Upcoming Webinar on Forensic Evaluation and Pavement Performance April 15, 2022 - The Washington State Department of Transportation will host the virtual webinar, “Forensic Evaluations: Listen to What Our Pavements are Telling Us” on Wednesday, April 20 from 12:30 – 1:30 p.m. Central.
Through the federal Long-Term Pavement Performance (LTTP) program, data collected on pavement sections removed from service have helped explain how and why the pavements performed as they did. This webinar will discuss the history of the LTTP program, its evolution to become a current pooled fund study and what insights the data have provided.
Learn more and register.
Florida Develops Guidance for Pavement Blisters April 5, 2022 - Blisters, or bulges of an asphalt pavement’s surface, sometimes occur when moisture becomes trapped between layers of asphalt. However, a variety of environmental, material and other factors contribute to whether blisters appear and how severely they form, making them a challenge to predict and study.
To better understand why blisters occur and how they affect the pavement’s service life and ongoing maintenance needs, the Florida Department of Transportation compared five segments of the same road project with and without blisters. The research resulted in recommended paving strategies to keep these distresses from forming, as well as guidance for repairing blistered pavements.
Read the research summary: Evaluation of Roadway Worms/Distortions, February 2022.
Indiana Develops Tests for Asphalt Marking Materials and Adhesives March 29, 2022 - To identify which pavement marking materials work best on asphalt surfaces in the Midwest, the Joint Transportation Research Program—a collaboration between Indiana DOT and Purdue University—developed and assessed a variety of new testing methods and protocols.
Designed to assess a range of properties, such as elasticity, durability and bond to the pavement, the tests can help maintenance crews identify tapes and thermoplastics that are likely to adhere well to pavements and withstand extreme temperature fluctuations.
Read the report: Mechanical Properties of Durable Pavement Marking Materials and Adhesion on Asphalt Surfaces, October 2021
Recorded Webinar Showcases California’s Highway Maintenance Research March 25, 2022 - Earlier this month, California Department of Transportation’s Division of Research, Innovation and System Information (DRISI) presented an hour-long webinar on two recently initiated research studies related to highway maintenance.
The webinar featured presentations from both projects’ researchers, who discussed the goals and anticipated outcomes of their work.
First, Dr. Bahram Ravani from the University of California, Davis described how his team is developing a new maintenance prioritization tool, using project location, activity type and other considerations to determine risk. The tool is intended to improve highway workers’ safety while increasing the efficiency of maintenance work.
Next, Dr. Simon Bisrat, who manages the DRISI Environmental Impact Mitigation Research Program, described the cost-effective mitigation strategies that can be integrated with existing highway infrastructure to allow sensitive wildlife like amphibians and reptiles to cross safely.
Learn more about both projects by watching the recording on YouTube: Mitigating Safety Risks and Environmental Impacts, March 2022.
No Boundaries Member States Recognized Nationally for Innovation March 15, 2022 - The March/April 2022 issue of Innovator, the Federal Highway Administration’s bimonthly newsletter, showcased a number of exciting innovations from No Boundaries member states.
Connecticut and New York State DOTs were highlighted for their work to advance the use of ultra-high performance concrete for bridge repairs. Texas DOT won a 2021 National Roadway Safety Award for its Safety Scoring Tool, which uses predictive technology to show the outcomes of a project’s design before ground is even broken. And Colorado, Missouri and Texas DOTs were recognized for their use of State Transportation Innovation Council funds for a wide array of time- and cost-saving initiatives.
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Maintenance Sessions and Papers for 2022 TRB Meeting March 9, 2022 - No Boundaries has published a listing of technical sessions and papers related to maintenance for the 2022 Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting. The compendium includes each poster and lectern session's title, authors, identification number, and a link to find the work on TRB's Online Program portal. Note: TRB requires a login to access full papers. If you are having trouble accessing the papers, check with your DOT or other transportation library.
Download the compendium: 2022 TRB Annual Meeting: Technical Sessions and Papers Related to Maintenance.
Webinar to Help States Assess Condition of Low-Speed Roads March 3, 2022 - The Transportation Research Board will host the virtual webinar, “How Rough is Your Pavement? Measuring Pavement Profiles for Low-Speed Roads” on Tuesday, March 22 from 2:00 – 3:30 p.m. Eastern.
States are required to calculate road roughness as part of the federal Highway Performance Monitoring System, but unique features of low-speed and urban roads can make these difficult to assess. To help states with their estimates, this program will discuss the challenges and best practices for collecting accurate data.
Learn more and register.
Tennessee Develops Plan to Restore Pollinator Habitats Along State Highways February 23, 2022 - To help restore the state’s native ecosystems and pollinator habitats, the Tennessee Department of Transportation initiated a research project to plot a roadmap for short- and long-term conservation along the state’s highways.
Researchers located and documented remnants of grasslands in the right of way, identified maintenance strategies for these sensitive areas and installed a highly visible prairie restoration project to increase public awareness.
Read the report: Developing a Plan to Restore and Enhance Native Habitats for Pollinators Along Tennessee’s Interstate and Highway Systems, September 2021
Ohio Assesses Resurfacing Mix Designs Made With Recycled Asphalt February 15, 2022 - Given Ohio’s significant recycled asphalt pavement stockpiles, the Ohio Department of Transportation wanted to determine whether the supply could be used in place of traditional virgin aggregates for chip seals and other pavement preservation techniques.
Researchers developed custom mix designs and tested the mixes’ performance in the field. They found that recycled content can be a suitable alternative to new materials, and may save costs as well as conserve natural resources.
Read the report: Design of Microsurfacing and Chip Seal Mixes with RAP for Local Roadway Application, August 2021.
Florida Improves Accuracy of Macrotexture Assessments February 8, 2022 - Adding macrotexture, or grooves, to pavements improves traction by helping water drain from roadways. However, as the macrotexture changes over time it can become less effective, so measuring and monitoring macrotexture is critical.
While the Florida Department of Transportation has successfully used point-laser systems to assess the macrotexture of the state’s asphalt pavements, the strategy has not produced as reliable results for concrete. To improve the accuracy of measures taken for both types of pavements, researchers tested line-laser systems in the lab the and the field.
Read the summary: Macrotexture Assessment of Florida Pavements, December 2021