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November 2004
Mn/ROAD highlighted at international pavement testing conference
The Mn/ROAD test facility
Interest in accelerated pavement testing (APT) has grown in recent years. The testing, which applies wheel loads in a compressed time period, provides a shortcut for evaluating potential materials, designs, and features.
Researchers and practitioners from around the world heard the latest APT news and findings at the Second International Conference on Accelerated Pavement Testing, held September 26–29 in Minneapolis. Organized under the auspices of the Transportation Research Board, the conference was sponsored by Mn/DOT, CTS, and a number of organizations from across the nation.
In the opening plenary session, conference co-chair Ben Worel of Mn/DOT presented a summary of and future plans for the Minnesota Road Research (Mn/ROAD) test facility. Several of the concurrent sessions featured Mn/ROAD research:
- "Low Temperature Cracking Study at Mn/ROAD," Xue Li, Department of Civil Engineering (CE), University of Minnesota
- "Determination of HMA Modulus Values for Use in Mechanistic- Empirical Pavement Design," Timothy Clyne, CE
- "Mn/ROAD Automated Laser Profile System ("ALPS")," Ben Worel, Mn/DOT
- "Mn/ROAD Mainline Rutting Forensic Investigation," Ronald Mulvaney, Mn/DOT
- "Mn/ROAD Mainline 2003 Maintenance Activities for Hot Mix Asphalt Test Cells," William Zerfas, Mn/DOT
The conference also included a field trip to the Mn/ROAD site, one of the most sophisticated, independently operated pavement testing facilities of its type in the world. For information about Mn/ROAD, visit the Mn/ROAD Web site.
The University was represented on the conference technical advisory committee by Lev Khazanovich, Mihai Marasteanu, and Gene Skok of Civil Engineering, and Erland Lukanen of the Pavement Research Institute (related news), a joint program of CE and CTS.