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Using Asphalt Modifiers to Enhance Pavement Performance

As technologies continue to develop and progress, how do transportation personnel know what’s available on the market and how each option works? Available modifiers are performance driven and fall into the following categories: chemical (anti-strips, warm mix), rejuvenators (crude oil, corn oil), recycled (ground tire rubber), polymers (latex, elastomers) and mixture (fibers, lime).

St Johns County Sheriff's Office Training Complex

Completed project overview of St Johns County Sheriff’s Office Training Complex in St. Augustine, Florida. Paving of three parking lots, entrance road and county road, 33 sq. yard test track. Watch a short video overview of the completed project here!

Help! What's Wrong with my Pavement? (And What Do I Do About It?)

Your pavement (roads and parking lots) is one of your property’s largest expenses. Did you know there are ways to extend the life of this asset, saving you thousands of dollars? Learn different solutions to fix pavement deficiencies and how to discuss options with contractors. Having a proper maintenance plan in place is vital to the safety and aesthetics of your roads and/or parking lots. You can check out our short animated video with helpful tips here!

QC Manager Class Dates

July 8 – 9

August 19 – 20

September 23 – 24

October 21 – 22

November 18 – 19

December 15 – 16

FAA Airfield Paving: Flexible Pavement P-401 changes

Trying to sift through pages and pages of specifications to find the updates can be a daunting task, but our team has you covered! In this session attendees will review differences between AC-150-5370-10 and AC-150-5370-10H. Our instructor will review Part 6 (Flexible Pavements) and focus on P-401 and P-403 which are most common in Florida. We will also touch on P-404 (fuel resistant) under Part 6. Attendees will also learn about the updates in Part 8 (Surface Treatment) including P-632 (Rejuvenation).

The Future of Balanced Mix Design & Asphalt Performance Testing

Learn what the future of mix design looks like for your state by reviewing the concepts of NAPA’s Balanced Mix Design and FHWA’s Performance Related Specifications.

With so many new variables in binder and mixtures to consider, such as higher RAP, asphalt rejuvenators and polymers, selecting the correct test(s) and interpreting the results are more important than ever. Implementing asphalt performance testing will not only apply to mix designs but will also open possibilities for more innovation in asphalt binder and mixture modifiers.

This presentation will cover the most common performance tests involved in balance mix design, such as Hamburg Wheel Tracking and I-FIT tests, best practices involving sample preparation and compare traditional volumetric design with balanced mix design. Current asphalt specifications and implementation will also be discussed.

Discover what the next steps are and how to prepare for your future with balanced mix design.

Mixture & Binder Additives - What Are They and Do I Need Them?

Due to the increase in asphalt modifiers available in the market, how do I know what I need and if I am getting what I asked for? How do different additives perform? What do I need to know about testing them?

Most commonly, when modifiers are discussed in the asphalt industry, they are referring to asphalt binder modifiers. These modifiers can be a range of polymers, chemical additives, organic materials, softening agents, asphalt rejuvenators, etc. Each category contains an endless line of products.

Modifiers are not isolated to the asphalt binder – mixtures are being modified as well. An ideal asphalt mixture modifier will focus on improved resistance to rutting and cracking. Some of these modifiers fall in the categories of fibers, treated plastics, fillers and recycled materials.

Learn about these different types of modifiers, some of the common tests to evaluate them and the benefits they bring during production and paving. Also hear about a few projects that attribute to their successes to mixtures containing modifiers.

Pavement Preservation - A Facelift for Pavements

Want to know how to extend the life of your pavement with less costly processes than a traditional “mill and fill?” It’s all about applying the right treatment to the right place at the right time to save or delay future expenditures. Pavement preservation increases the average condition of pavement while decreasing the average spending. It is a cost-effective, “green” way to maintain our roads’ integrity and longevity. Roads are a capital asset in which we must take a proactive approach to protect.

Learn about a typical pavement lifecycle deterioration curve and the different treatments used to preserve it before it hits the point of accelerated deterioration. While no pavement preservation specifications are currently owned by the FDOT, the Florida Pavement Preservation Council (FPPC) partnered with them to write asphalt specifications that can be applied to city and county roads.

QC & QA Basics and Importance

Asphalt Quality Control is the system used by a contractor to monitor, test and make adjustments to their production and placement processes as needed to ensure the final product will meet defined asphalt specifications. It is a process that helps a company ensure it creates quality products and that its staff and management alike make minimal mistakes. Training and goals help a company achieve high quality. Quality Assurance is planned and continued actions and observations to provide confidence that a product or facility will perform up to the required standards in service. It’s a system process for failure prevention which ensures that the final deliverable product or service is error free or within limits. It’s a process to audit the asphalt quality control measurements against the requirements. If they match up, then the quality assurance process is considered successful. Both systems are vital to the success of any asphalt production and paving project.

Learn the “accountability chart” to define roles of quality assurance and understand the responsibilities of each role during a project. Discuss the elements involved with these concepts such as agency acceptance, dispute resolutions and independent assurance, and discuss the top causes of poor pavement performance. Understanding the causes of poor performance is the first step in making the necessary adjustments for improvement.

The Evolution and Changes of Superpave Asphalt

First there was Hubbard Field, then Hveem and then Marshall mix design. Today we follow the Superpave system. Superpave mix design was developed to create a performance-based asphalt binder and asphalt mixture specification. While the binder performance-based specification took shape in the form of the PG specification (AASHTO M 320), the performance-based mix design system turned out to be more complex than anticipated and a volumetric mix design system was implemented as AASHTO M 323.

Over time with experience and technology, each state has modified or adjusted the specifications for AASHTO M 320 and M 323.

Learn about the differences how the Superpave system is used with the different AASHTO specifications released. Where is Superpave going and what is with balanced mix design, Superpave5 and low air void mixtures?

100% RAP Roads - Truth or Dare

Asphalt is 100% recyclable and the United States’ most recycled product. Reclaimed Asphalt Pavement (RAP) is produced when an old road is ground up by a milling machine. These millings or RAP is then saved, brought back to an asphalt plant and recycled into future asphalt mixtures. The majority of the asphalt mixtures around the country use RAP, averaging just over 20% by weight of the aggregate.

Depending on the state, location and placement of mixture, different percentages of RAP are accepted in asphalt mix designs. With the availability of softer asphalt binders and the increased use of asphalt rejuvenators, just how much RAP can we use in our asphalt mixes; can we use 100% RAP to produce an acceptable pavement? Does anyone currently approve a 100% RAP mix design for a surface mixture?

Discuss what components must be considered to ensure a smooth, long-lasting ride when using a 100% RAP mixture.

Affiliates and Associations

Affiliates and Associations