Conference Program – 13th International Conference on Concrete Pavements | Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA

Monday 26 Aug 2024
Tuesday 27 Aug 2024
Wednesday 28 Aug 2024

Monday 26 Aug 2024

Mon 8:00 am - 9:45 am

Keynote Lecture - Global Perspectives on Decarbonising the Whole Life Cycle of Concrete

Andrew Minson - Global Cement and Concrete AssociationGreat Northern

Andrew is Director of Concrete and Sustainable Construction at the Global Cement and Concrete Association (GCCA) where he is responsible for the global net zero delivery strategy, collaboration with multilateral government initiatives such as IEA, OECD, WEF and the UN high level Champions Breakthrough Agenda and developing coalitions to communicate the positive role concrete plays in delivering the UN sustainable development goals. Prior to joining GCCA he was responsible for The Concrete Centre in the UK – a cement and concrete industry funded organisation which worked with the design and construction community on why and how to use concrete for sustainable outcomes. Andrew graduated in Civil Engineering from University of Queensland before completing a DPhil at University of Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar. He enjoyed 10 years as an engineer with ARUP based in their London office working on architect led building projects around the world. He is active in the global Institution of Structural Engineers having served on both council and board.

Mon 8:00 am - 9:45 am

Closing, Orientation, and Housekeeping

Tom Burnham - 13th ICCP ChairGreat Northern

Mon 8:00 am - 9:45 am

10:15 am - 12:00 pm Session 1: Lower Carbon GREAT NORTHERN

Moderator: Jason Richins, Utah DOT

Lifecycle Assessment and Sensitivity Analysis of Roller Compacted Concrete, Plain Jointed Concrete, and Hot Mix Asphalt Pavements

Haoran LiGreat Northern

AUTHORS: Li, H.; Levin, J.R.; Azarijafari, H.; Gregory, J.; Kirchain, R.; Mack, J.W.; Zollinger, C.J.; and
Mahdi, M.

ABSTRACT: Transport is the second-largest contributor to global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Therefore, it is crucial to establish a benchmark for the carbon intensity of the road transportation sector. This assessment should encompass not only the impact of paving materials and road construction practice, but also consider the entire lifecycle of roads, including maintenance schedules and use phase. Roller-Compacted Concrete Pavements (RCCPs) have gained popularity in low-traffic roads, expected to offer a similar lifespan and maintenance requirement as jointed plain concrete pavement (JPCP). However, they are constructed with different equipment, lower cement content, and different mix proportions, and lack steel reinforcement. Due to the lack of sufficient field data and analytical models, RCCPs’ long-term performance and environmental impact are not well studied, as compared to JPCP and hot mix asphalt (HMA) pavements. In this paper, we conducted life-cycle assessments (LCAs) to evaluate the environmental impact of RCCPs, employing reasonable assumptions. Sensitivity analyses were conducted to quantify the impact of various factors, including joint faulting modeling, enhanced surface smoothness degradation models, and diamond grinding, providing insights into the environmental considerations for each pavement type. We used equivalent designs of JPCP and HMA conducted by AASHTOWare Pavement ME Design as reference points for comparison. Our results reveal that RCCP is a viable, low-global warming potential pavement option when the surface receives appropriate treatment and maintenance. Specifically, RCCP with diamond grinding as an initial surface treatment can significantly reduce total GHG emissions, by up to 50%, in comparison to the HMA design alternative.

Dr. Haoran Li is a postdoctoral associate at the Concrete Sustainability Hub and the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at MIT. He received his PhD in civil engineering from the University of Pittsburgh in 2023. His research focuses on the application of machine learning to pavement engineering, mechanistic-empirical pavement design and analysis, life cycle assessment, and life cycle cost analysis of pavement.

Mon 10:15 am - 12:00 pm

Barriers Limiting Innovation in Concrete Carbon Reduction

Sarah LopezGreat Northern

AUTHORS: Lopez, S.E.; Van Dam, T.J.; Sutter, L.; Hooton, R.D.; and Innis, A.

ABSTRACT: On a unit mass basis, concrete has one of the lowest carbon footprints and embodied energy of all manufactured materials. However, because concrete is humankind’s most widely used material, it is one of the largest single sources of anthropogenic greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. It was responsible for approximately 0.7% of the total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions in 2020 and 7% of the total GHG emissions worldwide. The largest contributor to the GHG emissions associated with concrete is the production process of portland cement clinker.
Therefore, reducing the clinker content in concrete is the best near-term method for reducing the carbon footprint of concrete and must occur across the concrete value chain. Numerous technologies exist that could, if implemented, provide immediate reductions in the carbon footprint of cement and concrete, but every concrete product is made differently, using a wide variety of local materials and mixture proportions, and is designed for specific fresh, hardened, and durability properties. Because of this, innovations will need to be tailored for the specific concrete properties and applications. Furthermore, several roadblocks within the industry prevent these technologies from being used, with the overarching roadblock being risk-aversion. Without an acknowledgement of the real and perceived risk to various parties, and development of ways to mitigate and fairly distribute the risk associated with innovation, new materials and methodologies cannot move forward. This paper will discuss the current state of the cement and concrete industries, identify barriers to innovation that limit efforts for meaningful carbon reduction, and describe an action plan to address these barriers.

Sarah Lopez joined NCE in 2018 after completing her Master's degree from the University of Nevada, Reno, which focused on the design, analysis, and materials of pavement structures. She has always had a passion for the outdoors and environmental conservation, and that passion has translated into her work with NCE. Sarah specializes in carbon reduction in pavement materials, identifying and addressing barriers in the cement and concrete industries to the adoption of decarbonization technologies, and working with state and local agencies to facilitate projects using reduced carbon concrete.

Mon 10:15 am - 12:00 pm

Examining Effect of Carbon-Enriched Fly Ash on Microstructural Development of Portland-Limestone-Based Cement Mortars

Erin StewartsonGreat Northern

AUTHORS: Stewartson, E. A.; Cooper, M. A.; and Burris, L.E.

ABSTRACT: During the past century, the concrete industry implemented sustainable technologies such as supplementary cementitious materials to decrease concrete’s carbon emissions while improving strength and durability. Carbon enrichment is an emerging technology that seeks to aid in concrete sustainability efforts. During carbon enrichment, fly ash is ground in a carbon-dioxide-pressurized environment, which encourages calcium carbonate (CaCO3) precipitation onto the fly ash particle. Because fly ash reacts with free lime in cementitious systems to form calcium silicate hydrates, the precipitation of CaCO3 onto the particle may have adverse effects on the particle’s reactive properties and the particle’s ability to aid in the densification of concrete microstructure. Furthermore, adding carbon-enriched fly ash with inert CaCO3 precipitates to a portland limestone cement (PLC) mix containing higher limestone content, and less clinker may change the rate at which the concrete microstructure develops due to a combined dilution effect. To better understand the potential issues posed, characterization of carbon-enriched fly ash was conducted, and PLC mortar specimens with carbon-enriched fly ash were prepared. The chemical composition and reactive properties of fly ash after carbon enrichment were determined using various characterization methods such as x-ray diffraction, the ASTM C1897 R3 Method, and thermogravimetric analysis. Early microstructural development of PLC mortar specimens with carbon-enriched fly ash was determined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Similar chemical compositions were detected and quantified for traditional class F fly ash and carbon- enriched class F fly ash. The hypothesized dilution effect from carbon-enriched fly ash was not significant in PLC pastes.

Erin Stewartson is a Civil Engineering Pathways Intern in the Concrete Infrastructure Materials Laboratory at the Federal Highway Administration’s Turner Fairbank Highway Research Center. Prior to her time at FHWA, she earned her Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from The University of Maryland, College Park. She is currently pursuing her Master’s and Ph.D. of Civil Engineering at The Ohio State University while actively contributing to FHWA through her internship. During her prior graduate studies, Erin participated in research funded by the National Cooperative Highway Research Program. The research aimed to investigate the behavior of unconventional supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs), providing recommendations for specification revisions to enhance concrete sustainability. At FHWA, Erin investigates the impact of carbon enriched SCMs on concrete durability.

Mon 10:15 am - 12:00 pm

Sensitivity of Concrete's Embodied Carbon Emissions to Cement Direct Carbon Intensity and Material Transportation

Michelle CooperGreat Northern

AUTHORS: Cooper, M.A.; and Mukherjee, A.

ABSTRACT: The objective of this study is to isolate the relative contributions of cement’s global warming potential (GWP) and the impact of transporting concrete materials on the A1-A3 GWP of a concrete mixture. Environmental product declarations (EPDs) are becoming more commonly used by the cement and concrete industries. EPDs present single point estimates of mid-point indicators, such as GWP, without appropriately indicating the associated uncertainty. However, EPD uncertainty is a concern clearly demonstrated by the General Services Agency (GSA) who published a document associating a fixed amount of error with the estimated GWP of a concrete product. Infrastructure owner agencies are beginning to collect cement and concrete EPDs and using these to inform benchmark mid-point indicator values for their projects. However, the benchmark values typically provide average information and do not address uncertainty, therefore failing to deliver GSA’s expectations. Therefore, this research presents the development and utilization of the spring-and-dashpot model framework. This framework explores the sensitivity of GWP to different cement direct carbon intensity values and materials transportation distances using a field dataset of concrete mixture designs from across the country. This study informs owner agencies of the range in GWP of up to 80 kg of CO2-eq per m3 of concrete and of the changes in GWP that may occur if one of these significant parameters (cement direct carbon intensity or transportation distance) changes.

Michelle Cooper is the Concrete Materials Laboratory Manager at Federal Highway Administration's Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center. In her spare time, she is working on a PhD in concrete sustainability through Michigan Tech. Michelle is conducting research in the areas of concrete sustainability, concrete durability, and cement materials characterizations.

Mon 10:15 am - 12:00 pm

10:15 am - 12:00 pm Session 2: Testing and Instrumentation 1 HIAWATHA

Moderator: Jim Reilman, Indiana DOT

Quantifying Slab Movements in Concrete Pavements Through Magnetic Induction Sensors

Michael WallaceHiawatha

AUTHORS: Wallace, M.G.; and Burnham, T.

ABSTRACT: Quantifying the movements of concrete slabs plays a crucial role in understanding the effects that lead to pavement distresses and failures over time. Measuring slab movements has previously been a difficult task as it requires the successful implementation of sensors embedded within the concrete pavements. Minnesota Department of Transportation pavement researchers adapted a recently developed method which utilizes magnetic induction (MI) sensors to detect subtle movements in pavement slabs with a high degree of accuracy. In 2022, 17 newly paved concrete test cells at the MnROAD facility were instrumented with two MI sensors. One sensor was to measure movement due to traffic loading and the other sensor was to measure movement due to environment factors. They are paired with an advanced data acquisition system. By strategically installing these sensors in the pavement, researchers were able to monitor movements between the slab and the underlying base layer. This paper provides an in-depth analysis on the results provided by these sensors. Despite only a few sensors successfully collecting data, some key findings were identified.

Michael Wallace is a concrete pavement research scientist with the Minnesota Department of Transportation. He has experience in nondestructive testing and monitoring of concrete pavements. He is also heavily involved in the collecting, processing, analyzing, and reporting on data generated as part of pavement research projects, particularly those supporting the National Road Research Alliance; as well as the discovery, development and support of implementation activities related to pavement sensors.

Mon 10:15 am - 12:00 pm

Laboratory and Full-Scale Experiment of A Novel Hybrid System to Harvest Energy Through Concrete Pavement

Eric GennesseuxHiawatha

AUTHORS: Gennesseaux, E.; Vizzari, D.; Dumoulin, J.; Chailleux, E.; Lavaud, S.; Manceau, J.L.; and Sedran, T.

ABSTRACT: Havesting energy from the sun through the pavement is a powerful lever to fight against the worldwide energy crisis. Indeed, the pavement surface is daily exposed to the sun light and represents an enormous source of potential harvesting. So far, solutions involving photovoltaic cells placed on the pavement or using a heat-transfer fluid circulating through the structure are studied. Recently, a novel hybrid system is being developed by University Gustave Eiffel combining the two solutions. The structure is made of a porous concrete layer where a heat-transfert fluid is circulating sandwiched between a waterproof structural concrete layer placed below and a photovoltaic layer placed on top. The photovoltaic layer is composed of PV cells protected by a semi-transparent layer designed to support the traffic vehicles, guarantee the skid resistance and enabling the passage of the sun light. At the beginning of the research, the semi-transparent layer and the porous concrete have been optimized in terms of energy harvesting and a laboratory size prototype have been constructed. The present paper deals with the laboratory size prototype energy havesting evaluation giving promising results regarding the potential efficiency of the hybrid system (measured at 67.8%). The paper also presents a full scale prototype of the hybrid system tested in real climatic conditions and shows some first results regarding thermal harvested energy measured around 180 W/m2 in the specific conditions tested.

Eric Gennesseaux is a researcher with a 10 years of experience at Gustave Eiffel University in France, specialized in concrete mix design and innovations for pavement applications. Eric has contributed to the developpement of urban removable pavements and Controlled Low Strength Materials for pavement structures. His research also encompasses concrete rheology, recycling and energy harvesting.

Mon 10:15 am - 12:00 pm

Full-Scale Rigid Pavement Traffic Test at the FAA National Airport Pavement Test Facility – Construction Cycle 8

Dan OffenbackerHiawatha

AUTHORS: Brill, D.R.; Offenbacker, D.I.; and Ashtiani, A.Z.

ABSTRACT: In June 2023, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) completed trafficking the final phase of Construction Cycle 8 (CC8) at the National Airport Pavement Test Facility (NAPTF). CC8 was the most complex full-scale pavement test undertaken to date at the NAPTF, and consisted of four distinct experiments: (1) a thin concrete pavement overload test; (2) a concrete-on-rigid pavement overlay test; (3) a joint comparison test; and (4) a slab strength and fatigue (S/F) test. The first three phases were completed in 2016, February 2018 and August 2018 respectively, and results from those phases are discussed elsewhere. Phase 4, the S/F test, was partially completed in 2020, but final completion was delayed due to the COVID-19 emergency. This paper presents Phase 4 test results. Unlike all previous full-scale tests at the NAPTF, CC8 Phase 4 did not involve simulated aircraft wander. Rather, all slabs were loaded on a single wheel track (zero wander) designed to isolate, and thus quantify, the number of vehicle passes needed to propagate an initial bottom-up longitudinal crack to completion. The experimental matrix considered two combinations of slab thickness and concrete strength, and 8 of the 32 slabs were constructed with a triangular notch to initiate the longitudinal crack. The initial test plan called for half the 32 slabs to be tested using a single-wheel (S), and the other half a dual-wheel (D) gear configuration. However, during testing it was found that the D configuration failed to damage the pavement, hence final traffic was changed to the higher-wheel-load S configuration for all slab groups. Ultimately, 30 of 32 slabs exhibited a full-length structural crack. The data obtained will be used to refine the bottom-up crack failure model in the FAA’s thickness design procedure, FAARFIELD. Due to the age of the concrete, the FAA will extract beams from all failed slabs for laboratory strength testing to compare with the original construction data, and may modify the analysis accordingly.

Dan Offenbacker is a Civil Engineer at Airport Technology Research & Development at FAA William J. Hughes Technical Center. Dan joined the FAA in May 2023 as a Program Manager for Airport Pavement Field Instrumentation & Testing. He has worked on a diverse range of projects primarily focused on airport pavement design, airport pavement construction materials, and geotechnical monitoring. He earned his Doctorate in Engineering in 2019 and is a licensed professional engineer in Delaware.

Mon 10:15 am - 12:00 pm

Embedded Resistivity Sensor for Concrete Materials and Structures: Vision and Prototype

Nima Kargah-OstadiHiawatha

AUTHORS: Alarab, A.; Vasylevskyi, K.; Kargah-Ostadi, N.; Rajabipour, F.; Kamasani, C.R.; Drach, B.; and Drach, A.

Haoran LiSouthern Pacific

AUTHORS: Li, H.; Sen, S.; and Khazanovich, L.

ABSTRACT: The AASHTO Mechanistic-Empirical Pavement Design Guide offers cost-effective and sustainable design solutions for concrete pavements. However, its implementation is impeded by the intricate computations of pavement structural responses using the Pavement ME software which is time-consuming and computationally expensive. Previous attempts to employ machine learning (ML) models to expedite M-E design, instead, faced challenges in balancing model accuracy and capability when including more design variables. Consequently, existing ML-based models mainly focus on only a small subset of state or local designs. To bridge the gap, this study presents a novel framework designed to enhance the development of surrogate Artificial Neural Network (ANN) models from Pavement ME simulations. The developed models accommodate an extensive array of pavement design variables, ensuring their applicability across a nationwide context. We leveraged a pavement design case study to show its effectiveness. In the context of a sevendimensional inference space, 1,578 simulations were sampled for training the ANN models with desired performance in the Dry Freeze climate region of the United States. Likewise, without any prior knowledge, for the training of the ANN faulting model functioning in a six-dimensional inference space, 1,116 samples were adaptively determined. The developed ANN models exhibited high accuracy in predicting annual fatigue damage and joint faulting increment during the pavement analysis period, enabling the precise estimation of long-term transverse cracking, joint faulting, and International Roughness Index (IRI). The developed surrogate ANN models serve as an efficient alternative to Pavement ME.

Mon 10:15 am - 12:00 pm

1:00 pm - 2:45 pm Session 4: Performance Modeling 1 GREAT NORTHERN

Moderator: Jeff Roesler, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Long-Term Performance of CRCP Over OGDL in Illinois

Shafkat Alam-KhanGreat Northern

AUTHORS: Alam-Khan, S.; Espinoza-Luque, A.F.; Smith, K.L.; Smith, K.D.; and Short, M.A.

ABSTRACT: In the 1970s, the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) began installing longitudinal edgedrain systems in new concrete pavements and retrofitting longitudinal edgedrains on existing pavements to address pumping and erosion (Reed 1993). In the late 1980s, IDOT investigated the use of drainable pavement systems with open-graded drainage layers (OGDLs) and found they had the potential to substantially improve
concrete pavement performance (Reed 1993). IDOT constructed several early projects with OGDLs beneath jointed concrete pavements, and in 1990 constructed an experimental project on I-39 in LaSalle County to study the practicality, feasibility, and performance of alternative OGDLs as a base for continuously reinforced concrete pavement (CRCP) in Illinois. The project featured eight test sections, consisting of a control section with a standard base course and three sections with experimental OGDLs in each direction.
Periodic monitoring of the experimental OGDL sections has occurred since construction,with the latest assessment in 2023. This paper summarizes the features and characteristics of the OGDL sections and presents key findings an

Shafkat Alam-Khan is an Engineering Associate at Applied Pavement Technology, Inc. (APTech). He possesses expertise in transportation infrastructure asset management, unpaved roads management, reliability and risk analysis, mechanistic-empirical (ME) pavement distress analysis, ME pavement design, ME local calibration, pavement deterioration modeling, lifecycle analysis, and geomaterial characterization. Mr. Alam-Khan is proficient in tools such as Pavement ME Design, Calibration Assistance Tool, RStudio, JMPPro, MATLAB, and Tableau. He has authored multiple peer-reviewed journals and conference proceedings. Mr. Alam-Khan contributes to various technical projects, including pavement and asset management research, roadway preservation and management, transportation asset management plans (TAMPs), and pavement distress data collection. His tasks contribute to improved transparency and accountability of transportation agencies by facilitating informed planning, programming, budgeting, and investment decisions.

Mon 1:00 pm - 2:45 pm

Small-Scale Accelerated Load Test for Doweled Jointed Plain Concrete Pavement

Charles DonnellyGreat Northern

AUTHORS: Donnelly, C.A.; and Vandenbossche, J.M.

ABSTRACT: Performance of dowel bars in jointed plain concrete pavements (JPCPs) can decrease due to damage accumulation around dowels. This damage is caused by repeated development of high bearing stresses, reducing the joint stiffness. This increases the potential for pumping to occur followed by the progressive development of faulting. The relationship between key design parameters and damage accumulation is not well established. This limits the prediction of long-term dowel performance, especially for alternative dowels. Many agencies are considering the use of alternative dowel bars with a range of diameters and stiffness and therefore need to evaluate the performance of these dowels to justify increased costs. In this study, a novel laboratory test setup was developed to characterize damage development around the dowels caused by repeated vehicle loads. The beam test was designed to replicate the stress state along the dowel present in a fullscale slab loaded adjacent to the transverse joint. A range of key parameters such as dowel diameter, dowel material, pavement thickness, and load magnitude can be tested with a lower cost and effort compared to full-scale slab testing. Beam specimens are subjected to repeated vehicle loads which damage the concrete surrounding the dowel. Deflection measurements made along the surface of the beams are used to quantify the reduction in dowel performance caused by damage around the dowel. This laboratory test will be used to evaluate a range of dowels and will enable an accurate estimation of the long-term performance of dowels. This will be particularly advantageous for agencies interested in implementing alternative dowels for long life paving projects.

Charles is a PhD candidate at the University of Pittsburgh whose research is focused on long-term dowel bar performance in jointed plain concrete pavements. Charles's advisor is Dr. Julie Vandenbossche. Prior to his PhD, Charles earned his BS and MS at Pitt.

Mon 1:00 pm - 2:45 pm

Dynamic Back-Calculation for Evaluating Structural Degradation of Transverse Joint in Concrete Pavement

Tatsuo NishizawaGreat Northern

AUTHORS: Nishizawa, T.; Terada M.; Yabu, M.; Koyanagawa M.; and Takeuchi, Y.

ABSTRACT: In this study, test sections of a concrete pavement were constructed on a circular accelerated pavement testing (APT) roadway, on which 5.2 million of 49kN equivalent single wheel loads (ESWL) applied. The test pavement has four sections with combinations of presence and absence of steel mesh and hot asphalt mixture interlayer (HMA-IL), and the effects of these devices on joint degradation were investigated. Also, transverse cracks were induced at the middle of the slab to examine performance of pavement slabs after fatigue transverse cracks occur. During the loading test, FWD tests were regularly performed, and structural changes were evaluated with FWD dynamic back-calculation. Joint degradation process was divided into fourteen stages from structurally sound states to severely degraded states with broken dowel bars and a gap underneath the joint. These degradation states were modeled with Dynamic 3DFEM that takes into consideration dynamic nature of FWD impact loading. The back-calculation identifies not only layer moduli but also the degradation stage at a doweled joint of the concrete pavement. The results of the analysis revealed that the amount of steel mesh was insufficient to keep the crack opening tight. After dowel bars did not work, a gap formed and expanded under the slabs, but HMA-IL prevented further expansion of the gap. In spite of those severe degrading conditions, the stress at the slab bottom did not significantly increase and the slabs have kept sound for more than 5 million of ESWLs, which is much longer life span than we expected.

Professor emeritus, National Institute of Technology, Ishikawa College.

Mon 1:00 pm - 2:45 pm

The Development of Reconfigured Bond Slip Model Coefficients for CRC Pavement Based on Pull-Out Testing

Myungjin SeongGreat Northern

AUTHORS: Seong, M.; and Zollinger, D.G.

ABSTRACT: The design of Continuously Reinforced Concrete (CRC) pavement consists of modeling the peak bond stress between the reinforcing steel and the concrete, which develops over time as concrete hardens due to induced loading on the reinforcement steel. The peak bond stress reflects resistance to volumetric changes between the steel and concrete as a function of the characteristics of the steel reinforcement and the properties of the concrete. Although bond model parameters have been defined in the literature by many researchers, these parameters have not been well determined. This paper addresses the development of reconfigured bond slip coefficients included in the Reis bond model based on the parameters that reflect peak bond stresses relative to slip between the reinforcement and concrete. The data for the model was developed from laboratoryfabricated pullout specimens that were subjected to cyclic tensile testing at several stress levels. Based on the pullout testing results, the Reis slip coefficients were ultimately validated using field-measured crack spacing and width data. The defined bond model coefficients were the basis for revised crack spacing and crack width determinations applicable to the AASHTOWare Pavement ME (PMED) software.

Tim Alte-TeigelerHiawatha

AUTHOR: Alte-Teigeler, T.

ABSTRACT: One of the most important characteristics of pavements from the user’s perspective is the surface texture. Among other points it affects skid resistance, noise emissions, driving comfort, rolling resistance, thus fuel consumption and tire wear. Depending on the kind of pavement, there are different focuses, e. g. noise emission and rolling resistance for high-speed roads or durable skid resistance on industrial pavements. The texture should be optimised for those requirements. Therefore, it is important to approach the surface from a holistic point of view in an innovative way. Today it is normal to apply standardised textures to any pavements. But with the nowadays knowledge it is possible to design textures specifically according to the requirements. That increases the sustainability of traffic pavements by focusing on increased useful life, improving the effects on environmental issues such as GHG or noise emissions or renewing a surface instead of replacing the complete pavement.
For producing the best surface, it is mandatory to know the exact purpose of the pavement. It must be investigated what is the most important characteristic for that purpose to design the appropriate texture. In the next step the designed texture must be applied to the pavement. There are different technologies as for instance micro surfacing, grinding or grooving to achieve this. It is important to know about the advantages and disadvantages of each technique to get the best result. This approach can be used for building a new pavement as well as for rehabilitation of surface textures.

Tim Alte-Teigeler is a civil engineer from Technical University Munich, working for the family owned company Otto Alte-Teigeler which is specialized in road maintenance and surface treatments. He heads the R&D department and is member of several natianol and international commitees.

Mon 1:00 pm - 2:45 pm

New Belgian Guidelines for Pattern Imprinted Concrete Pavements

Luc RensHiawatha

AUTHORS: Rens, L.; and Boonen, E.

ABSTRACT: Pattern imprinted or stamped concrete is a decorative type of concrete pavement that is mainly used in private and public spaces but also on traffic islands, truck aprons of roundabouts and sometimes on roads, dedicated bus lanes or tramways. The Belgian standard tender specifications for road construction provide two options: a first one using a color-hardener on the surface and a second one with full depth colored concrete. In addition, printing can be done with plastic molds that can be manipulated by hand, or by a roller to apply the print pattern. Finally, the concrete can be put in place between fixed formworks, or - in exceptional cases - with a slipform paver.

The Belgian Road Research Centre created a new working group in 2022 to improve and update the guidelines for the design and construction of pattern imprinted concrete pavements (PICP). Based on the options mentioned above, different categories of construction solutions are put forward. For each of the categories, the specifications have been discussed regarding:
- description of the specific materials to be used: color-hardener, release agent, surface sealer, etc.
- the concrete mix and its constituents;
- requirements on fresh and hardened concrete;
- construction: compaction – curing – cleaning – surface protection;
- surface characteristics (skid or slip resistance, rolling noise, evenness);
- visual inspection and evaluation.

The new guidelines and updated specifications should lead to a better understanding of the different solutions and best practices by both road authorities and contractors, and are aimed to enhance the quality of PICP in Belgium.

Since 2001, Luc Rens is working as consulting engineer for FEBELCEM, the Federation of the Belgian Cement Industry, and for 15 years he is also managing director of EUPAVE, the European Concrete Paving Association.

Mon 1:00 pm - 2:45 pm

1:00 pm - 2:45 pm Session 6: Sustainability and Climate Change SOUTHERN PACIFIC

Moderator: Eric Ferrebee, American Concrete Pavement Association

Sustainability of Ultra-Thin Concrete Pavements in Low Volume Roads

Juan Pablo CovarrubiasSouthern Pacific

AUTHORS: Binder, C.E.; Covarrubias, J.P.; and Del Río, P.

ABSTRACT: Concrete pavements with optimized geometry slabs are designed with an innovative approach that reduces flexural stress in each slab, thereby decreasing damage caused by traffic. The key to this approach is designing pavement joints in a way that ensures no more than one wheel or set of wheels is on a slab at a time. This significantly extends the lifespan of the pavement and allows for a reduction in the required concrete thickness compared to traditional solutions.

An advanced application of this technology is the creation of ultra-thin concrete pavements (U-TCP) composed of optimized geometry slabs, which can be directly placed on highly compacted granular roads due to historical vehicle and machinery traffic. These ultra-thin pavements have a thickness ranging from 8 to 13 cm of fiber-reinforced concrete and do not require a subbase underneath.

Over the years, it has been demonstrated that this solution has a high impact in combating climate change. On one hand, it reduces carbon footprint emissions during construction by requiring a smaller amount of materials compared to other methods. On the other hand, during the pavement's operation, it requires fewer interventions to maintain the road compared to a double asphalt treatment solution. The objective of this study is to demonstrate the reduction in CO2 emission, through the simulation using a carbon emissions calculation program.

Mon 1:00 pm - 2:45 pm

Development of a Permeable Removable Urban Pavement for a Higher Sustainability

Thierry SedranSouthern Pacific

AUTHORS: Sedran, T.; Gennesseaux, E.; Waligora, J.; Klein, P.; Nguyen, M.L.; Cesbron, J.; Ropert, C.; and Monnier L.

ABSTRACT: In 2008, Eiffel University proposed an original concept of removable urban pavement (RUP) to ensure an easy and fast access to the networks underneath, for maintenance. The concept is based on interlocked precast hexagonal concrete slabs. Eiffel University, in collaboration with Eiffage Infrastructures and Alkern companies, has been developing since 2017 a new type of permeable RUP as this property is becoming more and more necessary in a context of climate change and violent climatic events. The slabs consist of a 4 cm thick porous concrete wearing layer cast wet on wet on a 19 cm thick concrete body, which includes 40% of recycled concrete aggregates. The slabs are laid on an original excavatable and draining cement treated base. The paper describes the concept of permeable RUP, the laboratory design process and its evaluation under a real scale fatigue facility. It concludes by the construction and the follow-up during 2 years of a 200 m2 section constructed in Nantes Metropole in 2022 and submitted to real traffic. The RUP concept is now operational for practitioners and should improve the sustainability of urban roads. In fact, it is expected to have a longer lifespan than classical bituminous urban roads, a good overall balance of CO2 during its lifespan as it simplifies the maintenance operations on the networks underneath and so limits the materials movements and the user inconvenience. Moreover, slabs include recycled aggregates and can be easily reused or recycled. Finally the porous nature of the solution improves safety as it reduces splash spray and ensures a low noise level as well as a good skid resistance.

Thierry Sedran is the head of “Materials for Transportation Infrastructures“ Laboratory in Gustave Eiffel University, Nantes Campus, France. He has been a research engineer at University Gustave Eiffel (formerly Ifsttar, formerly LCPC) in France, since 1998. He is a specialist of concrete mix design and innovative applications of cement-based materials in pavements. He has been a member of “Pavements “ Piarc committee for 4 cycles.

Mon 1:00 pm - 2:45 pm

Concrete Repairs on National Road N1-19&20 Klein Rietspruit to Old Potch, South Africa

Anna-Carin BrinkSouthern Pacific

AUTHORS: Hodgson, J.W.; Pickard, K.F.; and Brink, A.C

ABSTRACT: The contract for concrete repairs on National Road N1 Section 19 and Section 20 between Klein Rietspruit and Grasmere, constructed under two separate contracts in the mid- to late 1980’s, commenced in July 2022. The project includes slab replacement, full depth repairs, partial depth repairs as well as the replacement of joint seals. Initial indications during design carried out in 2017 were that the subbase did not provide sufficient support, which caused longitudinal cracks in the middle of the slabs along the slow lane. Allowance was therefore made for the reconstruction of the subbase in these areas. During construction of the current contract, it became obvious that the subbase was still intact and did not require replacement. Further longitudinal cracks that developed when adjacent slabs were removed indicated that a re-assessment of the failure mechanism was required. Another phenomenon was horizontal cracking that developed below sections where transverse cracks located close to transverse joints were found. It was also discovered that tiebars of different diameters were used along the longitudinal joints and that transverse joints were only cut to a depth of between 30 mm and 40 mm; considered shallow for the concrete thickness. The aim of this paper is to summarize the investigation into the failure mechanisms observed while repairing the pavement.

Anna-Carin is a Chartered Engineer with more than 39 years of experience. She has been involved in the design, construction, maintenance and rehabilitation of many road, airport and industrial pavements. Designs have varied from unsealed gravel to heavy-duty freeway and runway pavements. She has been based in Perth, Australia since January 2012 and has been working on projects across various continents. She has a passion for Pavement Engineering and loves to impart the knowledge that she has gained through theoretical and on-site practical experience on diverse projects over various geological, geographical, and climatic regions. She is an internationally recognized pavement specialist and has been a member of the ISCP since 2001, and a Director on the ISCP Board since 2006.

Mon 1:00 pm - 2:45 pm

An Overview of the Potential of Concrete Pavements in Turkey to Combat Climate Change

İsmail Özgür YamanSouthern Pacific

AUTHORS: Akbelen, B.; Bulut, I.; and Yaman, I.O.

ABSTRACT: The problem of climate change that we are facing today is mainly attributed due to the accumulated results of the unsustainable development of the last two centuries. Today, it is generally accepted that the produced total energy is consumed almost equally by three major sectors; industrial production, transportation and buildings. According to a report published by the Climate Watch and the World Resources Institute, three-quarters of global greenhouse gas emissions originate from energy use, while emissions from the burning of petrol and diesel from all forms of road transport is 11.9%. Considering these facts, the importance of the road superstructure used in road transport in combating the climate change is quite clear. Turkey is known as one of the world's leading cement producers and despite the lack of crude oil reserves and the vast amount of cement production, flexible pavements, chipseal pavements and hot mix asphalt, are the most preferred pavement type in Turkey's national road network. During the last decade however, concrete road applications have gained a momentum in the local rural road network reaching to about 20,000 km of use. The choice of pavement type, especially on rural roads, is mainly based on the previous experience of the road authority rather than on a technical or economic analysis perspective. On the other hand, the ever-increasing number of flooding incidents and the performance of concrete pavements against flooding also contributed to the selection process. The aim of this article is to look at the potential of concrete roads in Turkey, considering the basic climate change strategies.

Dr. İsmail Özgür Yaman received his undergraduate and graduate degrees from the Department of Civil Engineering at METU in 1993 and 1995, and earned his PhD in 2000 at Wayne State University, USA, with his work on the simulation of ultrasonic testing of concrete. He has been continuing his academic activities at METU Department of Civil Engineering since 2003. Dr. Yaman's main research topics include the use of non-destructive testing methods in concrete; developments in cement and concrete technology; concrete road construction technologies.

Mon 1:00 pm - 2:45 pm

3:15 pm - 5:00 pm Session 7: Sustainability GREAT NORTHERN

Moderator: Jim Mack, CEMEX

Opportunities for Further Sustainable Practices in Concrete Pavement Design in Australia

George VorobieffGreat Northern

AUTHOR: Vorobieff, G.

ABSTRACT: Sustainable practices are already considered in pavement design decisions for new highways in Australia. Supplementary cementitious binders and clean crushed glass have been permitted in concrete pavement for over a decade. However, accessing these materials has been challenging on large rural projects, especially for a road network on a large continent like Australia. Safety regulations have produced a design and construction culture to eliminate incidents and deaths on construction projects. One of the outcomes of these regulations is the application of a safety-in-design register, and this paper proposes the development and use of a sustainability-in-design register and procedure to document how sustainability has been applied in design and through the life cycle. Reducing pavement thickness to use less cement may not be a prudent option given long-term increases in heavy vehicle legal axle load limits and the need for durable concrete properties to ensure a long pavement life. The impact of climate change will continue to test pavements for resilience. While no tests measure durability and resilience, the type and minimum cementitious content will still be an important element in design. Sustainability in design should incorporate measures to allow pavement preservation and to ensure the pavement meets the design life and beyond.

George started his career as a structural engineer, designing several bridges, buildings, mining structures and floodlighting towers. He then worked in the field of wind engineering, testing scaled buildings in a wind tunnel and full-scale building facades for wind and rain events. In the 1990s, George shifted his professional career towards pavement engineering as it became an emerging specialty. George has had several senior management and leadership roles, such as the Executive Director of the Australian Stabilisation Industry Association, the Construction & Mining Equipment Industry Group, and the Principal Engineer for the pavements, geotechnical and materials technology area with RTA and RMS. Over the last 40 years, George has written numerous conference papers, guides, manuals and specifications to establish best practice industry standards and assist with transferring knowledge among practitioners.

Mon 3:15 pm - 5:00 pm

Buried Treasure: Uncovering Concrete Pavement for Extended Performance and Enhanced Sustainability

Prashant RamGreat Northern

AUTHORS: Smith, K.; Scofield, L.; and Ram, P.

ABSTRACT: Many agencies employ asphalt overlays as a patterned response to the loss of serviceability in concrete pavements, regardless of the types and extent of deterioration or the structural condition of the pavement. In many cases, the underlying concrete pavement may have been a good candidate for the application of pavement preservation treatments to restore functionality. However, even though a concrete pavement has received an asphalt overlay, there may still be opportunities to implement a concrete pavement preservation solution provided that the overlay was placed for functional reasons and that the underlying concrete pavement is structurally sound and in relatively good condition. This “buried treasure” approach offers a number of benefits, including reduced costs, improved performance and longevity, and reduced environmental impacts. The strategy has been used successfully by a number of state highway agencies throughout the U.S. This paper presents several case studies in which an existing asphalt overlay was removed, and the underlying concrete pavement restored using concrete pavement preservation treatments. These include one of the earliest documented studies, an intermedial project that includes an environmental assessment, and a grouping of more recent projects that document how far the methodology has evolved. A number of lessons learned from these case studies are presented.

Mr. Ram is a Senior Engineer at Applied Pavement Technology, Inc. (APTech) with over 15 years of experience. He also holds a Master’s degree in Civil Engineering from Purdue University. He is involved in a range of technical projects, from formal research projects on paving materials, to hands-on pavement evaluation, pavement management, and asset management projects.

Mon 3:15 pm - 5:00 pm

Life Cycle Assessment of Concrete Overlay Strategies

Dan KingGreat Northern

AUTHORS: King, D.; Ferrebee, E.; and Taylor, P.

ABSTRACT: The development and maturation of concrete overlays in recent decades has provided a useful new pavement rehabilitation option to agencies in the US and around the world. Concrete overlays can be designed for nearly all existing pavement types and conditions and can fulfill both short- and long-term service life objectives. Increasingly, agencies are prioritizing and incorporating sustainability into planning and decision-making processes. For concrete overlays to continue to serve as a useful rehabilitation treatment in the future, it will be necessary to quantify the life cycle greenhouse gas emissions of different concrete overlay design strategies. This study identified four representative concrete overlay projects constructed in Iowa between 2009 and 2022 for use as case studies. These projects include concrete on concrete overlays and concrete on asphalt overlays that serve relatively lower and relatively higher traffic levels. Life cycle assessments were performed on each of the case studies, as well as alternative design concepts developed for each project, to determine the sensitivity of life cycle global warming potential of concrete overlays to design life, bonding condition, and traffic level. The results of this analysis can inform agencies how concrete overlays can be used and optimized to improve the sustainability of their roadway network.

Dan King is a research engineer at the National Concrete Pavement Technology Center at Iowa State University, where he directs a number of the center’s technology transfer and education initiatives, as well as in-house research projects on concrete pavement- and materials-related topics. Dan received his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Civil Engineering from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, is registered as a P.E. in Iowa, and is currently a PhD candidate in Civil Engineering at Iowa State.

Mon 3:15 pm - 5:00 pm

Pervious (Lean) Concrete for Sustainable Road Pavements: Results of the Belgian Be-Drain Project

Audrey Van der WielenGreat Northern

AUTHORS: Boonen, E.; Oualmakran, M.; Van der Wielen, A.; and Perremans, J.

ABSTRACT: With the effects of climate change, we are increasingly affected by major floods, including in Belgium, and urgent action is needed to increase the infiltration and buffering of rainwater. To this effect, pervious lean concrete has been known and applied in Belgium for a long time as a base layer material, especially for block paving. However, there is still a need for a more representative compaction method in the laboratory, for the certification of these mixtures for base layers. On the other hand, due to the need for more integrated stormwater management, there has also been a recent increase in interest and demand for water permeable pavements, including cast-in-place pervious concrete. However, there are currently no technical guidelines or any performance requirements in the Belgian road sector for the use of pervious concrete in road pavements. Therefore, in order to address both issues, the Belgian Road Research Centre conducted a national pre-normative research, called Be-Drain, in collaboration with the national cement research center CRIC-OCCN. The main objectives of the Be-Drain project were to provide:
1) Technical guidelines, performance requirements and adapted test methods for pervious (draining) concrete mixes as a function of application (top or base layer), compaction methods and functional requirements (e.g. freeze-thaw resistance);
2) Recommendations for Belgian standard tender specifications and possible normalization.
In this paper, we aim to summarize the main findings of the Belgian Be-Drain project with a view to further develop pervious (lean) concrete as a promising solution for sustainable water management in urban areas.

After obtaining a Master’s degree in civil engineering and completing a PhD thesis at the University of Liège (Belgium), Audrey Van der Wielen joined the Belgian Road Research Centre in 2014. She works there as a senior researcher and is involved in various projects in the fields of geotechnics, concrete, road design and non-destructive auscultation.

Mon 3:15 pm - 5:00 pm

3:15 pm - 5:00 pm Session 8: Testing and Instrumentation 2 HIAWATHA

Moderator: Ben Worel, Minnesota DOT

Effect of Freeze Thaw And Substrate Moisture Condition on the Concrete Repair-Substrate Interface

Md Hasibul Hasan RahatHiawatha

AUTHORS: Rahat, M.H.H.; Annand, D.M.; and Brand, A.S.

ABSTRACT: The impact of moisture conditions on the overlay transition zone (OTZ) in cement-based concrete pavement repairs was investigated in this study. The OTZ plays a crucial role in bond formation between the repair material and substrate, similar to the interfacial transition zone in concrete. The mechanical properties, fracture properties, and chloride diffusion characteristics of the OTZ were examined and also the effect of freeze/thaw (F-T) cycling were explored, which is a common environmental condition experienced by concrete pavements. A novel technique, transmission X-ray microscopy (TXM), was used to quantify the time-dependent chloride diffusion coefficient within the OTZ before and after F-T cycles. The findings reveal that, while moisture levels do not appear to directly impact F-T damage resistance in mechanical tests, the moisture conditions significantly influence fracture properties. For instance, the average peak load reductions were 65% and 81% for repair specimens prepared against substrates at saturated surface dry (SSD) and oven dry conditions, respectively. Additionally, the TXM results show that the OTZ interface has a higher diffusion coefficient – upwards of nine orders of magnitude higher – than the concrete substrate. Between the substrate moisture conditions, the SSD specimens showed better performance against diffusion than the Sub-SSD. In conclusion, this study provides valuable insights into the complex relationship between moisture conditions, F-T cycling, and fracture properties of OTZ in concrete pavement repairs. These findings contribute to a more informed approach to pavement repair practices with potential implications for enhancing the longevity and performance of repaired concrete pavements.

MD. Hasibul Hasan Rahat is a PhD candidate in Civil Engineering at Virginia Tech, specializing in the durability properties of concrete, particularly in arctic environments. Rahat's research interests focus on sustainable construction materials and advanced materials characterization techniques.

Mon 3:15 pm - 5:00 pm

Automated 3D Quantification of Concrete Pavement Joint Damage

Quang TranHiawatha

AUTHORS: Tran, Q.; and Roesler, J.R.

ABSTRACT: Raveling and spalling, also called joint damage, can negatively impact the safety and long-term performance of concrete pavements. Assessing and quantifying the joint damage can improve construction joint quality and allow for timely joint maintenance. An automated 3D joint damage quantification algorithm (3D-DQA) is proposed, which acquires joint images with a smartphone camera and then combines computer visionbased technique (CV) and deep learning (DL) segmentation. For a series of 2D images acquired from a joint, the trained DL model first detects and then color-masks the concrete joint damage. Next, the CV technique is applied to the 2D images to build a 3D image of the damaged joint. A data-driven color thresholding criterion is integrated into the 3D-DQA to quantify the surface area of the damage. The effectiveness of the 3DDQA was tested by assessing joint damage on contraction joints located on four slab on grade projects. The field validation results show the 3D-DQA framework achieves a damage quantification accuracy of 76% with an error of 10%.

Dr. Quang Tran is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geospatial Engineering at Michigan Technological University. He earned his PhD degree in Civil Engineering at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Prior to joining MTU, Dr. Tran dedicated three years to postdoctoral research, contributing his expertise to prestigious institutions including Harvard Medical School, Harvard affiliated hospitals, and the Bioacoustics Research Lab at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. His research pursuits have spanned diverse disciplines, encompassing material characterization, nondestructive evaluation (NDE), and advanced sensing technologies, which find applications in civil and environmental engineering as well as biomedical challenges. Dr. Tran's contributions to the scientific community are evident through his authorship and co-authorship of over 30 peer-reviewed journal and conference papers. Additionally, he participates as a member of prominent organizations such as the American Concrete Institute (ACI) and the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE).

Mon 3:15 pm - 5:00 pm

In-Situ Performance Evaluation of Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (GFRP) Dowel Bars

Mehdi ParviniHiawatha

AUTHOR: Parvini, M.

ABSTRACT: Dowel bars have an important role in the performance and longevity of a Jointed Plain Concrete Pavement (JPCP) by providing a load transfer system at concrete joints. However, the commonly used epoxy-coated bars are susceptible to corrosion due to manufacturing and handling imperfections. To address this problem stainless steel dowels are often used in corrosive environments. A more economical and non-corroding material for dowel bars is Glass Fiber Reinforced Polymer (GFRP), but the lack of extensive field performance data coupled with the absence of a nationally recognized test method has limited the wide application of this cost-effective alternative. To monitor and evaluate the mechanical strength of GFRP dowels under heavy truck traffic a field experimental plan was prepared and a pilot project was built on the departure lane of a Weigh-In-Motion (WIM) station on Route 37 in Sonoma County, Bay Area. To allow side-by-side comparison, the experiment included control epoxy-coated steel and GFRP dowels with different spacing. The mechanical and bonding performance of the GFRP dowels were evaluated by visual inspection, cores, and load transfer efficiency measurement using a Falling Weight Deflectometer (FWD). The four-year evaluation results suggest that GFRP dowels could be effectively used to provide a robust joint load transfer system for long-life concrete pavements. It is the goal of the Department to use the result of this experiment to add this material as an alternative to stainless steel in the concrete pavement specification.

Mehdi Parvini has been with the California Department of Transportation for about 25 years. He is currently managing the Materials and Pavement Office and is responsible for all the pavement projects in the Bay Area. He did his graduate studies and worked for several years in Ontario, Canada before moving to the US.

Mon 3:15 pm - 5:00 pm

Field Moisture Monitoring of Foundation Layers of Innovative Rigid Pavement Systems

Ceren AydinHiawatha

AUTHORS: Aydin, C.; Velasquez, R.; and Izevbekhai, B.

ABSTRACT: The structural capacity of pavement systems is highly influenced by the performance of the geomaterials which play a crucial role as supportive foundation layers. The behavior of geomaterials is one of the key parameters affecting the overall stability and service life of pavements. Geomaterials within the foundation layers are designed to remain unsaturated for most of their service life. However, it is a well-known fact that phreatic surface variation, heavy rainfall as a result of climate change, and freeze-thaw cycles cause continuous cycles of soil moisture fluctuations. These changes have a significant impact on the foundation layers, leading to altered behavior and performance. Therefore, the capability of accurately monitoring foundation moisture levels and linking them to the overall performance of pavement systems is of utmost importance to understanding possible failure mechanisms considering the growing significance of asset management. Moisture monitoring tools such as volumetric water content (θ) and matric suction (ψ) sensors are commonly used to observe moisture changes within the foundation during the service life of pavement systems. In this study, moisture (θ and ψ) and temperature data of the foundation layers were collected from an innovative rigid pavement test section constructed in 2022 at the MnROAD facility. As a result of the preliminary analyses, the moisture trends were investigated alongside the field soil water characteristic curve (SWCC) and soil freezing characteristic curve (SFCC). It was observed that both sensors yielded comparable results after a full freezing-thawing season as a result of the successful application of innovative installation techniques.

Ceren Aydin earned her PhD from Michigan State University and currently holds a geomechanics research engineer position at Minnesota DOT. Her focus areas include the mechanical characterization of geomaterials, moisture monitoring, freeze-thaw, advanced geotechnical modeling, digital twin and the analysis of pavement foundation layers and rigid pavements.

Tue 8:00 am - 12:00 pm

11:45 AM Round Table: Discussion on Challenges and Opportunities for RSC Technology

Moderator: Eric Bescher, (University of California Los Angeles – UCLA)Great Northern

All SpeakersSouthern Pacific

Depot Renaissance Back Entrance

All SpeakersGreat Northern

Tue 1:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Wednesday 28 Aug 2024

ABSTRACT: In the construction of concrete pavements, the success of timely procedures such as surface finishing and saw-cutting of joints depends on the accurate estimation of setting times. Although the importance of setting time determination is generally acknowledged across concrete pavements, Roller Compacted Concrete (RCC) pavements present distinct challenges with different material proportions and construction procedures relative to traditional Portland Cement Concrete (PCC) pavements. RCC exhibits a zero-slump consistency and is consolidated and compacted with vibratory rollers, similar asphalt paving. The objective of this study was to determine if a fully air-coupled ultrasound technique could directly estimate the setting time of RCC pavements. By monitoring the initiation of Leaky-Rayleigh waves, as previously validated in conventional PCC mixtures, setting time can be estimated in RCC mixtures. The lab testing results revealed that a fully air-coupled ultrasound method can determine the setting times of RCC mixtures similar to PCC mixtures. For water-to-cement (w/c) ratios of 0.24, 0.33, and 0.42, the lab-measured setting times were 160, 236, and 301 minutes respectively for RCC mixtures which were similar to PCC mixtures with similar w/c ratios with slightly higher paste volumes.

ABSTRACT: Over the last several decades, the use of roundabouts has grown considerably in the United States. Roundabouts have been shown to be an effective solution for managing traffic at many intersections, offering improved safety performance, shorter delays and shorter queues, improved speed management, reduced operating costs, and aesthetic value. Various pavement structures can be used in roundabout intersections, including three different concrete pavement types: jointed plain concrete (JPC), continuously reinforced concrete pavement (CRCP), and precast concrete panels (PCP). JPC structures are by far the most common concrete pavement type used in roundabout construction, but several recent projects in the U.S. have been built featuring CRCP and PCP designs. Each concrete pavement type requires competent structural designs and effective construction practices to ensure their long-term performance.

This paper presents several case studies featuring these three concrete pavement types in roundabout intersections, including three JPC projects in Nevada, two CRCP projects in Texas, and two PCP projects in Virginia. All sections were constructed within the last 10 years and are generally performing satisfactorily. Important design and construction details for each of these projects are described, along with information on the current condition and performance. A summary of key observations from each concrete pavement type is also presented. Together, this information will prove valuable to practitioners in adopting long-lasting concrete pavements for roundabout intersections.

Mr. Smith is a Vice President at Applied Pavement Technology, Inc. and has nearly 40 years of experience in the pavement engineering field. His technical areas of interest include concrete pavement design and construction, concrete preservation and rehabilitation, and pavement sustainability. Shabbir Hossain is an associate principal research scientist at the Virginia Transportation Research Council, a research division of the Virginia Department of Transportation. He has been involved in applied research for pavements for more than 30 years, with focuses research areas including subgrade, base, and rigid pavements. Dr. Hossain is a registered professional engineer in the Commonwealth of Virginia and the state of Texas. Andy is currently the Rigid Pavements and Concrete Materials Section Director of the Materials and Tests Division of TxDOT, and oversees concrete pavement construction, as well as provides statewide support for concrete material related issues. Andy received his B.S. in Civil Engineering from Texas A&M University-Kingsville in 2000 and his M.S. in Civil Engineering from The University of Texas at Austin in 2007. Andy is a registered professional engineer in Texas.

Wed 10:15 am - 12:00 pm

Performance of Concrete Pavements with Optimized Geometry Panels Tendered By the Ministry of Public Works in Chile

Juan Pablo CovarrubiasHiawatha

AUTHORS: Covarrubias, J.P.; Del Rio, P.; and Fernández, M.

ABSTRACT: In 2005, a new concrete pavement design concept was introduced, based on designing the dimensions of panels in such a way that only one truck wheel or set of wheels can load the panel at a time. This reduction in panel size reduces the stresses caused by curling and interaction with loads, which ultimately allows to reduce the necessary thickness of the pavement without affecting its design life or, to increase its durability without increasing the thickness.

This article presents an analysis of the current state of this paving technology in public projects of the Ministry of Public Works of Chile after more than a decade of its implementation, based on the monitoring of various projects built with this methodology. The results obtained are compared with the background of design, construction, and acceptance to evaluate the performance over time according to the different conditions of each project.

Wed 10:15 am - 12:00 pm

1:00 pm - 2:45 pm Poster Session 3 CONSERVATORY

Moderator: Whitney Wise, Wyoming DOT

Wide-Base Tire Load's Impact on Transverse Cracking of Jointed Plain Concrete Pavement in Michigan

Jake HillerConservatory

AUTHORS: Yin, L.; Hiller, J.; and You, Z.

ABSTRACT: This paper presents an evaluation of the impact of wide-base tire (WBT) loading on jointed plain concrete pavement (JPCP) transverse cracking in Michigan. The study utilized mechanical-empirical pavement design (MEPD) cracking-related equations to establish the relationship between stress, damage index, and transverse cracking. The finite element program Illislab was used to calculate the slab top and bottom bending stress under both dual tire (DT) and WBT load, considering Michigan's pavement slab temperature difference distribution and normal distribution of lateral load placement in the transverse direction. The findings indicate that negative temperature differences prevail in Michigan due to built-in temperature differences, promoting top-down cracking development. However, the WBT load's impact on the slabs' bottom stress was significantly more severe than the top stress, which is exacerbated under positive temperature difference. As a result, the final damage index ratios for bottom-up and top-down transverse cracking with a certain WBT load are relatively similar. To address the issue of WBT loads, a calibration factor adjustment method for JPCP transverse cracking is proposed to consider the WBT's impact on pavement design. These findings provide insights in analyzing the impact of WBT loads on JPCP transverse cracking when existing mechanistic-empirical software is unable to address it directly.

Jake Hiller is a Senior Pavement Engineer at American Engineering Testing, Inc. (AET). With over 25 years of experience in higher education and engineering, he focuses on the materials, mechanics, and performance of concrete and asphalt pavements. He specializes in mechanistic-empirical design and rehabilitation of rigid pavements, pavement sustainability, recycled concrete, and the environmental impacts of concrete. He currently serves as the President of the International Society for Concrete Pavements.

Wed 1:00 pm - 2:45 pm

Twenty-Years Experience of Porous Concrete Pavements on Roadways in Japan

Nakamura HironoriConservatory

AUTHORS: Nakamura, H., Koyanagawa, M., and Nishizawa, T.

ABSTRACT: Porous Concrete Pavement (PoCP) is a concrete pavement with drainage and noise reduction functions by forming continuous voids in the concrete. In Japan, porous concrete was developed in the 1970s and applied on sidewalks in the 1980s. After that, research on admixtures and binders progressed, and it became possible to achieve the flexural strength of 4.4 MPa for porous concrete with continuous voids and apply PoCP on roadway pavements. In the 2000s, PoCP began to be used in expressway toll gates. The reason for this is that porous asphalt pavement (PoAP) in the toll gates had severely rutted due to repeated deceleration and acceleration of vehicles, while PoCP has higher resistance to the rutting comparing with PoAP. In order to confirm the long-term performances of PoCP, the Japan Cement Association (JCA) constructed PoCP test sections on actual roadways in various places. This paper reports the results of field surveys on two sites that have served for about 20 years. The performances of road surface (faulting at transverse joints, smoothness, rutdepth) were confirmed to meet the target values for maintenance and repair guidelines. However, relatively severe cracking were observed in some sections, which did not meet specified criterions of maintenance and repair guidelines. The reason for this is considered to be the effect of increased thermal stress due to the long transverse joint spacing of 20 m in the test sections. The degree of cracking was lower in the 25 cm slab thickness sections than that in the 20 cm slab thickness sections. On the other hand, drainage and noise reduction functions have declined over time due to clogging of the void and similar declines also observed on PoAP sections. These results demonstrate that PoCP has a sufficient durability and can be used on roadways, although cleaning clogged voids is still required to maintain sufficient drainage and noise reduction functions.

Wed 1:00 pm - 2:45 pm

Research on Rheological Properties to Improve the Quality of Concrete Mixtures for Pavement

Kyong-Ku YunConservatory

AUTHORS: Yun, K.K.; Song, C.S.; Choi, S.H.; and Ha, T.H.

ABSTRACT: The increasing costs associated with early damage to road-paved concrete, attributed to inconsistent mixtures from batch facilities, pose a significant challenge in infrastructure maintenance. Addressing this issue, the study endeavors to develop concrete rheometer equipment capable of real-time assessment of mixture quality, aiming to mitigate the financial burden caused by premature concrete deterioration. Through a comprehensive methodology, encompassing computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis and indoor experiments with prototype equipment, the study seeks to validate the accuracy of the developed equipment against commercially available rheometers. Furthermore, a comparative analysis of rheology results between the developed equipment and existing models is conducted to ensure the reliability of the proposed solution. In conclusion, the following points can be distinguished:
The difference between vertical and horizontal movement is that vertical movement concentrates the fluid on the top of the impeller, while horizontal movement distributes the fluid evenly on the outer wall of the vane. And data accuracy has been improved through improvements in the mesh area. For rheological properties, despite changes in relative valus, torque viscosity (H) showed a consistent trend between the ICAR rheometer and the twin shaft rheometer mixer.
This research contributes to the understanding of concrete rheology and to the development of concrete rheometer equipment for improved quality control in concrete production and road construction.

He is a professor at Kangwon National University in S. Korea. He received his Ph.D. degree from Michigan State University in 1995. He had been a president of Korean Society of Road Engineers(KSRE) from 2017 to 2019. His research area includes concrete materials, concrete pavement, bridge repair and rehabilitation.

Wed 1:00 pm - 2:45 pm

Yating ZhangConservatory

AUTHORS: Zhang, Y.; and Xia, W.

ABSTRACT: Fly ash cenosphere (FAC), one of the primary coal-based derivatives, has not been extensively utilized in construction fields due to its poor performance. Although chemical etching is considered as an effective method to improve the performance of FAC, the mechanism by which the etched FAC enhances the performance of concrete is still unclear. In this study, water transport properties and pozzolanic activity of the etched FAC were evaluated to provide evidence for the enhanced properties of the etched FAC. The impact of the etched FAC on the degree of hydration, microstructure morphology and mechanical properties of concrete was further assessed by comparing with the concrete containing the raw FAC. The results show that the etched FAC has good water absorption and desorption properties, thus presenting good internal curing effect. The release intensity of the effective elements, i.e., Si and Al, that can participate in the pozzolanic reactivity is enhanced, which indicates an increased pozzolanic activity of the etched FAC. In addition, the incorporation of the etched FAC results in an increase of 3.2%, 16.0% and 19.5% in the 28-d hydration degree and compressive and flexural strength, respectively, compared to the concrete incorporating the raw FAC. Given the internal curing effect and the increased pozzolanic activity, the interfacial transition zone between the etched FAC and the paste is strengthened and the phase composition of the hydration products is improved.

Wed 1:00 pm - 2:45 pm

1:00 pm - 2:45 pm Session 13: Recycled Materials GREAT NORTHERN

Moderator: Tirupan Mandal, Wisconsin DOT

Moderator: Andrea Salyer, Ohio DOT

Roller-Compacted Concrete Pavement Field Study: Connecting Mixture Volumetrics with Constructability

Jordan OuelletHiawatha

AUTHORS: Ouellet, J.; and Roesler, J.R.

ABSTRACT: To better understand the connection between roller-compacted concrete (RCC) pavement construction and theoretical mix design volumetrics, four independent RCC paving projects were visited in the USA. Plastic RCC was sampled at the paver to determine the moisture content and mixture proportions. The fresh RCC pavement was tested before and after roller compaction with a dynamic cone penetrometer (DCP) and a nuclear density gauge. DCP-correlated CBR values varied from 7.3 to 20.3 and final density of 98.0 to 101.3% of the modified Proctor. The mix constituents were later mixed in the laboratory and specimens for each project were fabricated with a gyratory compactor with total volumetric energies ranging from 0.22 to 0.88 MJ/m3 at 15 minutes and 0.22 to 1.30 MJ/m3 at 45 minutes after mixing. Additional laboratory tests characterized several theoretical mix design volumetrics such as the aggregate intergranular voids (IGV), specific surface area (SSA), ratio of voids filled by paste (VFP), effective paste film thickness (EPFT), and total paste volume (TPV), and linked them to RCC constructability. All field mixtures were overfilled with VFP between 103 to 125%, derived from aggregate IGV of 16.7 to 24.9% and TPV from 19.7 to 25.6%. RCC 7-day compressive strengths obtained from molded specimens ranged from 30 to 53 MPa (7,690 psi). All projects met the contractual specifications with a broad range of material sources, equipment, and construction methods. The success in the projects were highly dependent on the compatibility with local materials, mix design proportions, and construction equipment type and process. A framework was proposed to help adjust a particular RCC mixture volumetrics to reach the constructability and sustainability goals.

Jordan Ouellet (pronounced Well-Let) is a research and teaching assistant at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign as is pursuing a PhD with Prof. Jeff Roesler. His research focusses on laboratory and field evaluation of constructability of roller-compacted concrete (RCC), as well as mix design proportioning and volumetrics.

Wed 1:00 pm - 2:45 pm

Recent Advances in RCC Roadway Construction in the USA

Corey ZollingerHiawatha

AUTHOR: Zollinger, C.J.

ABSTRACT: Roller Compacted Concrete (RCC) is a negative slump concrete that is placed by an asphalt paver and compacted with vibratory rollers similar to asphalt pavement construction. RCC has long history of good performance on heavy duty pavement applications such as ports, container yards, and manufacturing plants, and recently is gaining market share on roadway applications. This paper will summarize a recent survey of uses of RCC, types of paving equipment and final surface through 2021 with a focus on 2017-2021 in the United States as well as provide a few case studies on recent projects. The paper documents many of the benefits of using RCC on these types of projects such as speed of installation and traffic opening. Recent advances in mix design
with admixtures, aggregate selection, as well as utilization of trowelling for a more aesthetically pleasing finish are also documented.

Corey Zollinger, P.E. is the Director of Sustainable Infrastructure Solutions for CEMEX USA. He holds both Master and Bachelor's degrees from Texas A&M in Civil Engineering. He is currently a Chairman of the Environmental and Sustainability Committee for the Texas Aggregate and Concrete Association, Member of TRB Portland Cement Concrete Construction Committee, Executive Committee for the National Concrete Consortium, Board Member for the Texas Concrete Pavement Association as well as the Southwest Concrete Pavement Association, and the Chairman of the Board of Directors for the RCC Pavement Council. While he would prefer to be out riding his bike right now, giving a presentation on Concrete is ok as well.

Wed 1:00 pm - 2:45 pm

Innovative Test Setup for Transforming Singular Joint Deformations into Plural Cracks in Concrete Pavements

Maximilian WeißHiawatha

AUTHORS: Breitenbücher, R.; and Weiß, M.

ABSTRACT: Deformations within jointed plain concrete pavements (JPCP) are concentrated in the joints, which are also weak-points of such pavements. To prevent pollutions in the joints and in the construction at all, they have to be sealed. However, the current sealings are not very durable and must be renewed already after a few years. For this pupose, an alternative method is currently under development. The basic idea is, to overlap the existing joints with a thin concrete with an adequate carbon reinforcement (CRC). This CRC-layer enables the formation of multiple fine cracks in a small range, where the bond between CRC and the lower concrete is interrupted. Besides an adequate limitation of the crack witdths, also – in case of expansions – a delamination must be prevented.
In order to investigate this system in large-scale tests, an innovative test setup was developed to simulate positive and negative joint deformations on specimens under practical conditions in the lab. This device allows to test the specimens under static as well as under cyclic loadings. The test setup and preliminary test results are presented.

Maximilian Weiß, M.Sc. studied Environmental Engineering and Civil Engineering at the Ruhr University Bochum from 2015 to 2021. Since March 2022, Maximilian Weiß has been employed as a research assistant at the Institute of Construction Materials at the Ruhr University Bochum. As a research assistant, he is particularly involved in the research area of carbon-reinforced concrete.

Wed 1:00 pm - 2:45 pm

Leveraging State-of-the-Art Large Language Models for Accident Analysis in the Highway Construction Industry

Mason SmetanaHiawatha

AUTHORS: Smetana, M.; Sukharev, I.; Salles de Salles, L.; and Khazanovich, L.

ABSTRACT: Work zone hazards in the highway construction industry pose significant risks to worker safety, necessitating effective accident prevention measures. According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) Severe Injury Reports database, the highway construction industry ranks among the top 10% of contributors to all cases. However, existing research in construction safety primarily focuses on building construction, resulting in a notable gap in understanding accidents specific to highway construction, including those pertaining to concrete pavement activities. To bridge this gap, this study proposes leveraging advanced Large Language Models (LLMs), such as GPT-3.5, to enhance data-driven accident analysis. While LLMs have demonstrated their effectiveness in various domains, their application in construction safety remains limited, with minimal exploration of their potential for analyzing textual accident data. Previous
research predominantly relies on traditional machine learning approaches for natural language processing (NLP) tasks, indicating potential to gain deeper insights and improve accident analysis in highway construction. This study aims to achieve efficient data processing, NLP understanding, and contextualized insights by utilizing publicly available databases. The use of these databases underscores the novel and convenient approach employed in this study, utilizing state-of-the-art LLMs to analyze extensive amounts of textual accident data and facilitate identifying major causes of accidents. This analysis is complemented by traditional statistical approaches, clustering algorithms, and classification techniques.

Mason Smetana graduated from the University of Pittsburgh in April 2022 with a B.S. in Civil Engineering, specializing in Structural Engineering, and gained nearly three years of experience through co-ops and internships with American Bridge Company, enhancing his skills in temporary structures, bridge erection engineering, and structural modeling using finite element programs. Now a Ph.D. student in Pavement Engineering under Dr. Lev Khazanovich at the University of Pittsburgh, his research involves applying Large Language Models (LLMs) to civil engineering tasks such as analyzing safety databases and assisting field personnel, along with investigating the integration of a crack propagation finite element model into other existing models.

Wed 1:00 pm - 2:45 pm

3:15 pm - 5:00 pm Poster Session 4 CONSERVATORY

Moderator: Dorian Brawner, Kentucky DOT

Maturity-Strength Trends Observed from Carbon Dioxide Test Sections at MnROAD

Emil G. BautistaConservatory

AUTHORS: Bautista, E.; Podolsky, J.; and Izevbekhai, B.

ABSTRACT: In 2022 the construction initiative that was undertaken at MnROAD was the largest to take place since the initial construction of MnROAD in 1993 on the Mainline of I-94 WB (a 3 mile stretch of interstate), a segment of I-94 WB that runs parallel and North of the original I-94 WB built during the early 1970s. The focus of the construction initiative towards rigid pavement materials was sustainability and resiliency, i.e., reducing the carbon footprint from material use, and mix design optimization while still performing well. As part of this construction in 2022, 18 new rigid pavement test sections were built, of which 6 test sections dealt with the use of carbon dioxide for sustainable and resilient concrete pavements. This paper discusses the flexural and compressive strength-maturity trends observed in each of these 6 mixes. The general form of the Nurse-Saul equation appeared valid for the carbon dioxide injected mixtures as well as their controls. The low level of injected carbon dioxide as well as the use of inter-ground limestone may have reduced the overall effect. However, the results indicated a clustering of the various factorials of the carbon dioxide mixtures and the controls on the basis of the model constants derived from the Nurse-Saul equation. Nevertheless, maturity method was proven to be a reliable and sustainable alternative to time-consuming production and elaborate testing of cylinders and beams for compressive and flexural strength.

Dr. Emil Bautista is a Senior Engineer at the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT). Currently he is serving as one of MnROAD Project Engineers and oversees contracted research with major pavement research partnerships. Dr. Bautista provides expert knowledge on concrete and asphalt mixtures, performance testing, construction, and pavement performance. He actively contributes and supports leadership in various initiatives related to construction materials sustainability in MnDOT.

Wed 3:15 pm - 5:00 pm

Concrete Pavement Analysis in DOD’S JEDI-2D Framework

Anastasios M. IoannidesConservatory

AUTHORS: Ioannides, A.M.; and Tingle, J.S.

ABSTRACT: This paper outlines the concrete pavement analysis features incorporated in the Joint Evaluation and Design Integrated (JEDI) software, a framework under development for pavement design and evaluation by agencies in the US Department of Defense. It is envisaged that JEDI will employ state-of-the-art two-dimensional finite element software for responses in rigid and flexible pavements. ILLI-SLAB had been identified as a suitable candidate for rigid pavements in JEDI by an expert panel of academics and consultants convened in 2014. It was adopted by the JEDI researchers because: (a) It is in the public domain, with unrestricted access and distribution; (b) Its source code is available for checking, enhancement and tailoring; (c) One of its senior developers serves as a full-time member of the development team; (d) The software has been thoroughly debugged and its performance has been verified as practically identical with that of commercially available competitors. During this study, changes in the ILLI-SLAB code have been made to address real or perceived weaknesses, as reported in the technical literature. C-SLAB, the revised and enhanced JEDI software for concrete pavement analysis, incorporates: (i) Elimination of subroutine duplication; (ii) Extension of options available for accommodating load transfer; (iii) Verification of curling results by comparison with independent theoretical and analytical procedures. It is found that C-SLAB produces robust results in all cases of interest to DOD. Moreover, its use in the JEDI context is enhanced by the addition of a front end for data input and an output visualization tool for results interpretation.

Wed 3:15 pm - 5:00 pm

Bohuslav SlánskýConservatory

AUTHORS: Slansky, B.; Vyslouzil, L.; Hela, R.; Smilauer, V.; and Hlavaty, J.

ABSTRACT: During the last years, reduction of the clinker factor led to various blended cements used in pavement construction. The experimental campaign covered nine cements, taking into account special coarsely-ground Portland cement and various GGBFS- and limestoneblended cements. Crack resistance during restrained drying was found as the most influential factor, related to volume deformations caused by chemical and drying shrinkage. Cements with slow hydration kinetics performed the best in the ring shrinkage test, four of them were classified as crack-resistant. Crack-resistant cement also demonstrated low free drying shrinkage on prisms 30×30×500 mm. Three cements out of four selected passed tests for frost concrete resistance with defrosting chemicals, disqualifying cement with 14% ground limestone. At the end, three cements passed all the requirements, particularly CEM I 42.5 R (Blaine 263 m2/kg), CEM II/A-S 42.5 N (Blaine 343 m2/kg) and CEM II/B-S 32.5 R (Blaine 331 m2/kg), representing cements with slower strength gain.

Wed 3:15 pm - 5:00 pm

3:15 pm - 5:00 pm Session 15: Materials GREAT NORTHERN

Moderator: Mike Nelson, Indiana DOT

TBDGreat Northern

AUTHORS: NguyenDinh, N., Dao, D.T., Trucy, L.; and Eugen, F.

ABSTRACT: The rehabilitation of existing flexible pavements has become increasingly frequent and costly due to the exponential growth in traffic and fluctuations in bitumen prices. When addressing damaged asphalt pavement, the usual solution is to consider rigid overlay options. One promising choice for overlaying asphalt pavements is the ultra-thin application of a strain-hardening cement-based composite known as Engineered Cementitious Composite (ECC). This material exhibits remarkable durability and is wellsuited for asphalt pavement overlays. The high ductility of ECC, which enhances its flexibility and strength, not only significantly improves durability but also has the potential to eliminate the need for dummy joints in traditional concrete overlay pavements. In the initial phase of our project, we conducted parameter studies of ECC bonded on top of asphalt pavement using nonlinear Finite Element Modeling and estimate the pavement's service life. The modeling results indicate that using ECC as an overlay on asphalt pavement can significantly extend the pavement's service life. However, the bond between the ECC layer and the existing pavement is crucial in ensuring pavement durability. If debonding occurs, it can reduce the pavement's lifespan by more than 2.5 times. Additionally, the longevity of the pavement is greatly influenced by the condition of the existing asphalt and the thickness of the ECC layer.

Wed 3:15 pm - 5:00 pm

3:15 pm - 5:00 pm Session 16: Durability HIAWATHA

Moderator: John Arambarri, Idaho DOT

Jagan GudimettlaHiawatha

AUTHORS: Gudimettla, J.; Praul, M.; Cavalline, T.; and Grove, J.

ABSTRACT: The Performance Engineered Concrete Paving Mixtures Transportation Pooled fund (TPF-5(368)) has introduced state highway agencies to new and improved tests and technologies that measure engineering properties that evaluate a pavement’s potential long term field performance. This significant advancement in testing technologies has allowed for a shift away from prescriptive requirements like slump and total air content, toward performance-related criteria that are better indicators of durability, such as transport properties, shrinkage, and freeze-thaw resistance. This paper presents case studies from four paving projects constructed in four states (Oklahoma, Iowa, New York, Minnesota) where the PEM concepts were used to optimize concrete mixture proportions. In each of these projects, a section was constructed using the state’s standard or traditional mixtures and another section using an optimized mixture from the same / similar materials. The traditional mixtures were optimized primarily by adjusting the combined aggregate gradation allowing reduction in the binder content. The nature of these projects allowed for direct one to one comparison of the two sets of mixtures. In all four cases, it was found that the optimized mixtures were equal or better in terms of strength, durability characteristics (surface resistivity), constructability (based on feedback from contractor) and ride numbers (IRI) compared to the traditional mixtures where data were available. These case studies clearly demonstrate that simple changes to mixture designs using the PEM concepts can help achieve more durable, sustainable, and economical concrete.

Jagan Gudimettla, PE, is the Project Manager for the FHWA’s Mobile Concrete Technology Center (MCTC). He has been working as a consultant for the FHWA since 2003. Work has taken him to all 50 states where he worked with agencies, industry, and academia in implementing new technologies and best practices in the pavement materials and construction arena. His areas of interest include quality assurance, advanced material testing, non-destructive testing and pavement design. Jagan’s current focus is the implementation of the FHWA’s Performance Engineered Mixture (PEM) Initiative. Jagan earned his Master’s Degrees in Pavements / Materials from Auburn University and is a Registered Professional Engineer in Virginia, Maryland and California. He is the current chair of the TRB’s Concrete Pavement Construction and Rehabilitation Committee, AKC50.

Wed 3:15 pm - 5:00 pm