National Center for Asphalt Technology experiment applies diverse preservation treatments to dozens of short adjoining strips of a county road
The application of diverse pavement surface treatments to multiple, short sections on a county road as part of a research project is expected to provide important information for transportation officials and others interested in extending the service life of the nation’s streets and highways.
The logistically challenging treatment applications to contiguous sections of the county road were conducted as part of a Preservation Group experiment by Auburn University’s National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT).
Contractors East Alabama Paving , Strawser Construction Inc., and Vance Brothers Inc. applied various treatments to 25 100-foot test sections on Lee (County) Road 159 in Alabama. In addition, a triple chip seal, rejuvenating fog seal and FiberMat with lightweight aggregate were applied to NCAT’s pavement test track. The group experiment is included in NCAT’s 2012 Pavement Test Track – the organization’s fifth research cycle. This is the first experiment to include a formal pavement preservation study, and is also the first time that off-track sections are being used for NCAT research.
NCAT’s undertaking of a formal pavement preservation experiment reflects a significant shift in philosophy by state departments of transportation, the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), from one of letting road pavements deteriorate to the point where they require reconstruction, to one that emphasizes keeping the nation’s good roads and bridges good.
