Asphalt Pro - January 2021 Edition

Production at the Plant

asphaltPRO PRODUCTION – PROFESSIONALS – PRODUCTS

Rail Aggregate • • • • •

Put Safe AC Handling First Boxley Makes a Porous Mix Make Fuel Last in Auxiliary Equipment How to Depreciate for Best Tax Deductions NCHRP 20-50 Shows in-Place Voids Performance

All Roads Exceeds Air Quality with New Asphalt Plant JANUARY 2021 WWW.THEASPHALTPRO.COM

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CONTENTS

asphaltPRO january 2021

departments

44

Editor’s Letter

6 – Obey Newton’s First Law

SAFETY SPOTLIGHT

8 – Pave Forward with AC Safety

By Pavel Kriz

MIX IT UP

12 – In-Place Air Voids Affect Performance

By Michael Heitzman, P.E., PhD

TRAINING

16 – Make Paver Cleaning Quick

By John Ball

PAVEMENT MAINTENANCE

18 – Thinlay Success in the Sooner State

By Sarah Redohl

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

26 – Digital Efficiency for AA Asphalting

By Dave Costello

40

PRODUCER PROFILE

18

28 – All Roads Exceeds Environmental Expectations

By Sarah Redohl

WOMEN of ASPHALT PROFILE 44 – A Woman of Asphalt: Meet Pike’s Teri Wells

By Sandy Lender

50

INTERNATIONAL SNAPSHOT 50 – International Batching From Ammann Group

PRODUCT GALLERY

54 – Training and Services Join Product Offerings for Paving Success

By AsphaltPro Staff

OFF THE MAT

60 – Know When, How To Depreciate Equipment

By Sean Rizer

NEW TECH

62 – New Revu Improves Collaboration Control, Efficiency

By Sarah Redohl

ONLINE UPDATE

63 – AsphaltPro Online

Feature articles 34 – Carmeuse Preps Aggregate for Rail

By Tom Saccamozzone

Production at the Plant

asphaltPRO PRODUCTION – PROFESSIONALS – PRODUCTS

36 – Ten Tips to Boost Your Fuel Efficiency From Caterpillar Paving Products 40 – Boxley Performs on Porous Pedestrian Path

By Sarah Redohl

Rail Aggregate • Put Safe AC Handling First • Boxley Makes a Porous Mix • Make Fuel Last in Auxiliary Equipment • How to Depreciate for Best Tax Deductions • NCHRP 20-50 Shows in-Place Voids Performance

All Roads Exceeds Air Quality with New Asphalt Plant JANUARY 2021 WWW.THEASPHALTPRO.COM

on the cover

With the help of Gencor Industries, the team at All Roads exceeds air quality standards to install the new plant in British Columbia.

See related article on page 28. Photo courtesy of All Roads

editor’s Letter Obey Newton’s First Law

Sir Isaac Newton’s First Law deals with inertia and tells us an object at rest will stay at rest; an object in motion will stay in motion. These statements remain true unless an outside/ external force acts on the object. The virus that escaped China—the external force—to ravage the globe in 2020 put the health and safety community of the construction industry—the object—into what I’d call “increased velocity.”

While members of the construction industry’s safety arm weren’t at rest prior to COVID-19’s outbreak, I think we’ve stepped up our game. Many other editors in the trade, commercial and literary publication marketplaces have bemoaned how the pandemic has changed business dynamics in 2020, but, to be honest, I think we should view ourselves differently for it. For example, if you’re like me, you think more intentionally about health and safety in your personal and professional lives.

I’m putting self-awareness in the “positive” column for the year.

While I would never minimize the physical and mental health issues many people have had to deal with as reactions to the pandemic have made their way into our daily thoughts and activities, I want to move forward into 2021. Without negating anyone’s concerns, I posit it’s time for clear-thinking adults to take advantage of the New Year and all the resolution-power that comes with it to make positive choices for health, safety and prosperity combined. Let’s take the lessons we’ve learned from lessening the spread of an unknown and unpredictable virus, apply those lessons to whatever’s coming out of Andhra Pradesh next, and move forward with the benefit of better health and safety programs in place.

We have more to discuss in 2021 than fear of a virus that my 70-year-old father battled and survived, that a publishing friend with the co-morbidity of COPD battled and survived, and so on. I’m fortunate that none of my friends or neighbors who experienced COVID-19 firsthand perished. I include my gratitude in my prayers.

I also include forward-thinking in my supplications and encourage others to do the same. We cannot sit down and stay in place, paralyzed by fear. By turning into bodies at rest, we not only pack on the quarantine poundage from quarantine snacks, but we let the businesses that our employees and economy depend upon slide into failure. Healthy bodies that have nowhere to work and no hope for the future won’t remain healthy for long.

Thus I encourage spreading hope for the New Year.

What’s your post-COVID plan for a healthy and hopeful season start-up in Spring 2021?

What’s your plan to get your company—the object—in motion in the safest, healthiest operations for all of your workers?

I wish a happy, healthy, prosperous New Year to everyone!

Stay Safe,

Sandy Lender

January 2021 • Vol. 14 No.4

asphaltPRO

602 W. Morrison, Box 6a • Fayette, MO 65248

(573) 823-6297 • www.theasphaltpro.com GROUP PUBLISHER Chris Harrison chris@ theasphaltpro.com PUBLISHER Sally Shoemaker sally@theasphaltpro.com (573) 823-6297 EDITOR Sandy Lender sandy@theasphaltpro.com (239) 272-8613 ASSOCIATE EDITOR Sarah Redohl sarah@theasphaltpro.com (573) 355-9775 MEDIA SALES Cara Owings cara@theasphaltpro.com (660) 537-0778 ART DIRECTOR Kristin Branscom BUSINESS MANAGER Susan Campbell (660) 728-5007

AsphaltPro is published 11 times per year.

Writers expressing views in AsphaltPro Magazine or on the AsphaltPro website are professionals with sound, professional advice. Views expressed herein are not necessarily the same as the views of AsphaltPro, thus producers/contractors are still encouraged to use best practices when implementing new advice.

SUBSCRIPTION POLICY: Individual subscriptions are available without charge in the United Sates, Canada and Mexico to qualified individuals.

One year subscription to non-qualifying Individuals: United States $90, Canada and Mexico $125.00. For the international digital edition, visit theasphaltpro.com/subscribe/.

6 // January 2021

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Safety Spotlight

Pave Forward with AC Safety The saying “safety first” carries weight in the asphalt business, and best practices in safety are universal in the industry. However, industry professionals should never settle for standard. There is always room to raise the bar and pursue a more holistic, informed approach to asphalt safety.

Wholesalers should know about current safety trends and how the industry is progressing in response to those trends, including advancements in science and technology as well as education and training.

Moreover, it is equally important to look at today’s safety and risk management protocols with a more critical eye to determine where the industry can adapt further.

This balanced approach to improving safety against current and future needs defines the industry-wide push towards a higher standard of health and safety across every level of the business.

T

SEEK SAFETY IN THE DETAILS

For those in the asphalt industry, the attitude around safety is that you should never be satisfied. The ongoing push for smarter, more advanced safety solutions comes down to the details. Now more than ever, leading organizations like the Asphalt Institute are calling on industry leaders to identify areas where there is room for improvement, rather than focus on what has worked well in the past.1 This trend towards more forward-looking solutions in asphalt safety has placed more responsibility on asphalt manufacturers and providers to “up their game” in operational integrity.

Meeting industry specifications is a requirement of any asphalt provider, but safety concerns reach deeper than the stan-

8 // January 2021

This modern automated distillation unit is used to screen appropriate crude oils for high quality asphalt manufacturing. All photos courtesy of ExxonMobil dards set for asphalt product performance.

Safety concerns should not be oversimplified given that operational environments are never entirely risk-free—even the most up- to-date safety and risk-management protocols have gaps to fill. At refineries, for instance, it is crucial to have a very prescriptive, organized system in place for evaluating and documenting operational data for risk-analysis. For wholesalers, this detail-oriented approach should indicate the level of a provider’s accountability, which speaks volumes about their integrity as a partner to customers as well as their dedication to achieve shared success for the industry.

SEEK SAFETY IN THE SCIENCE Today, industry leaders need to get safety concerns down to a science if they are going to develop the solutions needed for now and in the future.

Exposure to a naturally-occurring gas, hydrogen sulfide (H2S), continues to be a top concern in the liquid asphalt industry and efforts to mitigate the risks associated with it are industry-wide. Specifically, the goal is to protect personnel involved in the storage, handling and transportation of asphalt.2

Sharing information with nearby communities on how the industry controls this occupational exposure is an important educational step to prevent misconceptions. The industry has done great work thus far to determine the various sources and health ramifications of H2S, and studies continue to evolve as experts dig deeper into the complexities of human biology and the varied responses to things like chemical exposure. In particular, focusing on the chemistry of how a H2S molecule forms within asphalt has resulted in a more informed approach to determining necessary mitigation steps and other best practices.

Chemistry is also important when it comes to additives in asphalt products.

While there is a general understanding of the factors involved in the additives process—such as time, temperature and treat rates—companies need to understand more about how these factors actually interact with one another and evolve over time. As a result, a rigorous technical approach is becoming even more critical to ensure the additives process is properly controlled and evaluated, which in turn will lead to better practices in safety and risk management.

Finally, working alongside industry and health organizations is critical to advancing

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Safety Spotlight Burns from hot asphalt products is another key area of concern and one of the most frequent issues faced by workers, particularly for workers and tanker-truck drivers in asphalt terminals, storage facilities and hot-mix plants. Typically, burns result from failing to follow best practices and safety protocol when loading and transporting hot asphalt at the terminal, and when pumping hot asphalt into tanks at the hot-mix plant. Even as these environments benefit from the ease and accuracy of modern technologies, safety risks are tied to human error and we are all susceptible to it.

Organizations need to be proactive about updating training and educational programs to stay current, and should make an extra effort to keep teams refreshed on basic safety tips and their importance.

A weather-o-meter is used to simulate field conditions and its impact on asphalt durability industry research in safety. For example, ExxonMobil has provided expert representation for reviews conducted by the International Association for Research on Cancer (IARC) around occupational exposure to bitumen and bitumen emissions.

IARC completed its monograph in 2011 and published its findings in 2013, essentially classifying bitumen (asphalt) paving fume to be about as carcinogenic as your cell phone.

In addition, ExxonMobil holds leadership positions at the Asphalt Institute, Asphalt Institute Foundation and Eurobitume, the European Association of Bitumen Producers, and regularly contributes to the development of industry research, including the Strategic Asphalt Research (STAR) Symposium Report released by the Asphalt Institute Foundation. These organizations continue to develop educational materials around H2S mitigation and treatment for burns to set higher standards for handling procedures. For example, the Safe Delivery of Bitumen Guides have set an industry benchmark for bitumen handling procedures.

10 // January 2021

Working together enables industry leaders to join minds and resources to take on a shared mission and raise the bar in safety and health across the industry.

TECHNOLOGY AND EDUCATION GO HAND-IN-HAND

In the digital age, the roles of technology and education go hand-in-hand and are equally vital in minimizing safety risks in the liquid asphalt industry. Advancements in technology are moving the needle on the serious issues of burns and H2S exposure, but it remains critical that all industry members continue learning about the areas for improvement and apply the right tools to educate all personnel involved in the production and use of asphalt.

When it comes to H2S exposure, the latest technology to arrive in the field includes air monitoring systems that are able to measure gas levels in the air. Picking up H2S gas in the air may sound simple; however, these machines are complex and involve equal parts technology and science to accurately measure exact exposure. As a result, there is still much to learn in order to develop and progress a multi-disciplined technology approach that can hit all elements needed from an H2S measuring system.

SHARE GOALS FOR A CONTROLS SAFE FUTURE

Upholding a strong commitment to safety is not a one-man job, nor is the responsibility concentrated within certain asphalt industry groups. Ultimately, safety must be an industry-wide priority, with each and CONTROLS every members of the asphalt supply chain sharing responsibility.

The industry has made significant progress in understanding and addressing asphalt safety needs, but there is still work to do. It is important to engage in technical advocacy and shared education across the CONTROLS industry to address safety challenges on the horizon. Lending expertise and valuable knowledge in science and technology will help promote continued learning and growth, allowing the industry to surge ahead and continue striving for even better safety solutions in the future.CONTROLS – BY PAVEL KRIZ

Pavel Kriz, PhD, Peng, serves as an ExxonMobil asphalt technical team leader in the Americas. He has 20 years of asphalt technology experience.

CONTROLS

1 The Asphalt Institute. Strategic Asphalt Research (STAR) Symposium Report 2017. Retrieved from: Strategic Asphalt Research (STAR) Symposium Report 2 Davis, John. Asphalt safety focus on handling.

Published in Asphalt Magazine.

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In-Place Air Voids Affect Performance Air voids are an important parameter in asphalt pavement construction. If air voids are too high or too low, pavement life can be reduced.

The objective of the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Project 20-50 (18) was to determine the effects of as-constructed air voids on performance using field data from the Long-Term Pavement Performance (LTPP) program.

Although a similar study was conducted in 2001 under NCHRP Project 20-50 (14), revisiting the topic was warranted because a much larger LTPP dataset is now available.

The study focused on performance related to these four distress types: • rutting; • fatigue cracking; • thermal cracking; and • roughness.

A major challenge was isolating the influence of air voids from the many other factors affecting performance, including climate, traffic and pavement structure.

Three analysis methods were used: 1. dividing the LTPP sections into common data subgroups to help isolate the effect of air voids, 2. using regression modeling, and 3. using an artificial neural network (ANN).

Validation efforts were conducted using data from the National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT) Test Track and the Minnesota DOT’s MnROAD facility.

Data from 426 LTPP test sections were extracted with a nearly even split between new construction and rehabilitated sections. All of the sections had a minimum of five years of field performance monitoring (over half had more than 10) and at least three distress surveys (over two-thirds had more than eight).

All four climate regions were represented with a higher proportion from wet-no freeze and wet-freeze regions. As-constructed air voids ranged from 1 percent to more than 14 percent. The mean of all wheel path as-constructed air voids was slightly

A

12 // January 2021

lower than the mean of all non-wheel path air voids, reflecting a delay between when sections were opened to traffic and when the LTPP team collected as-constructed data. Where available, non-wheel path air voids were used for the analysis. Data for all asphalt layers was needed to account for performance related to the surface (rutting and thermal cracking) as well as full depth (fatigue cracking).

LTPP cracking data was recorded relative to physical location rather than cause; therefore, this study used wheel path cracking to quantify fatigue cracking and used transverse cracking to quantify thermal cracking.

Sections with porous surface mixes were removed from the study due to their high air voids. Different dates were selected to initiate performance time: open to traffic date for rutting, fatigue cracking, and roughness; construction completion date for thermal cracking; and LTPP assignment date for rehabilitation sections that had no other dates recorded. Some sections experienced additional construction events during the monitoring period; those events that resulted in significantly different performance were considered as separate analysis periods.

Assembling and processing the data was time intensive, requiring additional steps to develop a reliable and complete dataset for analysis methods 2 and 3. This dataset included more detailed climate, material stiffness, and layer thickness variables than the dataset used in method 1. Layer attributes were combined into LTPP section-level attributes; for example, a representative air voids value was computed for each section as the average of air voids for each layer weighted by layer thickness. For variables other than air voids with a low percentage of missing values, approximate values were determined by predictive models. The final analysis dataset for each performance type included section attributes merged with time-dependent data (climate and traffic) for each performance measure.

This study concluded that lower as-constructed air voids have a positive impact on asphalt pavement performance. However, the influence is not consistent among the types of distress and type of project…

Analysis method 1 created a matrix of 48 subgroups delineated by climate, traffic, and pavement structure such that similar performance was expected in each subgroup, with as-constructed air voids being a distinguishing factor. A total of 27 subgroups had a sufficient number of LTPP sections for analysis.

From each section’s performance curve, representative values were established for each distress. Rutting was evaluated at four, six and eight years as well as the time to reach 0.3 inches of rutting. The performance criteria for fatigue cracking was the percentage of wheel path cracking after 10 years. For thermal cracking, the number of years before transverse cracks appeared and the length of transverse cracking were determined.

Roughness was analyzed after 10 years of traffic and the time for roughness to increase by 25 in/mi from the initial post-construction measurement.

Graphs were created for each subgroup by plotting the performance value and as-constructed air voids for each section. Sections were classified as “meeting expectations” if the plot showed better performance for lower as-constructed air voids, sections were classified as “contradicting expectations” if worse performance was observed for lower air voids, and sections were classified as “no influence” if similar performance was observed over a range of as-constructed air voids. As seen in Table 1, the impact of as-constructed air voids was mixed for analysis method 1.

mix it up Analysis method 2 used statistical regressions to assess the influence of as-constructed air voids on pavement performance. Input variables were normalized so that each would be weighted equally in the analysis.

A separate model was developed for each combination of pavement type and distress.

Each model was fitted to a typical curve for each distress considering model fit and complexity. For analysis method 2, the influence of air voids was also mixed. Table 1 lists approximate R2 for each model and whether the model prediction met or contradicted expectations. A series of performance curves created using average input variables and incremental as-constructed air voids are available in the User Guide prepared for the project.

Analysis method 3 used an artificial neural network (ANN) to examine the influence of as-constructed air voids. ANN is an adaptive information processing approach that establishes correlations between input and output variables through interconnected neurons (weight factors) that are adjusted using a minimum error function. Eight models were developed—one for each combination of pavement type and distress—each having slightly different input parameters (climate, traffic, material, and structure characteristics) and different numbers of neurons within the ANN architecture.

For each model, LTPP sections were randomly divided into two groups: a training-validation cluster used to develop the ANN model and a test cluster used to evaluate model prediction accuracy. Training-validation clusters were further subdivided into training and validation subsets. The ANN model predictions and measured pavement performance were generally in good agreement within the training-validation clusters.

Prediction accuracy was lower for the test clusters, which may be attributed to measurement variations within individual parameters as well as the relatively small dataset with respect to the diversity of the LTPP sections. Overall, the ANN models had better prediction accuracy than the regression models developed in analysis method 2. As shown in Table 1, the influence of as-constructed air voids for analysis method 3 was also mixed.

Broadly speaking, this study concluded that lower as-constructed air voids have a positive impact on asphalt pavement perfor-

Table 1. Summary of Analysis Results

Performance Measure

Pavement Type

Analysis Method 1

New

57% met 21% contradict

Approx. R2 = 0.31 Predicted R2 = 0.46 Nominally contradict Nominally met

Rehabilitated

67% met 0% contradict

Approx. R2 = 0.16 Predicted R2 = 0.47 Minimally contradict No influence

New

82% met 9% contradict

Approx. R2 = 0.41 Significantly met

Predicted R2 = 0.62 Mixed expectation

Rehabilitated

40% met 30% contradict

Approx. R2 = 0.35 Nominally met

Predicted R2 = 0.46 Significantly met

New

42% met 50% contradict

Approx. R2 = 0.38 Nominally met

Predicted R2 = 0.36 No influence

Rehabilitated

50% met 50% contradict

Approx. R2 = 0.32 Nominally met

Predicted R2 = 0.30 Nominally met

New

54% met 38% contradict

Approx. R2 = 0.24 Nominally met

Predicted R2 = 0.19 Nominally met

Rehabilitated

25% met 42% contradict

Approx. R2 = 0.21 Nominally met

Predicted R2 = 0.39 Nominally met

Rutting

Fatigue Cracking

Thermal Cracking

Roughness

mance. However, the influence is not consistent among the types of distress and type of project (new construction or rehabilitation).

Validation of these results involved two approaches. The first compared analysis method 1 results with AASHTO Pavement ME predicted performance (rutting and fatigue cracking) over a range of air voids. Nine LTPP sections were selected from two subgroups (dry-no freeze and wet-no freeze, both with medium thickness and low traffic). The Pavement ME rutting and fatigue trends agreed with the study for the dry-no freeze subgroup but differed for the wet-no freeze subgroup.

The second validation approach compared actual performance at MnROAD and the NCAT Test Track to predicted performance using the models developed with each analysis method. Data from both sources were filtered to exclude sections with porous surface mixes as well as sections outside the range of pavement structures and traffic conditions seen within the LTPP dataset. Because the Test Track uses accelerated loading (approximately 10 years of heavy loading applied within a two-year cycle), a time shift was applied to the performance

Analysis Method 2

Analysis Method 3

curves to approximate normal traffic. The regression models developed using analysis method 2 were applicable to some but not all cases for MnROAD and the Test Track. The ANN models developed using analysis method 3 better fit the LTPP data but were not applicable to the MnROAD and Test Track data. Caution should be used when applying these models to parameters outside the LTPP dataset.

The results of this study will provide better information for agencies to determine if their construction standards should be modified to improve pavement performance.

This decision will be based on how well the agency’s climate and pavement program compares to the data used in this study. Implementation guidance is contained in the report, as well as direction for agencies that want to perform an in-house study with their own data.

– BY MICHAEL HEITZMAN, P.E., PHD

CONTR

CONTR

CONTR

CONTR

This article originally appeared in the Fall 2020 NCAT eNewsletter and appears here with permission. For more information, please visit http://eng.auburn.edu/research/ centers/ncat/about/index.html.

CONTR

14 // January 2021

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Training

TOP LEFT: Instead of using a screwdriver or putty knife to get in the ventilation gap, the worker uses the leaf blower to dislodge asphalt particles.

When asphalt is trapped in this area and allowed to build up, it prevents the screed from heating properly, prevents heat from escaping and prevents your crew from getting a smooth mat. Instead of letting that problem build up, train workers to get the machine completely cleaned. Get even the tiny particles off the paver. TOP RIGHT: You can see that the screed is so pristine even the nuts are clean enough you could get a ratchet on them for loosening the bolts. This clean machine makes the crew look professional to the passing public, gives the crew a fighting chance at a top quality mat, and shortens the time for routine maintenance or screed changes. BOTTOM: The workers in the background of these two pictures are on their knees to work at cleaning. One uses the leaf blower to reach crevices. The other has to use a putty knife to scrape the tunnels.

Make Paver Cleaning Quick We’ve talked about the importance of cleaning the endgate to get the best performance from the paving operation. You want the ski—or foot—to float perfectly on top of the joint you match, and that requires a clean endgate with springs functioning properly. One way to make sure these parts are clean is with a high-power blower. Doesn’t that sound simple? Yet so many crews neglect to have a blower on the job.

In the images here, we see this crew using a backpack Stihl leaf blower to dislodge final bits of debris, dirt, leaves, sand, and other crap from the screed, tunnels, and the endgate springs. Take a clos-

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16 // January 2021

er look at each picture and consider how your equipment could benefit from a thorough cleaning, not just so the traveling public sees your best-looking crew on the job, but also so you have the best-performing equipment for your projects.

– BY JOHN BALL

John Ball is the proprietor of Top Quality Paving & Training, Manchester, New Hampshire. He provides personal, on-site paving consulting services around the United States and into Canada. For more information, contact him at (603) 493-1458 or tqpaving@yahoo.com.

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Because a rich intermediate layer can be placed by a standard asphalt paver, it removed the manual labor required to place fabric, in addition to its crack mitigation properties.

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How ODOT Division One in Muskogee has found success using thinlays across their division

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When Division One of the Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) experienced some cracking issues, Division Engineer Chris Wallace looked to the asphalt industry for solutions. Specifically, he looked to Larry Patrick, executive director of the Oklahoma Asphalt Paving Association (OAPA).

“We had some cracking issues on our older pavements, specifically overlays on our concrete pavements,” Wallace said.

To rectify the issues, the division performed 2-inch mill-and-fills on a couple of

18 // January 2021

the projects. “We used fabric before paving the asphalt, but placing fabric is very labor-intensive.”

When Patrick was invited to look at some of the projects in question to propose possible solutions, he recalled the success of using a rich intermediate layer that he’d seen on the National Center for Asphalt Technology Test Track. The method was also successful on a section of I-40 near Hinton, Oklahoma, and had been used successfully in Texas and in Oklahoma City.

“After [those] successes, I thought using a rich intermediate layer along with a thinlay would help preserve and maintain roads that were needing some attention, for which funding may not be in place for reconstructing and rehabilitation,” Patrick said. “This is a self-healing mix that can be used, within reason, on roadways with cracking and even on concrete roads with success.”

A rich intermediate layer is a 9.5mm mix using highly modified asphalt (HiMA) technology and higher AC content to

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Patrick suggested using a rich intermediate layer after seeing its success on the National Center for Asphalt Technology Test Track. achieve lab molded density of 97 percent, which equates to about 0.5 to 1 percent higher AC content than Oklahoma’s normal 9.5mm mixes. Since a rich intermediate layer can be placed by a standard asphalt paver, it removed the manual labor required to place fabric, in addition to its crack mitigation properties.

Although ODOT has performed numerous ultrathin bonded wearing course projects over the years, the concept of rich intermediate layers was new to the agency.

Wallace worked with the asphalt branch of ODOT’s materials group to come up with a combination of milling, placing the rich intermediate layer, then putting a thin lift of S6 on top.

20 // January 2021

“Patrick saw what we were trying to do to make our pavements last longer and slow down reflective cracking, and he was able to share his knowledge with us to come up with better solutions,” Wallace said. “The asphalt industry has a great representative in Larry Patrick.”

THE PROOF IS IN THE PROJECTS

Division One’s first project using this method was performed January 2019 on a badly cracked section of US 69 south of Muskogee. A series of freezing rain events had caused the pavement to deteriorate more rapidly than expected. “We were doing so much patching, we were having to close entire lanes,” Wallace said.

Despite less than ideal paving conditions in the middle of winter, something had to be done. The contractor, APAC, was able to get out there and perform the work on some of the warmer winter days.

Since then, Division One has performed four more thinlay projects incorporating a rich intermediate layer around the state during the regular paving season with “really good results,” Wallace said. Three of the jobs were also performed by APAC, and the fourth, by Rosscon LLC, Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Although the materials for the rich intermediate layer and thinlay process cost more—there are two lifts, after all, and one of the lifts is a specialized asphalt—Wallace is impressed by the results. Because the rich

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Pavement maintenance intermediate layer can be placed with a paver, it removes the manual labor of putting down the fabric. Although the two are comparable, Wallace said the added benefits of a rich intermediate layer make it a more attractive option.

“There was some concern with the skid numbers on these pavements,” Wallace said.

However, ODOT performed a skid test on two of the thinlay projects and compared those numbers against the results of a skid test on a recently paved open-graded friction course. All three pavements tested were in the high 30s to mid-40s. “We discovered that the data was comparable, and it is possible to get the skid numbers we need with this type of treatment.”

Simultaneously, Wallace was impressed by the smoothness of pavement. “The pavements have held up well and we have not seen cracking in the new sections,” he said.

Even the job APAC paved in the heart of winter has held up better than expected. Wallace hopes to see between five and 10 years of service on these projects.

Wallace has shared the program’s success stories with his counterparts around the state, so it’s possible the process may be adopted by ODOT’s seven other divisions.

Wallace advised agencies interested in this process to reach out to the asphalt industry in their state. “Work with asphalt industry representatives like Larry to see what technology is out there,” he suggested.

“Reach out to contractors to see what experiences they’ve had with different treatments.”

LESSONS LEARNED

TOP: “The pavements have held up well and we have not seen cracking in the new sections,” Wallace said. BOTTOM: A rich intermediate layer is a 9.5mm mix using highly modified asphalt (HiMA) technology and higher AC content to achieve lab molded density of 97 percent, which equates to about 0.5 to 1 percent higher AC content than Oklahoma’s normal 9.5mm mixes.

22 // January 2021

One challenge with the rich intermediate layer, Wallace said, is that the polymerized AC it requires is time- and temperature-sensitive. It’s also imperative that the asphalt beneath be very clean. “When you’re paving a ¾-inch lift, any type of debris can create an issue,” he added.

Patrick stressed the importance of doing one’s due diligence to ensure a roadway is a good candidate for this process.

Considering this year’s downturn in DOT funding, Patrick has one more suggestion—for state asphalt pavement associations: “Assure them that the asphalt industry has technology and answers to the DOT’s needs.”

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Digital Efficiency for AA Asphalting AA Asphalting LLC, headquartered in Sumner, Washington, one of the largest asphalt and concrete restoration companies in the Pacific Northwest, services businesses and organizations throughout Washington and Oregon.

The company has experienced substantial growth over the years and determined that its technical infrastructure needed modernization to better support its expanding operations.

The company chose Advaiya, a technology consulting and implementation services company based in Bellevue, Washington, as its partner for transforming its business from paper-based to digital.

Along with being primarily paper-driven, the company’s work processes, scheduling, assigning field personnel and data entry were all manual-based and complex.

“Our company has experienced impressive growth over the years and some staff knew how to navigate our systems very well to get the information they needed,” said Ben Foster, CTO at AA Asphalting.

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Phase one began with modernizing Field Service in four areas: 1. Leveraging Technology: Advaiya recommended that AA Asphalting aggregate its information and data, implement productivity solutions, and move identified data and processes to a Cloud platform.

2. Strengthening Work Management: Leveraging technology to improve project management delivery and artifact creation.

3. Improving Records Management: Improve systems for better storage, recording, use and retention of records.

26 // January 2021

A mobile app allows field technicians to stay updated on job schedules, location, job work and cross-team collaboration.

4. Streamlining Workflow: Streamline the creation and subsequent billing and reporting via digitization and automation.

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vice to help with manual processing and delays in retrieving insights. Microsoft Dynamics 365 was chosen given its scalability and to improve functional lines.

The solution also allows a business to move from reactive to proactive decision making, as well as predictive analysis to help anticipate and determine future growth opportunities.

2. Solution for Accounting and Finance: Advaiya implemented a cloud-based ERP solution—Dynamics 365 Business

DIGITAL ROAD LEADS TO NEW FRONTIER FOR FIELD SERVICES

“Having an aging server was a pain point for us as we had to manage a growing amount of work data with systems across two states that needed to be routed back to our local server.”—Ben Foster

Improvements were made to Field Service by instituting better controls over scheduling, priority, and capacity; providing field service technicians with needed skills, tools, and parts; and an easy-to-use mobile application.

In summary, the Field Service solution delivered: • Digitization of work orders using standard workflow • Optimization of resource scheduling and dispatch • Automating work-order lifecycle to manage the transition from open to closed state • Mobile and Tablet Enablement • Document Management • Cloud – Microsoft Dynamics 365-based solution “Having an aging server was a pain point for us as we had to manage a growing amount of work data with systems across

Central and Microsoft Power BI for visualization. This upgrade improved time-tracking and payroll systems and delivered a single platform for cohesive integration of data.

3. Solution for Sales and Marketing: AA Asphalting and Advaiya increased the value of the Dynamics 365 platform solution by adopting Microsoft Dynamics 365 Sales as the CRM application. Leveraging the same platform allows for seamless integration with their Field Services solution and workflows.

two states that needed to be routed back to our local server,” Foster said. “Now we have all our information integrated into one system, and better yet, it’s all cloud-based.

This configuration has enabled us to really streamline our processes and remove any obstacles that were standing in our way to fast, efficient workflow.”

The digitization of business documentation has had a strong impact on the overall operations. Digital transformation has removed most paper dependency, redundancy of data entry, and provides one record of the truth to strengthen reporting and analysis.

The days of shuffling papers at AA Asphalting are a thing of the past as the company has reinvented itself into a modernized organization. Long-standing processes that had become dated have been chiseled away to make room for a thriving digital enterprise that is more agile, more efficient and ready to pave the future across the Pacific Northwest.

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Producer profile

“We were told by many people that we would never get approval for another plant in the city,” Stephens said, “but we proved to them that a plant as clean as the one we operate would be a good thing for Metro Vancouver.” All photos courtesy of GoOnline.ca

All Roads Exceeds Environmental Expectations When All Roads Construction Ltd., Surrey, British Columbia, first incorporated in March 2018, the road construction company’s President Rod Stephens already knew it would need its own asphalt plant to be competitive in the market.

“It wasn’t only a financial decision, but also one based on control,” Stephens said. “When you have your own plant, it affords you the opportunity to bid the work you want without outside interference.”

Stephens had been involved in a number of other paving and road building companies in the past, and he knew the challenging process that lay ahead of them. The All Roads leadership team immediately set about establishing

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28 // January 2021

its plant; they had their land picked out and secured from the start.

“The location is probably one of the best in Vancouver,” Stephens said. “It’s on the Fraser River, so we can have aggregates barged in and asphalt barged out if needed.”

The plant is also located at the crossroads of all major highways going in and out of Vancouver and has direct freeway access. Additionally, the property was already zoned industrial, which spared the company public council discussions.

One of the most significant challenges for the company was receiving an Air Quality Management Approval permit from Metro Vancouver. The bylaws require the permit applicant to perform a detailed dispersion mod-

eling plan and then track all emission sources, from the stack to the dump trucks, to dust from stockpile inventory and the conveyors.

“Everything,” Stephens said. “That’s why air quality management is so important for our entire operation. It used to be just the plant stack that was monitored, now it’s the entire plant site footprint.”

“We were told by many people that we would never get approval for another plant in the city,” Stephens said, “but we proved to them that a plant as clean as the one we operate would be a good thing for Metro Vancouver. This is the first brand new, privately owned asphalt plant built from the ground up in the Metro Vancouver area in 22 years!”

All Roads’ plant is on the Fraser River, so the company can have aggregates barged in and asphalt barged out if needed.

All Roads ultimately received the permit, but the process was not without its challenges. “It took a whole team of engineers, thousands of emails, thousands of hours and hundreds of thousands of dollars, but we got our approval,” Stephens said, with apparent relief in his voice.

Despite presenting to Metro Vancouver in August 2019, All Roads didn’t receive its air pollution bylaw permit until May 22, 2020.

“We told Metro Vancouver, months in advance, that we needed the plant up and running by May 22 at the latest,” Stephens said, because they were set to begin a very large government paving job on Highway 1 on that day. However, the COVID-19 pandemic slowed down the process, so it was down to the wire. “I have to give credit to the folks in Metro who went to bat for us to make sure that date happened by our deadline.”

To meet Metro Vancouver’s requirements, All Roads hired environmental consultancies A. Lanfranco & Associates Inc., Surrey, Brit-

ish Columbia, and Envirochem Services Inc., North Vancouver, British Columbia, to analyze all emission sources and establish guidelines on how All Roads could best meet Metro Vancouver’s standards. Fugitive Dust Management Actions Plans were prepared, along with Odour Management Plans, among others, to identify and quantify 16 different emissions sources at the facility.

All Roads invested in a variety of systems to minimize emissions from all sources. The company invested in tent structures over their aggregate stockpile, paved the entire yard with 3,000 tons of asphalt and equipped it with a misting system, as well as misting systems for each conveyor belt and anywhere aggregates are transferred. The plant is located along the Fraser River, which drains into the Pacific Ocean, so All Roads also invested in an elaborate storm drainage system to regulate the flow and clarity of water before it enters the river.

The company also seismically engineered their silos, which required 28 closed-end 610mm steel piles to be driven prior to the rebar and concrete placement. Additionally, they constructed a seismically engineered, water-tight tank farm to prevent contamination if an earthquake were to occur and an AC tank were to collapse.

“The criteria is really tough, but it’s fair,” Stephens said. “Vancouver is where our employees live, where most of us were raised, where we raise our children. This is our home and we feel obligated to make sure we keep our home clean.”

The plant itself is also equipped with a number of features to meet the strict standards. All Roads invested in a 300-ton-perhour plant with three 200-ton silos from Gencor Industries, Orlando, equipped with Gencor’s UltraDrum, Green Machine for warm mix, and Blue Smoke Capture System. The facility also has six virgin feeders for materials that can be controlled

www.THeAsphaltpro.com // 29

Producer profile

All Roads chose Gencor for two reasons: familiarity with the product and the plant’s ability to exceed Metro Vancouver’s air quality bylaws.

“Utilizing the latest technology is a collective effort and a part of the culture we’re creating at All Roads,” Stephens said. That includes both at the plant and on All Roads’ paving crews.

30 // January 2021

volumetrically on variable frequency drives and two RAP feeders.

Stephens said All Roads chose Gencor for two reasons. One was familiarity with the product; he had bought Gencor plants previously as part of a different ownership group.

More importantly, he said, the plant chosen would allow them not only to meet Metro Vancouver’s air quality bylaws but exceed them.

“We spent a lot of money on various controls to make sure we can maintain that cleanliness of our plant,” Stephens said. “We wanted to utilize the best control technologies available.”

For example, the reverse air flow baghouse collects all particles from the plant’s various moving parts and recycles them back into the asphalt itself, “to give us improved efficiency and quality,” Plant Manager Dennis Eby said.

All Roads also invested in a particulate monitor from Dwyer Instruments Inc., Michigan City, Indiana, that notifies them if ever there is too much particulate leaving the stack. “Normally, that’s only tested once per year,” Stephens said. “With the monitors, you know how you’re doing all year long.”

Already, the system has come in handy, Eby said: “We had a blown bag and it sent a signal to us in the tower so we were able to find and fix the bag immediately.”

The plant is also equipped with a flue gas recirculation system specifically designed to reduce nitrous oxide (NOx). “When the baghouse draws air through, the flue gas system draws a bit of that back to our burner and re-burns it to reduce our NOx,” Eby said.

“No other plant in Vancouver or any plant I’ve worked on—and I’ve worked at a lot of plants—has that system.”

They also invested in Gencor’s Green Machine, designed to inject steam into the foaming process using only the energy of the pump or head supplying the liquid asphalt cement (AC) and water for warm-mix asphalt (WMA) production.

All of these features allow All Roads to be environmentally friendly not only from an emissions perspective, but also allow the company to maximize its use of recycled asphalt pavement (RAP). “It feels good to be able to maximize our RAP content without any negative side effects,” Stephens said. Furthermore, the plant setup they have makes it easy to produce mix for the 20 municipalities

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Producer profile

“Gencor service is great,” Plant Manager Dennis Eby said. “They’re only ever a call away.” Even though Gencor is four time zones away, their 24/7 help desk has already come in handy. When the plant experienced a power surge that wiped out their PLC system, Gencor’s customer service team was able to get the plant back up and running right away despite the event occurring after hours.

Rod Stephens, Brent Balluff and Dennis Eby review plans atop their new Gencor plant. within a two-hour radius of the plant, each of which has various RAP percentages.

“This is one of the cleanest plants available in North America today,” Stephens said. “The emissions that go into the sky are at minimal levels for an asphalt plant.”

Beyond its myriad environmental features, the plant also invested in technology to make its operations safer, easier and more efficient.

This includes an automatic spray system from Lafferty Equipment Manufacturing Inc., North Little Rock, Arkansas, to spray the dump trucks with release agent before loading them up so drivers are less likely to leave their trucks when at the plant. All Roads also

32 // January 2021

upsized its scale so it can accurately weigh every truck and maximize each truck going out of their plant. “That also reduces our environmental footprint because trucks aren’t being improperly loaded,” Stephens added.

The plant is also equipped with its own lab under the control tower to perform aggregate testing for quality control and moisture content. They also have a blow tube ticketing system from the ticketing counter directly to the dump truck driver. And, the plant is equipped with Gencor’s UltraLogic control system.

Back when Eby started in the industry, everything was push buttons. Now, he said, everything is computer-based and programmable logic control (PLC)-controlled. “In the era we’re evolving into, the kids coming into our industry know computers and the PLCs entice them.”

“Utilizing the latest technology is a collective effort and a part of the culture we’re creating at All Roads,” Stephens said. “People want to be a part of that. The younger generation especially wants to be a part of that.”

The state-of-the-art plant has also impacted All Roads’ use of technology on its paving projects. When the company invested in SmoothRide, a road resurfacing solution from Topcon Positioning Systems, Liv-

ermore, California, it was able to improve its paving production by 30 percent. “With that extra 30 percent production level in the field, it was really important that we aren’t locked into another plant’s timelines,” Stephens said. “In order to map out our destiny as a company, we knew we needed to be in control of our own supply.”

All Roads’ initial goal for the first year of the plant was to produce 100,000 tons of mix, a goal the company surpassed after only four months in operation. Stephens gives special credit to Gencor for meeting its goal with zero downtime at the plant.

The plant had also just begun to serve outside sales before the 2020 season came to a close, so 2021 is likely to be an even bigger year.

They are setting their sights on 200,000 tons in 2021. “We have another highway to pave in 2021 that requires approximately 100,000 tons alone,” Stephens said, “and we are hopeful on some major port expansion activities.”

As All Roads continues to tackle high profile project after high profile project, the company’s leadership team plans to continue to not only meet but exceed each goal set for the company—even the ones others think impossible.

– BY SARAH REDOHL

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Aggregates producers in the Northeast have a variety of uses for their materials beyond asphalt mix production. For example, flue gas desulfurization (FGD)—a technology used to remove sulfur dioxide from the exhaust flue gasses of fossil fuel plants—relies on a wet-scrubbing technique using slurry from limestone to scrub the gases. For a typical coal-fired power plant, FGD will remove 95 percent of the sulfur dioxide in the flue gases.

A portion of East Coast utilities rely on crushed limestone that comes from the Middletown, Virginia, mine of Carmeuse Lime & Stone. At this cavernous mine, a network of rock crushers, feeders and conveyors load 4,000 tons of rich limestone per hour onto railcars destined for the power plants.

Carmeuse manufactures and distributes up to 7 million tons per year of finished limestone product. The company also produces another 25 million tons of high purity chemical limestone and aggregates and 2 million

34 // January 2021

BY TOM SACCAMOZZONE

tons of high-grade silica sand products. More than 32 manufacturing facilities supply and serve 33 states and provinces in the eastern United States and Canada.

The lime, limestone and industrial sands aggregates are not only used for flue gas desulfurization, but also for road construction, water treatment, paper and glass production, masonry, mortars and other building materials. The company has a corporate history that dates back almost 150 years.

Kemper Equipment, Honey Brook, Pennsylvania, worked with Carmeuse Lime & Stone to design, engineer and supply the rail load out system for the Middletown site.

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“Power plants will take the crushed limestone, grind it and use that for the scrubbing agent,” observed Andy Wright, project manager who oversees Carmeuse mining operations in Virginia, Pennsylvania and Tennessee.

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REMOVING TRAMP METAL

During the initial phase of mining the limestone, massive rocks are fed through a primary crusher, reducing their size to approximately 8 inches in diameter, according to Wright. The crushed rocks then pass under an Eriez suspended permanent magnet to remove any large pieces of tramp metal imbedded in the rocks during the mining process.

WHEN IT COMES TO PAVEMENT MAINTENANCE,

WE’VE GOT YOU COVERED

“The Eriez magnet removes any stray metal from the rocks before they proceed along the conveyor line to the cone crusher, which is more sensitive to metal particles; anything metal is bad for that cone crusher,” Wright said. “Metal can come from a lot of places, but a lot of times it’s from a tooth off a loading bucket. We don’t want any teeth to enter the crusher.”

The Eriez suspended permanent magnet in use at the Carmeuse Middletown mine automatically removes large amounts of ferrous materials conveyed in heavy burden depths on almost any type of conveyor or chute. The uniquely designed magnetic circuit is long and flat, providing a large area of magnetic coverage with a maximum depth of field and with less head room required than an electromagnet.

SAFETY CHECKPOINTS

After the 8-inch-diameter rocks pass under the suspended magnet, they process through an Eriez MetAlarm metal detector that detects any nonferrous tramp metal.

“The suspended magnet picks up any large piece of ferrous tramp metal, but should any ferrous, nonferrous or stainless steel metal pass by it, the metal detector detects it and stops the conveyor,” Wright said. “Occasionally, the magnet can’t pull a piece of metal that is really imbedded in the rock. That’s why we have the Eriez metal detector on the other side before the rocks proceed to the cone crusher.”

The MetAlarm metal detector uses pulse induction technology that offers balance coil detection sensitivity and performance. Higher detection sensitivity is de-

signed to ensure even the smallest problematic tramp metal can be detected, thus providing better protection for crushers, screens and conveyor belts. Adequate protection saves time and money with less equipment downtime.

Variable Width ChipSpreader ChipS

MOVE CRUSHED LIMESTONE

The cone crusher at the Middletown mine takes the 8-inch-diameter rock and reduces it further to what Wright described as “3/4 x 0,” meaning the rock is now ¾-inch to non-measurable in size before final transport to awaiting railcars.

Eight Eriez Model HVF 36-inch-wide x 60-inch-long mechanical feeders take the ¾-inch x 0 limestone and deposit it onto a series of conveyor belts, which load up the railcars. The eight feeders convey 500 tons of crushed limestone per hour, for a total load out of 4,000 tons per hour, according to Wright.

“These feeders are very low maintenance and fit into a compact footprint, which is ideal for a mining site,” he said.

“Their low profile allows us to put them into a smaller work area and because they have a variable frequency drive for control, it makes for a simpler, cleaner installation.

“In my job at Carmeuse, I have used a lot of Eriez products because it is a good company to work with,” Wright continued.

“If there is a problem, they take care of it.

We’ve used Eriez equipment from the beginning of this Middletown mine.”

Tom Saccamozzone is the project manager, Heavy Industries, Eriez. For more information, contact him at (814) 835-6000 or tsaccamozzone@eriez.com.

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Ten Tips to Boost Your Fuel Efficiency

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FROM CATERPILLAR PAVING PRODUCTS

Whether fuel prices are up or down, fuel is one of your largest expenses. The key to controlling fuel costs is to first ramp up efficiency across multiple areas of your operations and then find new ways to do more work—in less time—with the least amount of fuel. Of course, you want to have the most up to date, fuel-efficient equipment working in your favor. Learn about the latest features, benefits and savings new equipment can add to protect your bottom line.

Then check out this list of tips to help you start saving.

1. MINIMIZE IDLE TIME

Depending on your application, idling can amount to as much as 40 percent of total operating time.

Remind operators to keep idling to a minimum at start-up and shutdown. Morning start-up should run between three and five minutes. At shutdown, older engines require two minutes, newer engines almost none.

Turn off trucks that are waiting more than five minutes to load and unload. Optimize cycle times so that loading tools aren’t waiting for long periods for trucks.

Turn off equipment during breaks and lunch time.

2.TRAIN YOUR OPERATORS

Operator machine handling plays a big factor in fuel efficiency. Make sure all operators are properly trained on each machine. They should optimize the relationship between ground speed and engine rpm.

Studies have shown 5-15 percent fuel efficiency at 75 percent power and 15-30 percent efficiency at 50 percent power.

3.SIZE THE MACHINE FOR THE JOB

Too much or too little horsepower can drastically affect fuel efficiency. If you need help, ask your equipment dealer to match the right machine to the job you’re doing.

4. SET UP YOUR JOB SITE EFFICIENTLY

Keep machines in top condition and use modern, up to date technology to assist in saving on fuel use, thus fuel costs. Photo courtesy of John Ball of Top Quality Paving & Training, Manchester, New Hampshire

Effectively plan your job site travel patterns to reduce idling and minimize turns.

7. CHECK FOR FAULTY FUEL CAPS

5. USE TECHNOLOGY TO TRACK AND MEASURE

8. MAINTAIN PROPER TIRE INFLATION

Onboard technologies that monitor machine operating parameters, such as fuel consumption, are highly accurate and will add to your overall efficiency.

6. KEEP MACHINES IN TOP CONDITION

Diligent maintenance not only saves fuel, but reduces repairs, improves reliability and minimizes exhaust emissions. Blocked air filters can increase fuel consumption by 20 percent. One stuck valve lifter can increase fuel usage by 10-15 percent. Improperly working thermostats have been noted to increase fuel consumption by 25 percent.

36 // January 2021

Damaged or loose fuel caps cause fuel evaporation.

Under-inflation by just 6 psi consumes 3 percent more fuel.

9. USE RECOMMENDED FUEL GRADE

Be sure to use the recommended fuel grade depending on ambient temperature and weather conditions.

10.PROTECT FUEL STORAGE

Minimize evaporation. If possible, keep storage tanks well-shaded.

Less evaporation occurs with white or aluminum painted storage tanks versus red .

BOXLEY PERFORMS ON POROUS PEDESTRIAN PATH

BY SARAH REDOHL

T

The Garden City Greenway is a two-mile multi-use trail that winds through Roanoke, Virginia, along Garnand Branch Creek and Garden City Boulevard.

According to the Roanoke Valley-Alleghany Regional Commission, the Greenway aims to provide children a safe way to walk or bike to school and provides a pedestrian and biking route where there previously were none.

“One of the City of Roanoke’s missions is protecting the environment,” said James Nuckles, a civil engineer for the City of Roanoke’s Engineering Division who was involved in the project. According to Nuckles, the city had acquired some parcels in the area that had Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) restrictions, including provisions of not increasing the impervious area on those par-

40 // January 2021

cels. “To extend the greenway in this area of Garden City, given the FEMA regulations, permeable pavement was the obvious choice.”

Boxley Materials, Salem, Virginia, paved 4,500 feet of the path with porous asphalt in the fall of 2018.

“Porous pavement is great for a walking and biking trail,” said Boxley Materials Director of Asphalt Plants and Development Ken Arthur. “You won’t have issues with standing water on the path, or problems with ice in the winter.”

Over the years, Boxley has performed half a dozen porous asphalt jobs in Virginia. However, the Garnand Branch Trail job presented its own unique challenges—starting at the plant.

Boxley recommended the city use a PAM19 mix design, which consists of 90 percent #68 stone and 10 percent #10 stone—both lime-

LEFT: Over the years, Boxley has performed half a dozen porous asphalt jobs in Virginia. ABOVE: Boxley Materials paved 4,500 feet of the Garden City Greenway path with porous asphalt in the fall of 2018.

The job required a minimum of 16 percent air voids. stone products from Boxley’s Blue Ridge quarry—and 5.5 percent 64E-22 polymerized binder and 0.3 percent cellulose fiber.

“PAM19 has more voids, so we thought it would stay porous for a bit longer than a PAM95, especially with the stiff binder and fibers,” Arthur said. “We thought that would give them the best long-term application.”

Due to the stiffness of the 64E-22 polymerized binder, equivalent to a 76-22, the plant produced the mix at high temperatures of 340 degrees Fahrenheit. Boxley also injected 0.3 percent cellulose fiber using a fiber feeder from Hi-Tech Asphalt Solutions.

Fiber both maintains void structure for drainage and limits drain-down. Arthur continued, “fiber helps maximize asphalt film-thickness and make the end-product last longer.”

The mix was supplied by Boxley’s asphalt plant in Salem, an Astec Double Barrel® drum plant rated at 300 tons per hour. In total, the project required just under 900 tons of asphalt.

www.THeAsphaltpro.com // 41

LEFT: Boxley used a Roadtec SB2500 Shuttle Buggy to dump mix into the hopper from across the curb to mitigate the risk of displacing the stone reservoir. RIGHT: Boxley injected 0.3 percent cellulose fiber using a fiber feeder from Hi-Tech Asphalt Solutions. Fiber both maintains void structure for drainage and also limits drain-down.

“We’re a single-plant supplier in that market, so we don’t have a backup plant to lean on,” Arthur said. The plant can only accommodate three or four types of mix per day, and producing the porous asphalt added one more mix to the rotation during this project.

Also, because the trail was paved in 12 adjoining sections due to street crossings and intersections, the plant had to deal with numerous hot starts and stops.

“We were concerned the stiff binder would harden up more quickly than conventional binder in our asphalt line and drums,” Arthur said. “We have three silos so storage was not an issue; however, we can still only produce one material at a time. If orders did not come in correctly, there may be an extended time that the crew would have to wait for the plant to switch back to the PAM. The job required us to have excellent communication between the field and the plant.”

Additionally, the field crew had its own challenges to overcome.

The general contractor on the job, DLB Enterprises LLC, Hillsboro, Virginia, performed the site prep work on the greenfield project and placed a stone reservoir of 12 inches of #2 stone and 2 inches of #57 stone with a Blaw-Knox PF-1510 paver. To prevent cross contamination on the perimeter, which would affect the reservoir beneath, the sides were lined with a non-woven geotextile fabric.

When the Boxley crew began to pave a 3-inch lift of PAM19 over the reservoir, they had to take great care to ensure their equipment didn’t disturb the aggregate.

42 // January 2021

“Haul trucks backing up on that stone can really make a mess of the platform you’re paving on,” Arthur said. “The crew had to make sure to fix any displaced aggregate ahead of the paver.”

Boxley Field Operations Manager Travis Light came up with the clever idea to use a Roadtec SB2500 Shuttle Buggy for the portion of the project that ran along Garden City Boulevard. The material transfer vehicle (MTV) could dump the mix into the hopper from across the curb to mitigate the risk of displacing the stone reservoir.

The crew was able to use this process for roughly half of the project.

“The rest of the trail was off the beaten path,” Light said. The majority of the trail was only 8 feet wide and often bounded by a retaining wall on one or both sides of the path. Due to these factors, mix was often transferred to skid steers, which delivered the mix to the Roadtec RP170 paver. “The skid steers gave us better maneuverability and were less likely to disturb the reservoir.”

The final challenge was compacting the porous pavement appropriately. The job required a minimum of 16 percent air voids, Arthur said.

“One of the most unique features of this project was the way we measured and tested field-density/voids,” said Quality Control Manager Andre Royal. “We simply poured a five-gallon bucket of water on the mat in random spots throughout and made sure the water successfully went through. There was no ponding, as the water immediately went through the mix.”

The crew used its Sakai SW330-1 and Ingersoll Rand DD70 rollers for a maximum of three passes. Due to the nature of compacting porous asphalt and the high production temperature required with such a stiff binder, the roller operators had to be very patient behind the paver.

To test that the porous pavement is draining as it should, Boxley performs an informal test by pouring a 5-gallon bucket of water over the pavement. “If the water disappears, the pavement is doing what it’s supposed to do,” Arthur said.

“We had to brief our crew, especially our density personnel, about how compacting porous asphalt is a bit backwards from what we normally want,” he continued. “Here, you want to keep the air voids in there so it will drain for a long time to come.”

The crew used its Sakai SW330-1 and Ingersoll Rand DD70 rollers for a maximum of three passes. Due to the nature of compacting porous asphalt and the high production temperature required with such a stiff binder, the roller operators had to be very patient behind the paver. Despite paving on 50- and 60-degree days in November, Royal estimates they had to wait 30 minutes or more after the mix was laid to allow sufficient cooling, to 200 degrees Fahrenheit or less, to achieve the right level of compaction.

“If anything, you don’t want to roll it too much,” Arthur said.

“Just enough to seal it in place and get those marks out.” With such a distance between the paver and roller, Arthur said the crew also had to make sure no one walked on the mat before it had been compacted.

According to Light, the trail looks great and continues to be an asset to the community after nearly two years of service. “I imagine foot traffic picked up during COVID out of the pure necessity to get out of the house,” he said. “It’s a beautiful trail.”

www.THeAsphaltpro.com // 43

Women of asphalt

A Woman of Asphalt: Meet Pike’s Teri Wells

Teri Wells is a roller operator for Pike Industries, a CRH Company. All photos courtesy of Pike Industries

S

Sometimes the asphalt life requires work on projects that are far from home for weeks—or even months—at a time.

Roller Operator Teri Wells began her asphalt career April 2003 when looking for a change in her work life, and now shares how to make different aspects of the career work for a woman of asphalt.

AsphaltPro: What year did you join Pike Industries and what was your first job with the company?

Teri Wells: I started working for Pike Industries Inc., a CRH Co., in 2003. Pike was the first and only construction company I have worked for since I joined the asphalt industry. I started with Pike as a traffic controller, and I performed that job for six months. The company was in need of a roller operator at that time and they asked me if I wanted to try that career path. I did and I have been a roller operator since then and I love what I do.

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AsphaltPro: Could you share with the readers your career trajectory and what challenges you’ve overcome along the way?

Teri Wells: I do not have a degree that relates to the industry. I have been a nurse since I was 19 years old. Since I joined the asphalt industry, I learned everything by doing it day by day. It is that “learn as you go” kind of thing.

I became a mother when I was 15 years old and had two kids by 16. I dropped out of school and then returned to it while having my mom’s support. After high school, I went to nursing school with two babies. Then, in 2003, I decided to change my work life and I joined the construction industry. It was not easy to align two jobs with kids but I did it and I like it because I do not get too much of either one. It is a nice balance. I do work six to seven days a week so I do not have much social time. I remember when I was away from home for three months to perform one of our paving projects back in 2016. It was

Women of asphalt

Here Wells is pictured with the rest of the paving crew. It takes a team that works together to get a quality pavement placed and compacted. She reminded readers that paving is a team effort, and she considers the members on her team to be “awesome.” not easy. It was very hard on family life, but I can say that I did overcome these challenges and I am proud to be resilient.

AsphaltPro: Could you share with the readers what your job as a roller operator for Pike Industries requires of you for the asphalt team?

Teri Wells: I perform different duties during my workday as a roller operator. I determine speed and direction of the roller based on knowledge of compressibility of material under changing temperatures. Roller operators may oil, grease, service and make normal operating adjustments to their roller. I am always communicating with my paving crew and foreman on job density requirements.

We monitor rolling temperature and work within temperature best suited for material being laid. My asphalt team is always communicating on any flaws in material or finished mat. I also work with my paving crew with hand rolling, plate compactor work, manholes and catch basins. I help trim edge lines and pickup excess asphalt material. Roller operators should have a thorough understanding of material thickness, type of material being laid and material temperature for determining rolling range. We definitely need to have the ability to work in a team setting.

AsphaltPro: What would you say was the most challenging “obstacle” you, as a female on the asphalt team, had to overcome in the past 18 years, and how did you overcome it?

Teri Wells: In the beginning of my career in construction, I did hear people saying, “You are too tiny for this big piece of equipment.

You are a small girl, are you sure you will be okay operating this roller?” People thought that I could not do it, for many reasons. I over-

46 // January 2021

came their perspectives by trusting my judgement, skills and performing the best that I could. I am not a person that will complain, so I would just hear the comment and prove them wrong.

I think that other women in the industry should trust their skills and understand that they are capable of anything regardless of the comments they may hear. If you want to be a roller operator, you can be a roller operator. You need to know what is expected of you.

You need to be aware of materials that you can and cannot roll, and what you should or should not do at the jobsite. You do need to be aware of safety practices so your roller does not flip and always be aware of your surroundings. Any woman is capable to go above and beyond in this industry; they should just try it as I did.

AsphaltPro: Could you tell us about some changes you’ve seen take place in the asphalt crew “culture” in the past couple of years?

Teri Wells: From my perspective, my crewmates at Pike have always been accepting of women in the crew. Currently, we have two other women working on the same crew as I do. They definitely consider us as equals. The women on my crew work just as hard as the men, and they see that. In the past, people that did not know me in the company would say, “Does she know what she is doing?” After working with me and getting to know who I am, they would realize that I know what I am doing. Overall, I can say that I have never had an issue because I am a woman.

AsphaltPro: What do you think is the most important skill you’ve brought to your position as a roller operator in the asphalt industry?

Teri Wells: Caring about quality. Even though I do not have an education that relates to the construction industry, being a nurse has

Women of asphalt women should be confident and trust that they are capable of doing anything in this industry even if they come from a different background. Women should not let other people tell them that they cannot do something, because they can, she can, and they need trust the process.

AsphaltPro: Why did you become a roller operator? What about rolling is “most cool” to you?

Teri Wells: I became a roller operator because I was at the right place at the right time. I am happy being a roller operator, and I do not mind doing other job duties, but I do think I am good at it. I love when we get hard projects that can be challenging for a roller operator. For example, roundabout and driveway. I challenge myself daily to see how few lines I can leave on the mat. I love when I complete the project that looks and feels perfect.

One more aspect of doing the compaction job right is paying attention to all the details. Here, Wells wears a pair of tamp shoes to manage the unsupported edge carefully and skillfully.

AsphaltPro: What is the most challenging project you’ve been a part of and how did you and the asphalt crew overcome the challenge?

Teri Wells: A couple years ago, we were performing a night work in Concord, New Hampshire. The project was challenging because it was at night, cold and we were doing ramps. The asphalt dries out quickly on an angle, so our crew needed to communicate effectively and quickly in order to complete the job smoothly and safely. We did think outside the box to complete the project. Communication, attention and teamwork was important for the completion of this project.

AsphaltPro: It’s a fact that asphalt paving can be hot and dusty.

How do you respond to people who say it’s a “dirty job?”

Teri Wells: I cannot deny that asphalt paving is hot, dusty and a dirty job; however, there is nothing more rewarding than turning a junk road into a smooth road. It is a fulfilling job because the asphalt industry is an essential component to business, leisure and everyday life.

An incorrect perception that we have, as an industry, is that women are not qualified to perform labor or trade jobs. As a human being, you can do anything you want to do. The women should not feel discouraged just because the asphalt/construction industry is a male dominant field. More women need to get into this industry.

It is good and honest work. You learn unique skills and you get to see a lot more than four walls every day.

Teri Wells was promoted to the position of roller operator after working as a traffic controller for Pike Industries for six months. She showed her resilience and initiative to get the job when the post came available and states that she loves her job. helped me in so many ways in my position as a roller operator in the asphalt industry. The skills of critical thinking, communication and problem solving are key to my position. I also think that being confident and patient is something that I brought on board that is beneficial to my crewmates and me.

I am an example of someone with a different background that joined the construction industry with no prior knowledge, but worked hard and learned the industry’s skills on the job. The

48 // January 2021

AsphaltPro: What is the most rewarding aspect for you, personally, of being in the asphalt business?

Teri Wells: I feel that the most rewarding aspect of being in the asphalt business is that you will leave a lasting impression around the community, and you can take pride in creating something that the community depends upon. I feel great knowing that I am contributing to the infrastructure and framework that so many people depend upon each day. Additionally, paving is a team effort, and my crewmates are awesome. Everyone knows what he or she is supposed to do and we are very close because we spend so much time together. I love all these aspects of my job.

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International snapshot

International Batching Sraloong Construction Co., Bangkok, Thailand, has been in business for nearly 50 years. To last that long, a company must make sound purchasing decisions regarding the tools that drive its business.

For Sraloong, that includes the acquisition of an Ammann ABM 90 EasyBatch asphalt-mixing plant. The government of Thailand has been investing in infrastructure that improves the transport of agricultural products and reduces travel times across the board. Sraloong, with the help of the ABM

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50 // January 2021

EasyBatch, is properly positioned to help provide the asphalt mix essential to the roadbuilding efforts.

The highways that enable these economic boosts are often in rural areas, making mobile asphalt-mixing plants essential. The plants can deliver the needed asphalt mix, regardless of the rural locations where the roadbuilding often occurs. They can fit on small footprints and be relocated during projects to improve access to materials and reduce haul times.

The Ammann plant is being put to work on the expansion of Highway 115, specifically a portion that is being broadened from two lanes to four lanes between Kamphaeng Phet and Phichit. “This project is to extend the connecting road between the northern and central parts of Thailand,� said Theerapat Theeratrakool, plant manager at Sraloong.

The company turned to the Ammann ABM 90 EasyBatch to maximise its potential during the ongoing work. The plant produces 65 tonnes per hour on the Highway 115 job.

The EasyBatch 90 mobile plant from Ammann Group was only required to produce 65 tonnes per hour for Sraloong Construction on the Highway 115 job, although it is rated at a higher tonnage.

As the work progresses along Highway 115, the plant can be relocated to reduce the length and costs of hauls and keep pace with the paving team.

Ammann is a sixth generation, family-owned business that produces asphalt mixing plants, compactors and asphalt pavers at nine production sites in Europe, China, India and Brazil. Its core expertise is roadbuilding and transportation infrastructure.

While the plant has a higher capacity, that is all the production required for this particular project.

The expansion is a complicated one. “It had to be constructed within limited time and under COVID-19 circumstances,” Theeratrakool said. “There was also a need to connect to other roads, which were being built by other contractors who were also widening from two to four lanes.”

In addition, the specifications called for precise material quantities and sieve sizes.

The ABM EasyBatch is built for quick transfer and a rapid return to production. As far as the company leaders are concerned, the plant’s easy relocation is its biggest asset.

“We set up close to the jobsite to increase the daily production and reduce the costs of the pavement,” Theeratrakool said. “It is a super-mobile plant in terms of disassembly and assembly. Only two semi-trailers are needed for transport.”

As the work progresses, the plant can be relocated to reduce the length and costs of hauls and keep pace with the paving team.

That flexibility will also pay off when Highway 115 is completed and the plant has to be moved to a new jobsite in another part of the country.

The plant’s value goes beyond mobility.

Both management and operators also praised the as1 Control System. “The as1 can give the

exact statistics and store the old information for more than a year,” Theeratrakool said.

“Inspectors for the Department of Highways can retrieve all the information, from the first batch produced until the last.”

Supachai Naksusuk, plant operator, also commended the as1 system. “After being trained on the as1, I could easily set up the recipe and run the plant in automatic mode,” he said.

The plant will likely be moved to central Thailand when Highway 115 is finished.

Wherever it goes, the ABM EasyBatch will be ready to work—and ready to move again as needed.

– FROM AMMANN GROUP

www.THeAsphaltpro.com // 51

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Product Gallery

Training and Services Join Product Offerings for Paving Success For the New Year, original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) and construction industry associations offer not just new paving machines to enhance your bottom line in 2021. These folks have research and development going full tilt, of course, but they also have new dealers joining their distribution channels, new services to make your life easier, and new software and training to augment offerings of the past.

For example, the Association of Equipment Distributors Foundation (AEDF), Schaumburg, Illinois, offers a testing program to support heavy equipment technicians. Since January 2018, the program has resulted in the addition of 1,405 AEDF certified technicians.

This milestone in certifications serves as an industry program model to alleviate North America’s diesel technician workforce shortage while simultaneously supporting the foundation’s goal of producing 5,000 AED certified techs by 2024. This ambitious goal intends to increase the pipeline of qualified techs via the AEDF technical standards and helps techs showcase their skillsets to peers, superiors and employers.

AEDF Executive Vice President and COO Jason Blake stated: “The foundation is extremely proud to have certified this many technicians to date, but there is still more work to be done.”

The AEDF Certified Technician Test includes 160 questions developed by industry leaders, testing students’ knowledge of essential industry standards and technician best practices derived from AEDF’s six core competencies. Techs who become certified: • demonstrate their commitment to the heavy equipment industry; and • stand out from their peers in the applicant pool.

This program allows techs to show off their skills and receive a certificate proving their expertise after completing the program.

For more information, visit http:// aedfoundation.org/certified-technician-program/.

An OEM offering technician training to employees is Wirtgen Group, Antioch, Tennes-

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54 // January 2021

LEFT: Travis Long of Murphy Tractor and Equipment has achieved the Wirtgen Master Technician certification. RIGHT: Troy Graham of Tractor & Equipment Co. has achieved the Wirtgen Master Technician certification. see. Travis Long, a veteran service technician for Murphy Tractor and Equipment Company, Park City, Kansas, was one of two inaugural graduates to receive “Master Technician” certification from the Wirtgen Group, a John Deere Company. He shares this honor with Troy Graham of Tractor & Equipment Co. To achieve this certification, Long successfully completed five weeks of in-person fundamental training at the Wirtgen Center for Training and Technology in Nashville; and completed over 200 hours of additional technical training. The inception of the certified technician program through the Wirtgen Group was a short 18 months prior to Long’s graduation.

“We are very pleased to have Murphy Tractor be one of our select distribution partners to participate in and have one of their employees, Travis Long, complete the full Master Technician course requirements,” said Jan Schmidt, vice president of product support. “He is one of two inaugural graduates in what we anticipate to be a long standing elite program, showing the commitment and understanding of the unique requirements necessary to support Wirtgen Group customers with our distribution partner’s fullest capabilities.”

Doug Jacobson, Wirtgen product support manager for Murphy Tractor, indicated that this certification provides additional value to the Murphy Tractor customers who own Wirtgen Group equipment. Jacobson also recognized the commitment and time required to reach this level of certification.

“Travis’s hard work and training paid off as he tied with another technician to become the first Wirtgen Master Technician in the United States. This is no small achievement, it required extensive travel, training and long hours of work to reach this milestone certification. I, as well as well as all his peers at Murphy Tractor, congratulate him for this well-deserved accreditation.”

Murphy Tractor and Equipment is one of the largest John Deere Construction and Forestry dealers in North America. Established in 1982, they operate 30 locations in six states.

For more information, visit www. murphytractor.com.

Training and education are just one facet of the services OEMs and associations can offer this winter. Take a look at the paving-related goods from the OEMs to follow.

AMMANN

The APH 65/85 hydrostatic vibratory plate compactor from Ammann Group, Langenthal, Switzerland, offers a patented triple-shaft exciter system for consistent plate movement and Ammann Orbitrol steering to control the adjustment of the centrifugal weights. The plate compactor has a fully hydrostatic drive system to eliminate the need for a V belt or centrifugal clutch and offers a standard hand guide that is isolated to minimize hand-arm vibration. Ammann Group provided this case study to give you more information.

L. Gasser & Co AG Civil Engineering, based in Zurich, specializes in smaller construction projects and therefore relies greatly on vibratory plates for their compaction tasks. The main jobsite challenge the company faced was maintenance of these machines. They required a great deal of servicing, which drove up ownership costs and often made them unavailable when needed.

L. Gasser, a third-generation, family-owned business, recently turned to the Ammann APH 65/85 hydrostatic vibratory plate compactor to reduce maintenance issues and to provide compaction power. A roller is often too large to be used on the company’s projects. The jobsites often require vibratory plates that have good compaction output and cover ground quickly, yet still fit on the smaller projects.

L. Gasser put the Ammann compactor to work on a refurbishing project on “Im Wiesenbeetli” in Zurich. The sub-grade layers had been prepared the week prior, and the Ammann machine excelled at compacting gravel for the surface layer. A few days later the crew used the APH to compact a trench for the water supply to a new building complex. The APH fit nicely in the tight trench, which was 2 metres deep and 1 metre wide.

The plate first compacted a 1-metre-deep layer of fill material. Another metre of material was then placed, and the APH compacted that layer, closing the trench.

The narrow width allowed only a plate compactor to access the trench, yet great force was needed to compact such deep layers. The APH 65/85 plate offered the compaction performance needed thanks to the unique triple-shaft exciter system. The compactor has a working width of 700 mm (27.6 in) with standard extension plates.

Here, the APH hydrostatic vibratory plate compactor from Ammann offers vibration levels so low that safety codes do not require documentation of operator hours, according to the manufacturer.

The crew, led by foreman Amit Ismaili, appreciated the machine’s compaction performance as well as its ease of operation and precise steering, which are essential on tight jobsites.

“The compaction power of the plate is exceptional,” Ismaili said. “It helps us to compact the deep layers in fewer passes.”

In addition, the plate is designed to minimize the amount of unwanted vibration that reaches the operator, reducing stress and the risk of injury.

But performance, control and comfort were only part of the equation. The L. Gasser management team was concerned about maintenance needs and the associated costs.

They quickly learned that Ammann compactors are engineered to lessen downtime.

Ammann APH plates feature a hydraulic system that drives the machines without a V belt, eliminating the wear and maintenance costs of the component. Other key parts of the Ammann compactor are maintenance-free. Fluid intervals are extensive, too, reducing costs for the acquistion of new fluids and the disposal of the old.

Source: Ammann Group For more information, contact Massimo.

Mezzofanti@ammann.com or info.aaa@ ammann.com.

ARA

The American Rental Association (ARA) has rescheduled The ARA Show™ for Oct. 18-20, 2021, at the Las Vegas Convention Center. To accommodate the shift from February to fall 2021, ARA has canceled its 2022 show. The next show will be ARA’s 65th. Registration for the show will open in July and housing reservations through onPeak will open in February.

Recently, ARA announced its newest inductees into the Rental Hall of Fame. These are individuals who have made a significant impact on the equipment and event rental industry at the national or international level. This year’s inductees will be recognized at The ARA Show 2021 in Las Vegas.

The five inductees include: • Don Ahern of Ahern Rentals, Las Vegas; • Michael Kneeland, CEO of United Rentals, Stamford, Connecticut; • Edward Latek, founder of Latek Capital, Lake Forest, Illinois; • Timothy Maloney Sr., of Canton Chair Rental, Canton, Ohio; and • John “Jack” Shea Jr., of InTemp Software, Springfield, Massachusetts.

For more information, visit www.arashow.org.

www.THeAsphaltpro.com // 55

Product Gallery ATLAS COPCO

Atlas Copco Power Technique, Rock Hill, South Carolina, has introduced Mid-America Engine as a dealer, effective immediately. Located in Warrior, Alabama, the dealer will provide sales, service and distribution to customers throughout Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana and the Florida Panhandle. Specializing in power generation, Mid-America Engine will carry the complete line of AC power and light tower products.

AXENOX

The new patented AXENOX® screed system from AXENOX of Powell, Wyoming, is creating buzz in the asphalt paving industry.

It’s a completely different screed system.

Replacing your current screed plate with the AXENOX system promotes the aggregate to find its rightful place and orientation in the finished mat, according to the manufacturer. Using a sine wave concept, the manufacturer has named OXCLAW®, the mix travels down the pattern to a gradual widening.

The sine wave gets material in the mat and the upside down funnel mandates positive flow.

This crossing sine wave texture adds a lateral movement instead of just vertical downward pressure. Adding a third dimension results in a more dense, stable mat directly from the screed, according to the manufacturer. The finished mat is proving to be more consistent, straighter, and have stronger unconfined edge lines and better longitudinal joint density, according to measurements the manufacturer has taken in the field. The OXCLAW texture on the screed is the last chance to reduce segregation. As the three-dimensional forces are applied, the aggregate finds its appropriate place and orientation within the mat, resulting in higher structural integrity.

The AXENOX screed system is designed to replace your traditional screed and OXCLAW texture plates are customizable to different applications, specifications, and mix designs.

AXENOX has also changed the dreaded process of changing screed plates. The patented BULLOX® system has a one-time “conductor plate” installation, which remains permanently. Then the cast, high-chrome carbide OXCLAW plates lock into place on the conductor plate with a taper lock and high temperature silicone. When it is time to change plates, you simply stretch the silicone cord and the plate

56 // January 2021

releases allowing for a new plate to be placed.

The plates come in one-foot sections for the majority of the screed and in 4-inch sections on the center for flexibility in crown.

For more information, contact AXENOX at (307) 764-6226.

BOMAG

The CR 1030 T paver from BOMAG Americas, Ridgeway, South Carolina, is a small, tracked paver. BOMAG provided this case study to offer you more information.

Established in 1972, Hat Creek Construction & Materials Inc. (Hat Creek) has worked hard to become one of the leading heavy civil contractors in the North State. The scope of their work has them working alongside the California Department of Transportation (Caltrans), state and county municipalities, as well as public and private organizations.

Hat Creek also performs federal highway work across the western United States. They primarily work in Northern California and, more specifically, Shasta, Siskiyou, Modoc, Lassen and Plumas Counties.

Hat Creek recently took delivery of a brand new BOMAG Americas CR 1030 T paver from Herrmann Equipment Inc., Roseville, California. They were in the market for their first tracked paver to assist in their numerous mountainous paving projects. Weston Hutchings, vice president of Hat Creek had this to say about the recent purchase.

“Our paving team has been requesting a track paver due to its ability to climb grades and handle curves on the two-lane highway projects. The BOMAG Americas CR 1030 T meets and exceeds Caltrans’ new ride specs, which makes for smoother transitions. This is especially important on the terrain connecting driveways on our rural mountain roads.

The visibility and state-of-the-art electronics on our new BOMAG Americas paver make this machine our operator’s favorite.”

Hutchings added, “When it came down to making a buying decision, Matthew Herrmann’s expertise and amazing individual support tipped the scale. We value our relationship with Matthew Herrmann and the Herrmann Equipment team. Recently, we had some questions and needed guidance on our new machine. I called Matthew the night before a big project, and he dropped everything and traveled to our jobsite to help us out,”

Hutchings continued. “We appreciate the fact that Herrmann Equipment is local and can service our needs fast and efficiently. Their customer service is simply impeccable.”

Herrmann Equipment stands by their business philosophy: “We started as a niche business distributor company and continue today to be a distributor of specialty equipment for a single industry. The philosophy, then and now, is having exceptional equipment and providing exceptional after-sale support of both service and parts.”

Austin Miller, manager of paving business development, was excited about the opportunity for the BOMAG Americas CR 1030 T paver to show its power under extreme mountainous terrain while maintaining industry leading mat quality. Miller stated: “Herrmann Equipment and BOMAG Americas partner alongside our customers like Hat Creek Construction & Materials transforming the California infrastructure for the future.”

For more information, contact your local BOMAG dealer or start with Jennifer Brigman at (803) 337-0700.

CURRY

Curry Supply is working with Versatran, a division of Metalcraft, Mayville, to present the Retriever line of industrial carriers. First developed in 2002, the Retriever line provides an innovative method for loading and transporting various types of equipment. It boasts an air-operated curved platform, fast cycle times, idle-free system operation, a deck featuring a low center of gravity and a shallow loading angle, according to the manufacturer. Curry Supply now offers the Retriever 20T and 15T models across the country.

For more information, call (800) 345-2829.

HOYLU

Hoylu, Los Angeles, announced its Pull Planning Module is now available to the asphalt industry to automate project workflows and improve team communication, productivity and efficiency.

Several factors impact the asphalt industry’s slow adoption of technological advancements due to funding, transportation infrastructure mandates, regulations, health and safety risks, siloed technology initiatives and more. A vast majority of asphalt contractors still rely on analog whiteboards and paper

sticky notes for planning, which creates inefficient project management and development.

Hoylu solves these issues by moving the asphalt industry from analog to digital without complicated technology to streamline and organize every aspect of the project.

“Working with remote or subcontractor teams can lead to miscommunication and missed deadlines resulting in costly fines, waste of resources and time,” said Stein Revelsby, CEO at Hoylu. “Hoylu’s mission is to make remote work and information sharing easy so that teams can collaborate and understand the project’s status in real-time regardless of their location.”

Hoylu’s Pull Planning Module is a value enhancing component of its Connected Workspaces™ online digital whiteboard platform that transforms the workspace using rules and functions that precisely fit the workflow or process. The project plan and schedule can be kept in the same connected workspace as drawings, pictures and additional project information for more efficient communication

and streamlined workflows. The workspace can be shared with anyone, on any device, anywhere and is saved automatically. Additionally, Hoylu can be leveraged with Zoom or any video-conferencing solution. Hoylu is integrated with MSFT Teams and available for Mac in Apple’s App store.

For more information, contact Stein Revelsby at (213) 440-2499.

NEXTRAQ

NexTraq, a Michelin® Group company, Atlanta, has launched the NexTraq® Vehicle Inspection, a tool that provides a customizable pre-trip vehicle inspection checklist. Customizable inspection checklists are available for popular industry vehicles used in construction, HVAC, plumbing, electrical, landscaping, excavation and others. Checklists can be customized to meet the unique needs of a specific business to include information for trucks, vans, trailers, power equipment, fuel, generators, tractors, spare parts, pumps, dryers, blowers, mobile signage and more. Drivers/

employees fill out each form associated with their vehicle from the NexTraq Connect app and can confirm they have all necessary items and equipment in working order before they hit the road. Managers receive clear and concise reports.

Available to NexTraq customers in the United States and Canada, the app is downloadable from the Apple App Store or Google Play to tablets or smartphones.

For more information, contact Mary Ann Kotlarich at (864) 458-4884.

TRIMBLE

Trimble recently announced the acquisition of MidStates VRS, a virtual reference station network located in North and South Dakota, increasing the footprint of Trimble’s VRS Now GNSS corrections service to cover more than one million square miles in North America.

Global Navigation Satellite System, or GNSS, technology is particularly important to asphalt contractors who rely on intelligent compaction tools for increased

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Product Gallery accuracy, speed and efficiency on the jobsite.

Trimble VRS Now offers instant access to centimeter-level positioning accuracy in the field and is an important part of a connected construction site. Expanding the Trimble VRS Now network with the addition of the MidStates VRS network will help asphalt contractors in more places, specifically across the Midwest, achieve more reliable, high accuracy positioning on paving projects using compaction control systems.

The acquisition of the MidStates network adds 105,000 square miles of coverage to the Trimble VRS Now network, making it one of the largest networks in North America.

When using the service, asphalt contractors with a Trimble or third-party GNSS receiver can leverage instant, high-accuracy corrections delivered via cellular network to improve productivity.

Trimble VRS Now is always on, wherever and whenever it is needed. Trimble networks are supported by a global network operations team made up of GNSS system engineers, geodesy experts and IT professionals. The team monitors the networks 24/7 from operation centers located on three continents.

“Positioning accuracy is critically important in the asphalt compaction process because even a small error can have an impact on rideability, final density and the long-term durability of the surface,” said Kevin Garcia, general manager for Trimble Civil Specialty Solutions.

“Increasing the reach of the Trimble VRS Now network gives more contractors access to simple, reliable accuracy that they can feel confident about.”

WIRTGEN

In Illinois, a W 220 Fi large milling machine equipped with a standard 2.5-meter milling drum fitted with 196 picks, removed an entire road surface in two passes. The machine from Wirtgen Group, Antioch, Tennessee, features the Mill Assist machine control system, and Wirtgen Performance Tracker to handle documentation. Wirtgen Group provided a case study to give you more information.

To rehabilitate the on-ramp and off-ramp to Interstate 55 in Bolingbrook, Illinois, the contractors opted for a W 220 Fi with 812 PS. In order to allocate the large milling machine’s power reserves to the various machine components as required, Mill Assist dynamically

58 // January 2021

With a working width of 2.5 meters, the Wirtgen W 220 Fi milled off the 46 cm thick road surface in two passes controls the machine’s operating point. This means it automatically adjusts the speed of the diesel engine and milling drum, the travel drive, the machine’s advance rate, and its water consumption to match changing job site conditions.

Mill Assist also automatically controls the two-speed dual-shift powershift transmission. In combination with the diesel engine, this enables the milling drum speeds to be increased and decreased. For Mark Lindbloom, head of operations at K-Five Construction, the W 220 Fi’s drive concept also had an impact on the company’s purchase decision.

“The two-speed powershift transmission was very appealing to us. It puts the horsepower to the pavement on long sections of road [and at smaller milling depths] as well as when working at larger milling depths.”

As a result, lower milling drum speeds can be used, which reduces both fuel consumption and pick wear. At higher speeds, it’s possible to achieve a high-quality milling pattern while still covering large areas.

For the complete two-layer removal of the entire road surface in Illinois, the W 220 Fi was equipped with a standard 2.5-m milling drum fitted with 196 picks. The W 220 Fi milled in ECO mode, one of three operating strategies that machine operators can select from on the new large milling machines from Wirtgen. In ECO mode, Mill Assist always seeks the machine operating point with the most favorable fuel and pick consumption

per cubic meter of milled material. At the same time, it also reduces CO2 and noise emissions.

Foreman Ed Mesko summed up the milling work near Interstate 55 in a positive light: “The W 220 Fi has numerous features that make life easy for machine operators and the ground crew. It is packed full of technology and performance.”

The large milling machine was also delivered with a Wirtgen Performance Tracker (WPT), which precisely determines the machine’s surface milling performance, milling volume and consumption rates. All of the key performance and consumption data are shown to the milling machine operator in the operator's cabin in real time. Immediately after completing a milling job, the data is also e-mailed to the machine owner in an automatically generated report.

“When we purchase a machine, we expect reliability, versatility, value and performance,” Lindbloom explained. “The W 220 Fi offers all of these qualities and, thanks to the WPT, a significant technological upgrade. It allows us to measure our performance extremely accurately. We’ve used telematics systems before, but never at this level. We’re confident that the technology will help us increase our efficiency.”

Source: Wirtgen Group For more information, contact Matt Graves at matt.graves@wirtgen-group.com or visit www.wirtgen-group.com/america.

Teach Your Crew What it Takes to Pave a Bonus-Worthy Mat

AsphaltPro magazine joined forces with hall-of-fame paving consultant John S. Ball III of Top Quality Paving & Training to bring you the newest online training resource for your crew: Asphalt Paving 101.

The course is available on any device, anytime, anywhere to train your entire crew. Your single subscription to the best curriculum of all time gives you access to train all of your employees, each time you bring in a new hire.

Asphalt Paving 101

In this course, your crew will learn: • How to stay safe on the job site • How to build a takeoff ramp • How to determine fluff factor • How to determine yield • How to prep for real paving in the real world • How to maintain equipment the right way • Job responsibilities for each paving crew member • and so much more…

Purchase your access to the course at: training.theasphaltpro.com

www.THeAsphaltpro.com // 59

off the mat

Know When, How To Depreciate Equipment E

Evaluating capital expenditure needs is not always a straightforward decision. Decisions such as when to buy are dealt with on a regular basis. This conversation occurs frequently when it relates to pavers and what is the right strategy for the business.

In this case study, we will focus on a paver and assume an original purchase cost of $500,000. While not every company is positioned to purchase pavers in this price point, it will serve as a good base line for the concept. This case study also is intended to provide different ways to evaluate the transaction and companies should always consult their financial advisors on how these transactions would impact your specific situation.

FINANCE OR CASH & RECORDKEEPING

The decision to outlay cash in full or finance is one that has been debated since companies started purchasing pavers. Several factors play into this determination and most companies starting out don’t have the capital reserves to pay cash for their first paver purchase and will finance instead. Another reason a company finances a paver is to match the cash out flow (loan payment) with the cash inflow (sales generated with the paver). For companies who have seasonal periods of no revenue, “token” loan payments are a great tool to use to preserve cash in months where the paver can’t be used. This

can be a great tool to preserve a company’s cash and invest in other parts of the company.

Contractors are frequently required to keep their books and records for external financial reporting purposes under United States Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (U.S. GAAP). This allows users of the financial statements to assume the numbers are presented in a similar format to your peers for comparability purposes. One question that arises after the purchase of a $500,000 paver is, how do I reflect that paver on my books? The paver is shown as a long-term asset, which is offset by depreciation over time. Depreciation can be calculated several different ways and will yield different results for interpretation of the user of your financial statements.

DEPRECIATION: BOOK METHODS

Two common ways of recording depreciation for U.S. GAAP are the straight-line method and units of production.

The straight-line method takes the cost of the paver less residual value and spreads it evenly over the economic useful life of the paver. This method does not consider how much the paver is used in each year. Straight-line is the most common way companies track depreciation for U.S. GAAP.

ASSUMPTIONS IN CASE STUDY Cost of equipment

$500,000

Useful life (years)

5

Salvage value at end Est. Hrs of Production (total) Annual production (hours)

15% 6,000 800

900

1,800

1,500

1,000

6,000

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4

Year 5

Total Depreciation

Net Value

Straight Line

85,000

85,000

85,000

85,000

85,000

425,000

75,000

Units of Production

56,667

63,750

127,500

106,250

70,833

425,000

75,000

500,000

-

-

-

-

500,000

-

191,667

123,333

74,000

44,400

34,009

467,409

32,591

Purchase

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4

Year 5

Straight Line

$500,000

415,000

330,000

245,000

160,000

75,000

Units of Production

$500,000

443,333

379,583

252,083

145,833

75,000

Tax - Bonus

$500,000

-

-

-

-

-

Tax - MACRS

$500,000

308,333

185,000

111,000

66,600

32,591

Bonus Tax - MACRS

$75,000 $425,000 Net Value of Asset

60 // January 2021

NET VALUE OF PAVER $500,000

$375,000 $250,000 $125,000 $Purchase Straight Line

Year 1

Year 2

Units of Production

This concept should be applied for all heavy equipment.

A second method of book depreciation is units of production. If a company determines the life of a paver is 5,000 hours, the monthly depreciation is based on the actual hours recorded for the paver.

This method would be considered more reflective of actual usage; however, it is more involved in coordination of information gathering to calculate the depreciation. For companies that are seasonal, this method may be preferable to show depreciation in months when the company is using the paver and not in winter months.

RESIDUAL (SALVAGE) VALUES

For U.S. GAAP reporting purposes, it is an acceptable practice to show a residual (salvage value) of the paver. By recording a salvage value, the paver is always reflected at some amount on its balance sheet, even if it is $50,000 on a paver initially purchased for $500,000. While this may not sound significant when talking about one paver, this concept should be applied for all heavy equipment and when done can amount to a significant value of equipment.

DEPRECIATION: TAX METHODS

For federal income tax reporting purposes, depreciation is typically calculated one of two ways: under the current tax law as of the date of this article publication, bonus depreciation and MACRS depreciation. Bonus depreciation allows the company to depreciate (expense) 100 percent of the paver in the year of purchase. Companies often elect this method to accelerate the depreciation to minimize federal income tax liability in the year of purchase. Companies who elect this method must also be aware of the impact on the next years of ownership and there will be no depreciation to offset income.

Year 3

Year 4

Tax Bonus

Year 5 Tax-MACRS

A second method is MACRS, which depreciates the paver over a fiveyear period with more depreciation per year in the earlier years. A point worth mentioning is each state has its own laws on depreciation methods, so you should always consult your tax advisor regarding the acceptable depreciation methods in your state.

HIDDEN EQUITY AND VALUE OVER TIME

It is common for contractors to keep one set of financial records for simplicity reasons, which typically is the method used for tax reporting purposes. As we will see in the chart above, using tax basis depreciation methods can accelerate the amount of depreciation shown and lower net profit in early years; however, it also accelerates the reduction the equity or “net worth” of the business. For companies who submit financial statements for prequalification showing as much net worth as possible, it provides the strongest financial snapshot of the company.

Let’s look at a chart to illustrate the differences in depreciation over time. Bonus depreciation gives the company the largest expense in the first year, but no depreciation in later years. The units of production method varies each year depending on how many hours the paver is run. So in year three, the company had the heaviest usage of the paver and recorded the largest expense.

Each method of reporting has positive and negative attributes about them and it is critical for a business owner to understand how each method of reporting impacts its financial reporting.

– BY SEAN RIZER

Sean Rizer is the CFO for Harding Group, Indianapolis, Indiana, which performs asphalt services, supplies hot mix asphalt and provides dump truck transportation. Prior to joining Harding Group, Rizer spent over 10 years in public accounting, providing operational and transactional consulting. He graduated from Valparaiso University with a bachelor’s degree in both accounting and finance.

www.THeAsphaltpro.com // 61

new tech

New Revu Improves Collaboration Control, Efficiency W

When Solid Earth Civil Constructors, Pueblo, Colorado, was required to use an estimating software on a residential project, the company’s Co-Founder and Senior Estimator Don Peters was concerned about the use of new technology.

“I've been estimating for over 30 years and so when I look at technology, it's extremely scary,” Peters said. Within three days the company had invested in Revu, a project efficiency and collaboration platform from Bluebeam, Inc., Pasadena, California.

Drake Carter, a field operator and supervisor for the company who became the first Solid Earth employee to use Revu, digitally remade the paper-based takeoff Peters had prepared for the residential client and discovered an error in Peters’ original manual takeoff that would have cost the company $50,000-$60,000.

Since then, Revu has enabled the company to speed up the estimating process, more than tripling its bid submissions. Revu’s real-time remote document collaboration tools have also improved communication throughout the company. Carter said the company’s employees no longer rely on paper plans in the field. Instead, they use Revu on iPads.

Since Solid Earth began using Revu, the company has tripled its bid submissions.

Revu is used by dozens of state and county transportation agencies, with representatives from Nebraska, New York and Wisconsin DOTs sharing their experiences with Revu on civil projects at the 2019 International Highway Engineering Exchange Program (IHEEP) Conference.

According to Todd Wynne, Bluebeam Vice President of Strategy and Partnerships, COVID-19 has illustrated the importance of efficiency and collaboration tools.

“One of our customers’ biggest challenges has always been the way they work between locations,” Wynne said, highlighting how Revu customers are often working between the office, their truck, the field, and now, their homes. “This is what Revu was designed to do. It connects people on the same set of documents in real-time or at any time, while giving them an incredibly powerful set of mark up, measurement, takeoff and submittal tools that make any job faster, easier and more accurate.”

In August, Bluebeam launched the newest version of Revu 20.

The update aims to maximize platform efficiency, flexibility and user experience. For example, the update improved Studio in Revu, which allows multiple users to mark up documents at the same time and automatically track comments, providing administrators with more flexibility and control.

“We've made it easier than ever to invite and manage project partners, ensuring the right people have the right access to information,” Wynne said. “We also introduced enhancements to the powerful markup tools in Revu 20 to improve project data management when reviewing, commenting, marking up, tracking and managing project documents.”

62 // January 2021

In August, Bluebeam launched the newest version of Revu 20. The update aims to maximize platform efficiency, flexibility and user experience.

The updates are a result of Bluebeam’s partnership with its customers to understand and evolve with their needs.

Also within Revu is Studio Projects, a centralized cloud storage space for documents.

According to a Bluebeam Global Services’ customer survey, 88 percent of Revu users reported improvement in work quality, 82 percent reported saved time, 76 percent reported improved efficiency.

Revu is used by nearly 2 million individuals in more than 130 countries working across architecture, engineering and construction industries.

– BY SARAH REDOHL

Online update

AsphaltPro, Online

Join the conversation with AsphaltPro online, on our social channels, our website and our blog.

We Asked, You Answered: Industry veterans: Tell us about the olden days! What tales do you have that would most shock the new generation joining our ranks?

“What was most shocking for me was the fact that they had no skid steers.

Nowadays, a paving crew is not complete without one. Clean up at the end of the day by hand after a 12-hour day doesn’t sound fun.”--@1995_ags (via Instagram repost by @asphalt.life)

Headlines from the AsphaltPro blog: theasphaltpro.com/asphalt-blog

1. Caterpillar plays Pac-Man with remote-controlled skid-steer loaders.

2. Command Alkon and Libra Systems, Inc. team up to serve heavy construction materials suppliers

“I’ve heard stories of lighting the burner with a kerosene rag and lots of lever pulling.”—@apeopleschamp (via Instagram)

3. World of Asphalt and AGG1 2021 has been cancelled.

“I remember my cousin Sonny Yemma at Merrimack Paving Groveled Mass pulling on the weights to make a batch of mix.”—@decola_paving (via Instagram)

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We’re on it.

BROCK is proudly manufacturing equipment and supplying parts for hot mix asphalt plants. www.brock.industries

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advertiser index Ahern Industries . . . . . . . . . . 63

Hot Mix Equipment. . . . . . . . . 13

Almix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

KPI-JCI-AM . . . Inside Back Cover

Asphalt Drum Mixers . . . . . . . 52

Meeker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Astec, Inc . . . . Inside Front Cover,

11, 15, 19, 24

NCCP Group . . . . . . . . . . . . 59

B & S Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Blaw Knox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Brock Industries . . . . . . . . . . 64 Clarence Richard Co . . . . . . . 66 CWMF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17, 49 Eagle Crusher . . . . . . . . . . . 23 E.D. Etnyre . . . . . . . . . . . . . 35

Reliable Asphalt Products . . . . . . . . . Back Cover Roadtec . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Sripath Technology . . . . . . . . 57 Stansteel . . . . . . . . . . . . 21, 31 Systems Equipment . . . . . . . 37 Tarmac International, Inc . . . . 43

Fast-Measure . . . . . . . . . . . 65

Top Quality Paving . . . . . . . . 65

Gencor Industries . . . . . . . . . . 4

Trans Tech Systems, Inc . . . . . 41

Green Patch . . . . . . . . . . . . . 47

Willow Designs . . . . . . . . . . 65

Homestead Valve . . . . . . . . . 27

Wirtgen America . . . . . . . . . 45

AsphaltPro’s advertiser index is designed for you to have quick access to the manufacturers that can get you the information you need to run your business efficiently. Please support the advertisers that support this magazine and tell them you saw them in AsphaltPro magazine.

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SAFETY DAY

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SAFETY DAY

MIX QUALITY

PRODUCTION

SAFETY DAY

MIX QUALITY

SAFETY DAY

MIX QUALITY

PRODUCTION

ELECTRO DAY 1

ELECTRO DAY 2

PRODUCTION

TO BE DETERMINED.... TO BE DETERMINED.... TO BE DETERMINED....

TO BE DETERMINED.... TO BE DETERMINED.... TO BE DETERMINED....

RAP IS WORTH WHAT IT REPLACES.

From Equipment to Application Any recycled product is worth what it replaces. To fully realize the value of RAP, you must process it back to its original mix design. As an Astec Industries group of companies, KPI-JCI and Astec Mobile Screens are leaders in RAP processing. We pair that with a wide selection of crushing, screening, and material handling equipment required to fractionate RAP and ensure the highest quality materials throughout the recycling process.

Let legislators know you support increased highway spending.

Send them a letter at dontletamericadeadend.us KPI-JCI and Astec Mobile Screens

Astec Industries Companies

700 WEST 21ST STREET • YANKTON, SD 57078 USA • 800.542.9311 • FAX 605.665.8858 • kpijci.com

THE RELIABLE WORLD OF ASPHALT PLANT PRODUCTS

www.ReliableAsphalt.com

DID YOU KNOW?

Reliable Asphalt Products asphalt calibration tanks provide an efficient way to calibrate liquid asphalt. Our systems have built-in load cells that are supplied with digital readouts. These load cells are highly accurate and are calibrated in our factory prior to shipment. Our system provides a higher degree of accuracy without the need for a truck. The systems are available in portable, vertical and horizontal arrangements. Our portable system is available for lease upon request.

Asphalt Calibration Systems

Great value with expert customer service!

New, Used and Refurbished Asphalt Plant Equipment 521 Old 7 Mile Pike • Shelbyville, KY 40065 • Office Toll Free (866) 647.1782 • Fax (502) 647-1786