Innovations in Asphalt Help Stretch Paving Dollars

21st Century Asphalt Pavements Conference in Cincinnati will highlight experiences with pavement preservation, recycled materials and Perpetual Pavement.

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Innovations and sustainable practices in asphalt pavements are helping states and municipalities make the best use of each dollar during a time of tight budgets and uncertain economic outlooks. 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 the National Asphalt Pavement Association and the Federal Highway Administration in cooperation with several state asphalt pavement associations.

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 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.

The 21st Century Asphalt Pavements technical conference is being held at the Hilton Cincinnati Netherland Plaza June 19–20, and attendees can earn up to 7.5 professional development hours (PDHs) during the meeting. For additional information and the full program schedule, or to register, visit asphaltpavement.org.

 

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