road owners can apply innovations in asphalt pavement technologies to build better roads more economically.

The conference is organized by NAPA and the Federal Highway Administration in cooperation with several state asphalt pavement associations.

View Larger Map

Recycled materials — reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP), recycled asphalt shingles (RAS), ground tire rubber (GTR) — are increasingly being used to build and repair roadways. Now, however, the industry is using these materials in combination with warm-mix asphalt (WMA) to construct asphalt pavements that perform well, save money, and utilize sustainable practices. The session “Sustainability in Overdrive — Combining RAP, RAS, and WMA ... Oh and Rubber, Too!” will feature case studies, research reports, and best practices for using these materials and technologies together for gain maximum impact.

Speakers at the session include Texas DOT Materials Engineer Robert Lee, who will discuss state agency experiences combining RAP, RAS and warm-mix, and Dr. Buzz Powell P.E., who will outline results of research into RAP and WMA at the National Center for Asphalt Technology’s (NCAT) Pavement Test Track.

Later in the afternoon, the use of ground tire rubber will be explored by Samuel Cooper of the Louisiana Transportation Research Center.

Also on the agenda is a look at long-life asphalt pavements, also known as Perpetual Pavements. Dr. David Timm from NCAT and Dave Newcomb from the Texas Transportation Institute will look at the economic and technical considerations of pavements designed and built to provide smooth rides for decades with only routine maintenance. As part of the session, Robert Blight, materials project engineer with the New Jersey DOT, will share his state’s experiences with perpetual pavements.

DCN NEWS SERVICES

Print | Comment