Asphalt Testing Solutions & Engineering (ATS) and Duval Asphalt co-hosted a tour for members of the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) staff and Asphalt Contractors Association of Florida’s (ACAF) Executive Director Jim Warren at the end of July. FDOT members in attendance were FDOT Secretary Kevin Thibault, FDOT District 2 Secretary Greg Evans, FDOT Director of External Affairs Amanda Carpenter, FDOT Community Outreach Specialist Sara Pleasants and FDOT Legislative Affairs Director Jay Ferrin.
TJ Young, Duval Asphalt’s Production Manager, began the tour through the Duval Asphalt plant site. He explained the inner-workings of the plant and pointed out the control tower where production is run through state-of-the-art software. The group weaved through the plant and took notice of the reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) piles. Most of the asphalt mixtures produced at this plant contain the recycled material.
Steve McReynolds, ATS Director of Operations, continued the tour at the ATS lab. The group started in the quality control lab and moved to the asphalt binder testing lab. Tanya Nash, ATS Pavement Materials Engineer, introduced the group to the binder testing equipment and led them to the performance testing lab. Because ATS is housed on the Duval Asphalt production site, it can create “research asphalt mixtures” and run them through the plant to simulate realistic handling and sampling while testing or adjusting mix variables at any time.
The group was impressed with the facilities and capabilities both companies possess through the ultramodern equipment, such as the Asphalt Pavement Analyzer, and their efficient processes. Following the tour the group had a round-table discussion acknowledging industry updates and challenges.
Following the tour, Secretary Thibault spoke at the JAXUSA luncheon about the use of technology to increase safety, relieve congestion and create innovative transportation solutions.
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