Observations and Recommendations Accelerated Pavement Testing & Equipment

AAPA 2010 Study Tour – Accelerated Pavement Testing & Equipment

Observations and Recommendations

Accelerated PavementTesting & Equipment


UC Pavement Research CentreUC Pavement Research Centre

UCPRC HVS with climate control*

UCPRC Wheel loading test section*

UCPRC Test section with HVS in the background*

UCPRC Indoor testing facility at Davis*

*Photos: MG Henderson


R&D ProgramsR&D Programs

• UCPRC areas of researchPavement Preservation Quiet Pavements Pavement Construction Practices Mechanistic-Empirical Design Long-life Pavements Pavement Recycling and Sustainability Development of a Caltrans Pavement Management

System o Pavement Smoothness

AAPA 2010 Study Tour – Accelerated Pavement Testing & Equipment www.aapa.asn.au

Turner-Fairbank Highway Research CentreTurner-Fairbank Highway Research Centre



• TFHRC strategies Durable Infrastructure SystemsPerformance-Based SpecificationsComprehensive and Integrated Infrastructure

Asset Management Long-Term Infrastructure PerformanceEnvironmentally Sensitive Highway Infrastructureo Accelerated Highway Construction


NCAT - National Centre for Asphalt NCAT - National Centre for Asphalt TechnologyTechnology


National Centre for Asphalt TechnologyNational Centre for Asphalt Technology



• NCAT focus areas for research are:Sustainable pavementsM-E pavement design calibration Perpetual pavement designPorous friction courses mixesLab tests for predicting performancePavement frictiono Pavement reflectivity


NCAT current research objectivesNCAT current research objectives

• Performance Graded Binder validation• Perpetual pavement concepts• M-E design validation/ calibration• Durability of coarse gravel mix• Performance of various

o Asphalt gradings including Superpaveo Polymer modified binderso Warm Mix additives in mixeso Types of aggregates used in SMAo Drainable mixeso RAP asphalts


Tour of LaboratoriesTour of Laboratories

• University of California Pavement Research Center (UCPRC)

• Federal Highway Administration Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Centre (FHWA)

• National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT)


Simple Shear TesterSimple Shear Tester


Gyratory CompactorGyratory Compactor


Rolling Wheel CompactionRolling Wheel Compaction


4 Point Bending Fatigue Test4 Point Bending Fatigue Test


Hamburg Wheel Track TestHamburg Wheel Track Test


Asphalt Pavement AnalyserAsphalt Pavement Analyser

Rut test on cores


AMPT - Asphalt Mix Performance AMPT - Asphalt Mix Performance TesterTester


AMPT

• AMPT measuresoDynamic modulusoFlow numberoFlow time

1. Place sample in chamber

2. Mount strain transducers

3. Commence testing


Device to test bond between layersDevice to test bond between layers

Layer bond shear strength test


1. APT demonstrated as a valuable tool to obtain

research results within short time frames.

2. Means to rapidly calibrate design models

accommodating new concepts (FEL) and varying

material types allowing early adoption of cost

effective solutions.

www.aapa.asn.au

Observations – APT&EObservations – APT&E


3. Facility cost is high to establish & operate but results provide major financial benefits in selection and design of expensive pavements

4. Success achieved through collaborative research effort between industry, test equipment & materials suppliers, road authorities, consultants and academia. Funds drawn from authorities and product developers.

www.aapa.asn.au

Observations – APT&EObservations – APT&E


1. Stronger relationship be established between Australian APT and United States APT groups.

2. Materials should be tested by NCAT for Accelerated Pavement Testing to calibrate USA performance data to local pavements and environmental effects.

3. Expand APT in AU to understand performance of lighter pavement structures for higher performance & higher mass vehicles.

www.aapa.asn.au

Recommendations – APT&ERecommendations – APT&E


4. Promote greater participation by industry by providing local benefits from APT in advanced materials development opportunities.

5. Embark on a program to link the field and laboratory engineering related performance data through the use of up-to-date test equipment.

www.aapa.asn.au

Recommendations – APT&ERecommendations – APT&E

Documents

Observations and Recommendations Accelerated Pavement Testing & Equipment