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CONTENTS
asphaltPRO may 2020
departments
30
Editor’s Letter 6 – A CONEXPO to Remember
Safety Spotlight 8 – Cornejo & Sons Flags Work Zone Entrances, Exits By Sarah Redohl
MIX IT UP 12 – MnROAD Tests Cracking on 70th Street By AsphaltPro Staff
TRAINING 18 – Train Lowboy Drivers to Deliver Quality By John Ball
36
18
PAVEMENT MAINTENANCE 24 - Riverside Applies Plant-Based Rejuvenator By Sandy Lender
PRODUCT GALLERY 46 - Production After CONEXPO
NEW TECH 52 - DOTslip Solves DOT Electronic Ticketing By Sarah Redohl
OFF THE MAT 54 - Picture-Perfect Trucks Shine on Social Media By AsphaltPro Staff 58 - WOTUS’ Impact on Aggregates, Explained By AsphaltPro staff
Feature articles
52
30 - Granite Manages Multiple Tanks New system ensures safe, economical, provable practices at the tank farm By Sandy Lender 36 - ST Bunn Compacts School Parking Lot with Varying Turning Speeds By Tom Kuennen
Paving for Bonus
asphaltPRO PRODUCTION – PROFESSIONALS – PRODUCTS
HERE’S HOW IT WORKS 60 - BOMAG’s BF 200 Paver 62 - EZ Asphalt’s ABCD Tester
ONLINE UPDATE
63 – AsphaltPro Online
40 - How to Save Cash at Invoicing Reduce credit card acceptance rates and fees on a business-to-business rate program. By Peter Brickman 42 – Quick Belt Fix By A.J. Ronyak
Granite Manages Multiple Tanks
DOTslip
• Get Parking Lot Compaction • Train Your Lowboy Driver • Test for Low Temperature Cracking • Interstate Shares Social Tips
MAY 2020 WWW.THEASPHALTPRO.COM
on the cover
Granite Construction’s Alaska plant installs vertical liquid asphalt cement tanks ahead of tank management systems. See related article on page 30. Photo courtesy of Stansteel, Louisville, Kentucky
editor’s Letter A CONEXPO to Remember
Not only because the show closed a day early, CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2020 was a show to remember thanks to the spirit of community and the innovation everywhere you turned. As if we all knew it was the last event we’d attend before lockdowns, quarantines and travel restrictions would physically isolate us from swaths of society, we crammed technological news and updates into our brains as fast as we could get from booth to booth. When I approached the BOMAG stand in the central hall, a squat roller without an operator cab blinked its lights. It lacked an operator cab because BOMAG is one of multiple OEMs offering remote-control machines. Check out the video of Bert Erdmann explaining a few of the Robomag’s features on AsphaltPro’s YouTube channel at https://youtu.be/OQlcsbrJKAM. When I approached the Wirtgen Group stand in the silver lot, black milling machines greeted me. Why? Because the mills can be ordered with a carbon fiber wrap kit that protects the machine and increases resell value. Technology and safety tidbits that we’ll share in the magazine this summer speckled the show floor. Of course, safety is taking on a new look this paving season. Thanks to the phrase “social distancing,” your tailgate talks and lunch breaks require more forethought to keep workers six feet from one another. In a recent note to the American General Contractors of America (AGC), CEO Stephen E. Sandherr shared that the obligation to safeguard workers has grown in recent weeks. The outbreak of COVID-19 in North America brings new challenges for providing a safe work environment. He wrote: “Federal, state, and local officials have relied on our assurances that the steps your firms are taking, including social distancing, the use of PPE and monitoring who enters your jobsites, creates a safer environment than exists in other industries. These officials have taken us at our word and allowed many types of construction projects to continue because they know this industry has a long history of complying with complex and ever-changing safety rules and regulations.” AsphaltPro’s blog post “The Construction Industry Takes Precautions to Prevent Spread of Coronavirus” offers best practices for our industry and lists resources to keep you up to date with guidelines as the paving season progresses and the COVID-19 outbreak begins its downward curve. It’s vital that we all follow CDC guidance to get our day-to-day back to some semblance of normal, but, more importantly, to ensure everyone returns to normal. Those who balk at the rules will not only find themselves fined and shut down; they could end up hospitalized. “I urge all of you to make sure that every member of your team is following the guidance and safety requirements public health and safety officials have provided to make sure your workers are protected from the coronavirus,” Sandherr wrote. “There is no margin for error when it comes to protecting your workforce. Any lapse in safety protocols can, and likely will, prompt government officials to reverse the industry’s ability to continue to operate...” Lapses can put company owners at odds with new laws as well. The Families First Coronavirus Response Act: Employer Paid Leave went into effect April 1, requiring employers with fewer than 500 employees to make provisions related to COVID-19. It’s not an easy Act to decipher and even its expiration date of Dec. 31, 2020, is already debated as extendable. After attending Transportation Research Board and National Asphalt Pavement Association webinars discussing the law’s paid leave requirements, I feel confident stating the spirit of the Act is to protect both workers and employers in a time of uncertainty. The best quote I’ve heard from any presenter so far is that we should learn to be agile. In a time when employees have different family situations and underlying health conditions offering them various stressors, members of the construction trades can go about our essential functions with a calm yet cautious agility. Like those of us who crammed as much knowledge into our brains as we could during a shortened CONEXPO, we’ll now adapt to working as safely as we can in light of new circumstances in our world. This will likely turn into a paving season to remember, but I challenge you to make it memorable due to your combined spirit of innovation and “safely distanced” community. Stay Safe,
Sandy Lender
6 // may 2020
May 2020 • Vol. 13 No. 7
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/.
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safety spotlight
Cornejo & Sons Flags Work Zone Entrances, Exits
Cornejo & Sons Inc., uses color-coded flags to identify work zone entrances and exits. The idea was recognized as a finalist in NAPA’s annual Safety Awards program. Editor’s Note: In the 2019 Operational Excellence category, Cornejo & Sons Inc., Wichita, Kansas, was a finalist for the National Asphalt Pavement Association’s (NAPA) Asphalt Operations Safety Innovations Award. AsphaltPro magazine is proud to sponsor the industry’s safety award and to share this article, which describes the company’s innovative approach to work zone entrances and exits. Cornejo & Sons Inc., Wichita, Kansas, estimates that each of its 775 vehicles makes an average of six trips to and from job sites every work day. This amounts to more than 1 million vehicles entering and exiting work zones each year. “Most construction sites have cones all over the place and it can be confusing for drivers delivering materials to know where to go,” said Safety Director Omar Franco. Cornejo & Sons determined that this exposed the company, its fleet and its workers to unnecessary risks. A lack of consistent and well-marked work zone entrances and exits not only risked drivers damaging recently paved asphalt, hitting
C
8 // may 2020
traffic control equipment or running over existing utilities, but also contributed to unauthorized and/or unsafe entrances and exits. For example, trucks could enter or exit a work zone by driving under power lines, across intersections, or on uneven or unstable ground. Even more seriously, there was the risk of employees in the work zone being struck by construction vehicles or by the traveling public as employees attempted to flag confused drivers into or out of the work zone. Cornejo & Sons decided to do something to reduce these risks. They began using color-coded flags to identify work zone entrances and exits—an idea for which the company was recognized as a finalist in the National Asphalt Pavement Association’s annual Safety Awards program. “We want to take the guesswork out of it, and make it easy for drivers to follow our directions,” Franco said. “Now, everyone knows where the entrances and exits are.”
SAFETY LEADERSHIP, SAFER JOB SITS
Since 2014, Cornejo & Sons has organized a handful of safety leadership teams from
across its operations to identify issues facing the company and brainstorm potential solutions each year. “The first couple of weeks out in the field, everyone on those teams is paying a lot of attention to hazards and asking their fellow employees for ideas,” Franco said. “It boosts morale to know that the company is invested in keeping employees safe.” It was one of the company’s very first safety leadership teams who identified the risks related to entering and exiting work zones. The team decided to create color-coded flags to denote construction vehicle entrances and exits for each work site. This enabled drivers to enter and exit work zones without verbal communication, thus reducing driver confusion, improving the safety of entry and exit points with less impact on the traveling public, and posing less risk to equipment and employees in the work zone. It also made it easier to specify entrances for different materials being delivered to the same job site. “We may have miles’ worth of road we’re working on,” said Community Outreach Director Randy Roths. “The flags give drivers
safety spotlight al, such as asphalt or removals. The total cost of each flag is less than $10, including the fabric flag and paint, the fiberglass pole, and bungee cords/clamps to attach the flag and pole to safety cones or barricades. To encourage participation in the program, Cornejo & Sons conducted a safety meeting with each crew before implementation and prepared a toolbox talk printout and a best practices checklist in English and Spanish. The foreman on any given job places two colored flags at the entrance and two checkered flags at the exit, attaching them with bungee cords to safety cones, concrete barriers, or whatever else may be available at those areas.
that we bring the flags out to jobs we’d do together,” Franco said. “It’s neat to be able to share that with them.” Since they began the flag program, Cornejo & Sons has continued to make improvements. For example, the flag for asphalt used to be black and was difficult to see on night projects. Now, the asphalt flags are white. “At first, the foremen weren’t thrilled to have one more thing to set up,” Roths said, “but they’ve grown to appreciate not having to chase down trucks who’ve missed turns.” Not only do the flags save crews time and reduce driver confusion, but they also make the work zone safer for everyone. – BY SARAH REDOHL
NAPA’s next Safety Awards program opens Aug. 1, 2020, with a submission deadline of Oct. 15, 2020. Visit www.AsphaltPavement.org/Awards to apply.
Cornejo & Sons equipped all of its trucks, as well as hired-party trucks the company employs, with windshield stickers reminding drivers of the color-coding system. direction so they know where to pull into and out of a work zone, and crew members on the job know they need to stay out of those areas.” The flags also illustrate to subcontractors, inspectors and other third-party vehicles where equipment and vehicles can (and can’t) be parked on the job.
FLAGS IN ACTION
All Cornejo & Sons job sites where trucks will be entering and exiting the work zone are required to set up specific color-coded flags for each type of material the site is expecting that day. In fact, crews are not allowed to order trucks unless the flags are set up. The brightly colored flags are reflective so they are visible during both day and night jobs. They also spray painted text on each flag with its corresponding materi-
10 // may 2020
The best practice checklist reminds foremen to make sure the cones are spaced wide enough to allow trucks to enter, and that the entrances and exits have a safe slope, are stable, do not have power lines overhead and offer safe re-entry into traffic. Because paving jobs are always moving, the foreman on those jobs places just one entrance flag on the paver itself. In addition to making it easy for crews to comply, Cornejo & Sons also wanted the system to be easy for truck drivers. The company equipped all of its trucks, as well as hired-party trucks the company employs, with windshield stickers reminding drivers of the color-coding system. The flag color is also included on the driver’s delivery ticket. (See the image on this page).
ENTER: RESULTS EXIT: RISK
According to Cornejo & Sons, the risks associated with unclear entrances and exits has been reduced by more than 70 percent since the company implemented its color-coded flag system. Within the first year of the program, some of the contractors Cornejo & Sons works with noticed the flags and thought they were a good idea. “They would request
Cornejo & Sons employs more than 575 workers across its various subsidiaries. The company, which serves the construction industry in Kansas and throughout the Midwest, offers aggregate production and delivery, asphalt production and paving, pavement maintenance, heavy highway construction, stone quarry and sand mines, and site development and construction, among other operations. “Safety is number one around here,” said Safety Director Omar Franco. “It’s the first thing we talk about with new hires, we are committed to Toolbox Talks, we do safety lunches and safety training throughout the year.” At the start of every construction season, Cornejo & Sons has a safety kickoff pancake breakfast for 400+ employees so everyone starts the year off with a safety mindset. Since 2014, Cornejo & Sons organizes a handful of safety leadership teams from across its operations each year to identify issues facing the company and brainstorm potential solutions. The safety leadership teams are voluntary, “though we voluntold people to do it the first couple years,” Franco joked. The teams meet once every two weeks to determine the problem they want to solve and brainstorm and implement solutions, which are ultimately presented to upper management at Cornejo & Sons and at its parent company, Summit Materials, Franco said.
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MnROAD Tests Cracking on 70th Street
The two lanes along 70th Street were divided into these test and control sections. All images courtesy of Dr. Michael Vrtis
D
During the 21st annual conference and workshop for the Association of Modified Asphalt Producers (AMAP), Michael Vrtis, Ph.D., of Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT), shared with the audience two research projects performed in the state. This article shares information from the cold recycling techniques performed on 70th Street going into the MnROAD facility. The September issue of PreservationPro will share information from the National Road Research Alliance Flexible Team’s mix recycling agent field study. Vrtis presented both of these Feb. 13. The MnROAD and National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT) pavement preservation partnership had 24 partners as of early 2020, with more states showing interest. The partnership originated in 2012 with Minnesota and Alabama departments of transportation recognizing the different climate conditions in their states offer unique real-world challenges to preservation treatments being created and performed for testing. The partnership’s first preservation treatment test sections were built in Alabama in 2012 and over the next three to four years, they expanded to higher traffic volume roadways and completely different climates. Lee County Road in Alabama was constructed in 2012 and marked the beginning
12 // may 2020
of the experiments. In 2015, NCAT moved to a higher volume facility on highway 280. The same array of treatments was being tested, but this time on a U.S. highway. In 2016, the partnership took those same treatments from Lee 169 and from U.S. 280 to Minnesota and built them on two facilities in Pease, which is located in Mille Lacs County, which is about one and a half hours south of the Emily rejuvenator field testing project, which Vrtis describes in the upcoming September PreservationPro magazine. Under this preservation partnership, there was a wide array of treatments, with the cold recycling treatments being performed in Alabama in the summer of 2015 (read about those test sections in “NCAT Offers Cold Recycle Mix Design” in the February 2020 edition of AsphaltPro): • Control sections • Surface treatments o Crack sealing o Fog seal o Chip seals o Scrub seals o Micro surfacing o Treatment combinations • Thin Overlays (3/4-inch) o Dense-graded (4.75 mm) o OGFC (Alabama and MnROAD) o UTBWC o Treatment combinations • Cold Recycling + Thin Overlay
o Cold-in-place (CIR) o Cold central plant recycle (CCPR) The partnership saw an opportunity to test in-place recycling methods and mix designs in Minnesota’s colder climate. “The road into MnROAD is one of the roughest roads I’ve ever been on in my life,” Vrtis told the AMAP audience in February. He took international roughness index (IRI) readings on the eastbound and westbound lanes of 70th Street leading to and from MnROAD (see graphic), which showed remarkably high numbers.
Westbound toward stop sign IRI=324 277 294
322
Eastbound toward MnROAD IRI=314 393 392
363
Driving on the pavement and looking at the IRI evidence showed a heavily distressed pavement that was a good candidate for some of the recycling techniques where the team could literally destroy the crack pattern and put on a new surface. The road sees an average daily traffic load of about 2,700 vehicles. The eastbound lane is in Albertville and the westbound lane is in Otsego, so two different municipalities with two different maintenance strategies had cared for the road over the years. MnROAD and NCAT took about a mile of the road—both sides— in a short time frame—from Aug. 19-23, 2019—to perform in-place work. They closed
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Mix it up one lane at a time. They did seek out hot inplace recycling (HIR) methods to try on the section as well as the cold methods used. “We were hoping we could get hot in-place recycling incorporated into this project,” Vrtis shared. “We thought we had it lined up… but the contractor didn’t think it was a good fit.” The contractor considered the underlying distress of the existing pavement and the fact the team wouldn’t be removing enough of the underlying system or causes of distress and withdrew. “They thought it wouldn’t be a fair showing for HIR because of the underlying distress.” As that last-minute change demonstrates, there were a lot of moving pieces for the project. NCAT’s Buzz Powell coordinated the construction and all the moving pieces. Most of the equipment was donated or loaned for the project, with Powell coordinating that. The team brought in equipment from all over the country—equipment that had never been assembled together in a train. That’s why the stabilized full depth reclamation (SFDR) portion of the project went with a less conventional procedure; the reclaimer/stabilizer didn’t “fit” when the team went to insert it into the reclaiming train. Vrtis gave Powell the credit for managing the pieces to bring a revised reclamation train to the job. The team that came together for this project included: • Dr. Adriana Vargas, lead researcher for preservation project at NCAT • Dr. Buzz Powell • Mark Stahl and Wirtgen demo team, who brought a cold central plant and recycling equipment • East Alabama Paving, who came for consistency • Ingevity, who performed many emulsion designs • Caterpillar, who loaned rollers • Roadtec, who loaned paving equipment • MnDOT Office of Materials and Road Research • MnDOT Metro District • City of Albertville • City of Otsego • Minnesota Paving and Materials • American Engineering and Testing • Midstate Reclamation Vrtis explained the layout of the test sections shows the team incorporated three different technologies and everything with-
14 // may 2020
in those technologies used foam and emulsion designs. The two lanes were divided into eight sections for a total of 16 “cells.” The existing pavement was constructed of a clay subgrade, 6 inches of granular base and 4 inches of hot-mix asphalt (HMA). The 16 cells allowed the partnership to perform SFDR, both a foam and an emulsion section; cold in-place recycling (CIR) with foam and emulsion; cold central plant recycling (CCPR) with foam and emulsion; several mill and inlay sections at various depths; and control sections will only a 1-inch thinlay. Given the condition of the existing pavement, the team knew the thinlay wasn’t the proper fix, but it provided ideal control sections for the project. The thinlays were the minimum repair that could be taken to quickly improve the condition. Vrtis explained that the city needed something “to get them by” for the next two to three years while it worked on some development in the area. He acknowledged that the thinlay approach would not be a recommended treatment to correct the type of existing pavement distress they were working against. Because this project took place near MnROAD and its stockpile area, the team was able to set up a mobile plant on the property for the cold central recycling. Wirtgen brought in and set up the cold central plant for the project. For the CCPR mixes, Ingevity prepared the emulsion design for section 7005 E with no cement. It included 3.5 percent PG58S-28 binder, and
2.5 percent optimum moisture content. NCAT prepared the foam design for sections 7007 E & W using 1 percent cement. It included 2.3 percent PG58S-28 binder, and 45 percent optimum moisture content. The CIR was performed at a depth of 3 inches. With the foam design, NCAT prepared it for section 7003 E with 1 percent cement. It included 2.6 percent PG58S-28 and 4.5 percent optimum moisture content. Ingevity again prepared the CIR emulsion design for section 7004 E using no cement. It included 3.0 percent PG58S-28 and 2.0 percent optimum moisture content. Local consultant, American Engineering and Testing, from the Twin Cities, designed the mix for the SFDR sections. The contractor spread the cement prior to the train coming over and performed the process at 7 inches depth. That included 4 to 5 inches of asphalt plus an additional 3 inches of base being milled and mixed with the cement. The emulsion design mix went directly into a paver. The foam SFDR mix was windrowed in front of a grader, which was followed by a padfoot compactor. The SFDR emulsion mix for section 7001 E incorporated 3.5 percent EE XX-28 binder, 6.0 percent optimum moisture and 1 percent cement. The SFDR foam mix for section 7002 E incorporated 2.5 percent PG58S-28 binder, 6.0 percent optimum moisture and 1 percent cement. Within NCAT’s mobile testing lab, the team took samples and created cores.
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These two cores show the designs by Ingevity with no cement. The one on the left was placed via CIR method; the one on the right was placed via CCPR.
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These two cores show the designs by American Engineering and Testing (AET) with 1 percent cement. The one on the left shows stabilized full depth reclamation with emulsion; the one on the right shows stabilized full depth reclamation with foam.
These two cores show the designs by the National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT) with 1 percent cement. The one on the left shows the CIR foam; the one on the right shows the CCPR foam. At the end of the project, all test sections received a 1-inch HMA thinlay. Its design used 4.75-mm nominal maximum aggregate size, 20 percent RAP, and 6.4 percent PG58-28 binder. “This was a Buzz Powell special mix.” As mentioned above, the thinlay was placed over the heavily distressed control sections as well. As mentioned before, the roughness of the existing pavement was unacceptable.
16 // may 2020
In October 2018, the eastbound lane average was 365.5 inches per mile and the westbound average was 304.25 inches per mile. A month after construction, Sept. 27, 2019, the eastbound average IRI was 78 inches per mile and the westbound average was 74.5 inches per mile. That’s from sections 7001 to 7008. All IRI values for individual cells and wheel paths are less than 90 inches per mile.
“Even the thinlay did a huge improvement for the ride,” Vrtis said. After a cold snap in early December 2019, when temperatures were below 0oF, Vrtis noticed reflective cracks in the thinlay sections and some transverse cracks in the SFDR sections. Section 7001 (SFDR-E) had 86 inches of cracking; 7002 (SFDR-F) had 110 inches. Those transverse cracks in the SFDR sections surprised Vrtis because the team had, as he pointed out, “completely removed the existing cracking pattern there.” The SFDR sections will continue to be evaluated throughout the remainder of the study. “Although the early cracking was surprising in these sections, it is really the long-term performance that is important. It is still very early in the research and more work needs to be done to investigate the cause and monitor the potential distress progression.” The pre-existing condition of the pavement led researches to expect transverse, reflective and wheel path cracking would occur in the thin overlay sections, which they are seeing now. All rutting values were less than 0.125 inch. The section’s performance will be monitored bi-weekly using MnDOT’s digital inspection vehicle, as all the sections of the preservation study are. The team is evaluating each treatment’s performance with respect to rutting, ride quality and cracking. Additionally, friction and noise are measured on an annual basis. As a side note, teams from Virginia Transportation Research Center, University of California-Davis and University Nevada-Reno working on NCHRP 09-62 Phase 2 Testing came out to perform between-lab comparisons of preservation methods. It gave them the opportunity to see what kind of tests can be performed to assess when the mix is ready to open to traffic. MnDOT performed nuclear density testing as well as light-weight deflectometer testing. – BY ASPHALTPRO STAFF
Source: Michael Vrtis, Ph.D., is a research project engineer with Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) Office of Materials and Road Research (OMRR). For more information, contact him at Michael.vrtis@ state.mn.us.
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Ammann America Inc. 1125 SW 101st Road, Davie, FL 33324, USA Phone + 1 954 493 0010, Fax + 1 954 493 0020, info.aaa@ammann.com Capacities may vary based on the materials, general conditions and other factors. PMP-2675-00-EN | © Ammann Group
Training
Train Lowboy Drivers to Deliver Quality I usually talk about paving ideas. My passion is for getting top quality paving, and that usually involves a conversation about setting the screed and getting mix moved correctly through the paver and rolled right. But let’s look at delivering equipment for a minute. Damaged pavers or dinged-up rollers will cost you in quality, so it’s vital that the lowbed driver who loads and unloads equipment is careful and steady at his job. For this new paving season, workers should be very aware of staying six feet away from one another whenever possible. Workers who used to carpool to the jobsite are pairing off so only one or two employees are in a company vehicle at a time. This is a new best practice for a healthiest work environment that still lets us get the nation’s infrastructure built and maintained. If you’re watching the lowbed driver from a distance, you might not be able to stop him before he makes a mistake with equipment. Training him now saves a headache later. Here are some best practices he needs to know before he starts the shift. Start by double-checking the push rollers on the front of the paver. Make sure the chains that may have been looped around the push rollers have been removed before trying to back the paver off the lowbed. The tow point cylinder—on both sides of the paver—needs to be all the way down. This will ensure the back of the screed is lifted. If the screed bottoms out when unloading, the tow arms will bend. While the tow arms are usually made of solid steel, the bump that travels through them if the screed rams into the ground will cause sub-
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18 // may 2020
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CONTROLS TOP: Here you can see the hydraulically powered light towers that The Earle Companies uses on its pavers are extended for safe paving. BOTTOM: Here you can see the lights have been lowered for safe transport. Both photos courtesy of John Ball, Top Quality Paving & Training
stantial damage. You can give the depth crank a turn or two to elevate the butt of the screed a bit more, but the goal is to have the tow point cylinders all the way down before you gingerly back the paver down the ramps. Keep in mind, you’ll lift the screed up but you don’t want to lock it. Locking it actually steals a couple inches from the height you want here, so let it hang for moving on and off the trailer.
Check the augers to ensure they are lifted all the way up. Augers have about 5 ¾ inches of room to move up or down; you want CONTROLS them all the way up so they avoid hitting anything. The delta plate below the augers cannot move, so take a look at the ramp before backing the paver down. If the ramps aren’t lined up correctly and you hit them as you back down, you could bend the delta plate. If it gets damaged, you’ll have to replace it.
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Training Look at the end gates. These should have been level with—or a little higher than—the main screed plate for loading. The end gates are spring loaded. They have some “give” in them with shock absorbers and spring tension, and might drop an inch or so when the screed is lifted. Be aware that rear-mounted screeds especially let the end gates stick out the back. Watch for these to avoid bumping and damaging them. Watch for the electrical wires on the end gates, too. Now that our machines have heated endgates and electrical systems to make our paving more precise, we have to be aware of where the wires are. Frayed or damaged wires present a shock hazard—as well as poor performance—so the lowbed driver must be careful not to damage wires and controls when loading and unloading equipment. When it comes to the feed sensor, the best thing to do is remove it before loading. Put the feed sensors and their cords in the compartment for transport to protect these expensive components from damage. Watch out for the lights and mirrors we’ve added to the paver, as well. Move magnetic mirrors and strobes to a safer space; then fold down or otherwise secure and lock light structures in place so roadside vegetation doesn’t scrape them off or damage them in some other way. Notice in the picture of the roller on this page that the mirrors are on arms that can swing in and lock in place. The paver in the pictures on page 18 has hydraulically controlled light poles that can be lowered for transport. Make sure the lowbed driver takes the time to secure these elements.
The mirrors on this roller extend beyond the frame for best visibility during operation. For transport, the lowbed driver should swing them in on their arms/poles and lock them into place. Photo courtesy of John Ball, Top Quality Paving & Training 20 // may 2020
Not only will you pay attention to the tow point cylinders and tow arms, you’ll also look at the endgates prior to loading the paver onto the lowbed. Make sure to remove the feed sensors and store them, with their cords, in the paver’s compartment for transport. Components like feed sensors are pricy to replace if they get knocked around and damaged—or lost—on the way to the next paving site.
The strobe light on top of this canopy is held in place by a magnet. It’s easy to “stick” it to the underside of the canopy, thus protecting it from overhead branches during transport. Many OEMs have lighting packages that put fixtures inside or under canopies, directing light outward, thus protecting fixtures while giving operators an expanded nighttime workzone.
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Training expensive and vital piece of equipment. If he has noticed a soft subgrade prior to unloading, he can pull forward or pick a different place to stage equipment. If he hasn’t noticed a soft subgrade, he’ll take things slowly and double-check to make sure the screed is lifted high.
LIFT SCRAPER BARS, COCO MATS
Chain the screed operators’ steps out of harm’s way before transport.
Roller operators know they need to lift coco mats off hot pneumatic tires at the end of a shift to prevent a melted, goopy mess from delaying startup the next day. Locking INSPECTION scraper bars offCONTROLS roller drums alsoSERVICES prevents the collection of gravel, dirt, leaves and other mess when the lowbed driver moves the equipment to and from the trailer. Release the springs so the scraper bar isn’t touching drum during transport. The pictures on INSPECTION these pages offer more suggestions for proCONTROLS SERVICES tecting the roller during transport.
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LEFT: You want to release the tension on the roller’s scraper bar prior to moving the machine across a gravel or weeded area. Don’t let the drum pick up and retain rock and debris between the scraper bar and the drum’s surface. This only leads to early wear on the scraper bar and deposit of debris on your new mat. RIGHT: This exposed wire by the endgate could offer a 440volt shock to workers who aren’t paying attention. Make sure the lowbed driver understands the importance of protecting the endgate and all its components during transport. Give him authority to call for the mechanic if a safety hazard like this crops up. At the back of the paver, the screed operator’s steps should be lifted and chained out of harm’s way before loading. All of these tasks take time and attention to detail. But all of these tasks matter to ensure a safe and well-maintained paver is delivered to the paving site for a top quality job. The lowbed driver needs to take his time to make sure he follows company policy and state regulations for preparing his
22 // may 2020
load and keeping equipment secure. Then take it slow and steady to drive equipment safely off the trailer. By taking it slowly, he is more likely to sense any problems before they become a catastrophe. For example, when unloading on a gravel roadway, a soft subbase could spell disaster. The experienced and careful lowbed driver will know what to do if the paver starts to sink and will be able to adapt to protect this
Finally, make sure the equipment operator has the keys. Once he’s done his job, the lowboy driver leaves for the day. Who has INSPECTION CONTROLS the keys? Don’t assume the paverSERVICES operator has the keys for the paver and the roller operators have keys for their machines, and so on. Before the driver leaves the site, the last item on his checklist should be to turn over the keys for the equipment, for control INSPECTION panel padlocks CONTROLS and so on. SERVICES These are just a few of the training tips you should share with your lowboy drivers before season startup has them in the field. They may be within shouting distance of foremen and equipment operators, but the new safe-distance rules could prevent foreINSPECTION CONTROLS men and operators from seeingSERVICES potential problems. Solve those problems with good training ahead of time and keep top quality paving top of mind. – 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 Canada. For more information, contact him at (603) 493-1458 or tqpaving@yahoo.com. He’s also an advisor for the online training course from AsphaltPro Magazine, Asphalt Paving 101.
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Pavement maintenance
Riverside Applies Plant-Based Rejuvenator Sealcoating projects brought in enough work to keep Riverside Asphalt Services of Boston going strong when it first formed in 1980. Changes in their marketplace since then necessitated changes in the services the company offers, and Owner/President Doreen Fulmore credits Operations Manager Paul Fulmore with staying focused on a growing market. “He’s exceptionally driven, always looking for things to move the business forward. Spraying has become the backbone of the business.” Riverside Asphalt now provides tack coat services for the larger paving contractors in Eastern Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire, using a fleet of distributor tanks from E.D. Etnyre, Oregon, Illinois. Their website states: “Since 1989, Riverside Asphalt Services has been applying RS-1 tack coat. We have been learning all the nuances needed to efficiently work as a tack coat application contractor here in Massachusetts.” Doreen and Paul Fulmore consistently have four distributor trucks out for the major contractors; sell RS-1 tack coat asphalt emulsion to contractors and agencies in quantities from 8,500-gallon trailer loads to 5-gallon pails; and have recently added the service of renting 250-gallon tack-wagons to contractors. Doreen pointed to the website for more detailed information: “Riverside Asphalt is an asphalt emulsion dealer and distributor. Our primary business is to supply the local overlay contractors with tack trucks for road projects and large parking lots where a single axle truck will fit and the volume of tack to be used warrants the cost per hour for the truck. We fully know that there are any number of circumstances where it just would be too expensive for the truck and the volume of tack needed is too low to offset the costs of being there. Our tack distributor trucks are 2,000 and 3,000-gallon trucks with a drier to apply volumes of material. We do not want to do jobs where the equipment is too expensive to be there with driver/operator to be on the job. Now you get it done with your own people.” Doreen also believes Paul’s fastidious nature garners repeat business. For example, Paul executes the private chip seal work contracts and a large portion of that work is through landscape architects who appreciate how much attention he gives to the details. He has the smaller equipment necessary to get the chip seals onto the walkways and cart paths while keeping areas clean and precise. He’s that focused about keeping the crew working during the off-season, as well, delivering coal to predominantly residential clients and hardwood firewood to a mix of homeowners and commercial/restaurant clients. Even the company’s commitment to snow removal goes beyond affixing a blade to a truck.
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24 // may 2020
Eversource Gas crews had performed utility repairs and patching prior to the penetrating rejuvenator. Travis Sirrine explained that the cure time for the Delta Mist fogseal had a “little bit more accelerated absorption on the new asphalt because it was fresh, more porous, and not compacted with a 10-ton roller.”
Riverside Asphalt sells RS-1 tack coat asphalt emulsion to contractors in quantities from 8,500-gallon trailer loads to 5-gallon pails. “We invest in training our operators in the safest and most efficient operations to assist public works agencies along with property owners in snow and ice services. Our firm participates in national organizations and continuing education programs to improve our methods of operation. Our firm also boasts a staff member that has been nationally accredited as a Certified Snow Professional (CSP), achieved by successfully passing a series of tests given by the Snow & Ice Management Association (SIMA). Our firm has and continues to participate in education programs offered by the University of Wisconsin at Madison, Wisconsin, in snow and ice management.” Doreen also spoke of finding new and environmentally clean services to add to their arsenal. Enter the Putnam Municipality Highway Department. Putnam is one of 169 cities and towns in Connecticut, and is situated close to Riverside’s service area. Travis Sirrine, highway superintendent for Putnam, said he’s worked with Riverside Asphalt on maintenance projects in the past and turned to them in summer 2019 for a fogseal project of about three-quarters of a mile in a residential area. He explained, like many other municipalities, Putnam looks for ways to be more environmentally conscious with all operations, from washing down equipment to the overall health of the environment during pavement preservation applications. To assist with Putnam’s environmental goals, the team at Collaborative Aggregates LLC, Wilmington, Massachusetts, supplied totes of Delta Mist™ penetrating asphalt rejuvenator, and Riverside Asphalt applied a fogseal rejuvenator treatment with the liquid, plant-based material. The roadway to be rejuvenated had been paved four seasons prior to this preservation work, according to Sirrine. Eversource Gas Company workers had patched sections of the road after some utility work, and the surface was ready for sealing against freeze-thaw damage. Sirrine spoke about the favorable weather conditions on
From left, Travis Sirrine, Putnam Highway Superintendent, and Robert VanMeter, Riverside Asphalt company representative, discuss the use of a rejuvenator to add to Riverside Asphalt’s list of services. the day of the seal, stating the ambient temperature was in the high 70s to low 80s. The team at Collaborative Aggregates recommends Delta Mist is sprayed when ambient temperatures are 50 degrees F and rising. “Most sealing processes, any kind of penetrative process, a dry, warm temperature is best,” Sirrine said. “Even with this [Delta Mist], I’d like the warmer, drier base asphalt surface to allow something to get in and adhere. Do it in nice, warm weather.” Riverside Asphalt cleaned out a distributor truck and loaded it with Delta Mist. Putnam personnel swept the pavement surface
www.THeAsphaltpro.com // 25
Pavement maintenance
Riverside Asphalt sprayed the Delta Mist rejuvenator at a rate of 0.1 gallons per square yard.
The rejuvenator went down white and cured clear in 90 minutes, allowing a return-to-traffic in that time. No restriping was required. 26 // may 2020
one day prior to application with the Etnyre distributor. The control of each distributor nozzle helps produce a pattern as narrow as about an inch to over 12 feet wide—and any increment in between— as they adjust the spray bar. For this project, the spray bar was set for a 10-foot lane. The product sprays an almost white color, Sirrine observed, then cures clear, without obscuring pavement markings. The team didn’t have any striping to perform at the end of the job because the product allows existing marks to show through. “We use Etnyre® distributor tanks mounted on Mack® chassis, and this combination has proven very reliable. Tanks range in size from a 2,000-gallon to an 8,500-gallon capacity. Our trucks can safely transport asphalt cements, cut back asphalts, and emulsions. Our drivers are trained and familiar with proper care and handling of liquid asphalt. All drivers have undergone a minimum of 10-hour training with OSHA.” Sirrine and Doreen spoke of the crew’s safety with the Delta Mist product. Sirrine noted the process didn’t require heating the material and didn’t require the crew to cover storm drains, manhole covers or grates prior to spraying. He explained that using chip seal and other sealing treatments to preserve roadways often allows the penetrants to leech through underlying surfaces or run into drains. “Some of these penetrants can leech and get into the waterways,” he said. “With this [Delta Mist fogseal], there’s no carcinogen. You’re not posing a threat. With other treatments, you have to cover the grates.” Delta Mist is an emulsified version of Delta S® rejuvenator, allowing for a spray-applied topical rejuvenating seal that is designed to penetrate the surface and soften the asphalt binder to improve cohesion and slow crack propagation. It’s designed to penetrate the asphalt pavement surface up to 3/8 inch in depth to restore the oxidized asphalt and reduce the loss of fines and aggregates. Putnam’s Highway Department expects to push out the service life of this residential asphalt pavement for another three years following the treatment. Doreen and crew expect to have an environmentally friendly asphalt pavement preservation method to add to Riverside Asphalt’s list of services. – BY SANDY LENDER
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AND YOU KNOW WE DO THIS... You know Astec for durable, reliable equipment with proven performance. A pioneering team with decades of experience and a culture committed to putting the customer first has culminated in a range of options, including drum styles, baghouse styles, and silo styles, which allow you to configure the precise plant for your needs. Astec offers a complete line of portable, relocatable and stationary asphalt plants from 80tph to 600tph.
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Granite Manages Multiple Tanks
New system ensures safe, economical, provable practices at the tank farm BY SANDY LENDER
The plant operator or a remote user can know the material level of the AC tanks, hot-mix silos, and dust or lime silo capacity, as this team in New York has learned. Photo courtesy of Stansteel
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Editor’s Note: It’s worth noting that liquid asphalt cement (AC) “spills” cool quickly in ambient temperatures and solidify, rather than flow. The type of overflow referenced in this article is relegated to the containment areas that asphalt producers are required to build around tank farms, creating mounds of solid material on concrete platforms within concrete barriers. No liquid is entering the environment at large.
30 // may 2020
To prevent overflow situations and accidental contamination of one liquid asphalt cement (AC) binder with another, management at Granite Construction Company Inc., Sacramento, is in the process of installing the Tank Manager™ System from Stansteel of Louisville, Kentucky, at six of its asphalt mix sites. Plant Equipment Manager Chris Herne discussed the problems and solutions of tank management,
including removing human error for safety and efficiency purposes. “If you spill a ton of AC onto the ground from your secondary containment while it’s hot, it goes under everything,” Herne explained. “It’ll cost between two and five thousand dollars a ton to clean that up. We had some plants that had continuous problems with spilled asphalt, whether that was from overfilling a tank that would ooze out
Chris Herne of Granite Construction Company Inc., Sacramento, (at left) and Chris Loher of Stansteel/Hotmix Parts & Service, Louisville, sat down to talk about the Tank Manager System during CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2020. the top, spilling AC was the number one problem. “The number two problem is that we could contaminate AC. If we paid high dollar for a polymer-modified mix and pumped regular grade AC on top of it, all of a sudden we wouldn’t have that polymer-modified to the standard it used to be.” The Tank Manager System is designed to not only manipulate and control the valves on those tanks where it’s installed, but to also provide data on those tanks. It observes the tank—or silo—levels in real time and tracks temperatures. It will also monitor hot oil heater vitals and provides instant error alerts to team members. It also permits the tank and valve status to be monitored by authorized smart phones plus sends alerts to key personnel. Stansteel’s Chris Loher explained: “Having the knowledge and information of what’s the precise level in AC tanks and silos can permit a much better running operation. As an example, if a paving superintendent called and asked, ‘Do you have enough mix in the silo to give me three more loads?’ most operators would not be sure unless they already had a full silo. By the same token, if a plant producer has multiple plants, and one of their other plants cannot accept the full tank
truckload, it could be diverted to another plant if there was a known capacity level remaining in one of the tanks at the second plant. Without this knowledge and information the producer might incur demurrage [truck waiting charges].” “The asphalt tank tracker takes the human side out of it,” Herne said. “It says, ‘okay, we’re going to move this asphalt out of a tank or pump this asphalt back from the batch tower.’ It’s always showing what we’re unloading and what’s in the tank already, and if those two don’t match, it stops us from making a mistake. It forces somebody to look.” Herne explained that tanker-truck drivers, typically making deliveries at night when the plant isn’t at high production, have been known to cut corners if they aren’t being held accountable. He was quick to point out that not all truck drivers skirt safety measures, but Granite personnel have witnessed activities at unloading stations that needed to be curtailed. “Truck drivers are paid to unload that truck,” he said. One unsafe practice that Granite management wanted to eliminate was drivers forcing an overflow situation to get their tanker trucks unloaded. They provided a system with a high-level alarm that warned when it was time to stop pumping material. The
www.THeAsphaltpro.com // 31
Another benefit Granite Construction sees from the system is in overall planning. “One of the things we intend to do when all of the tank tracker systems are online, is to give certain people access to see all the plants. Our asphalt supply group wants access to the Tank Manager System so they know where they can put a block of material to store it. Winter fill rates are gone; they don’t exist anymore. We own tanks in various refineries and when they’re plumb full, and the refinery says we’re pumping into that tank, better unload it, we can send 16 trucks in and unload and put it where we know there’s room.” high-level alarm triggered a “stop.” Some drivers knew they could override the “stop” by holding in the starter. “We have verified instances of when the truck driver has held the starter in so he can force the pump to override,” Herne shared. “Then he gets paid because he unloaded the whole truck, but the material went into the secondary containment and we paid dearly to clean that up.”
TANK SAFETY REMAINS TOP OF MIND
This is not only an expensive problem; it’s a safety issue Granite wished to solve. “That’s 300 degree liquid AC,” Herne said. “I’ve never been in a burn unit myself, but I’ve met some of the guys who’ve been through that.”
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The horror he described of having asphalt-soaked skin and muscle peeled with brushes from one’s body is both graphic and frightening. About 25 years ago, a worker at the company’s Coalinga site was injured at an AC unloading station. “It was the worst accident in our history,” Herne said. The worker had not worn personal protective equipment (PPE) and suffered severe burns to his face and body. A picture of that worker’s injuries now hangs at every unloading station with a reminder to all vendors and employees that Granite management takes safety seriously. “On our sites, at the unload station, is a safety cabinet,” Herne explained. “And inside that safety cabinet is the full arms, full canvas, nonflammable materials for every-
body, the face shields; and that’s required for everybody.” Not only does Granite management provide the safety gear, Granite provides training for its use and for safe movement around the site. “We do site-specific training for every person who does any work on our properties every year,” Herne said. “We bring the trucking companies into our facilities and anybody who works in that company that comes into our site has to have onsite training to be there. “If they don’t have the right insurance, they’re not allowed on our properties. That’s set up in our purchasing contracts for the [material] and delivery.” While Granite has cancelled trucking companies for safety violations, its team
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will work with drivers and companies to help drivers comply with safety directives. “If we see someone who has violated something, we’ll bring them back and ask them, ‘Why were you wearing a baseball cap instead of a hard hat? Why weren’t you wearing a face shield, because that attaches to the hard hat?’ So, we’ve retrained some [drivers]. We’ve also called trucking companies and told them which drivers are no longer allowed on our properties because they won’t comply.”
PROVING TANK TRACKING
Granite management installed the Tank Manager System at its Smith Island site in Everett, Washington, first. “The reason we went to this plant first was because they had the truck drivers who would hold the starters in,” Herne said. “Smith Island has a concrete secondary containment that their tanks sit in. If we could get all the oil out of there and into tanks, it’s probably 20 tons worth. We’ve had spill after spill that they can’t get cleaned up and stay ahead of the truck drivers. Every time, they spill 500 or 1,000 pounds. It’s built up and solidified in the secondary containment now.” With the Tank Manager System, the plant operator is able to monitor what’s taking place at the tank farm from the control house or from home. “The plant operator knows the night before he goes home that the drivers are coming in,” Herne said. “He sets the valves before he goes home. He can see everything from his smart phone to see that the driver’s sending material into the right tank and then into the backup tank. So the truck driver can get unloaded and get paid. The beauty of it is that the system operates the valves. The truck driver doesn’t have to go move the valves. The system will move to the second tank and keep going without any interaction of the truck driver.” The ground personnel have an easier time of coordinating operation with the system in place, as well, minimizing errors and eliminating contamination. “When our operators are running the plant from the control room…the ground man doesn’t have to climb over tanks to move valves…The operator ‘switches tanks’ off of control panels in the control room. Now the system is fully automatic. If the tank tells him he’s running out of AC,
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The Accu-Level feeds into the Level Readout display. “The electric sensor is giving you the dead-on the open space in the tank,” Chris Herne shared. The team at Granite noticed a tonnage error that occurred with one of its tanks when the material was at about mid-tank. “That’s because when we purchased the tank, it was round, but because it’s been overflowed so many times, it’s sort of bulged in the middle. The Accu-Level measures a vertical space of openness and does a calculation to tell you what volume is in there. The tank bulged from abuse and got a little wider. We re-calculated to get the real numbers dialed in. It was a problem we always had and just didn’t know it. If every tank was brand new and perfectly round, it would be easy to do the calculations, but they’ve been used and abused.” Stansteel calibrated the system for each of Granite’s tanks. “In most cases, they can give us the dimensions and we can calibrate on site,” Stansteel’s Chris Loher said. it switches automatically and the AC addition doesn’t have a gap. There’s no timeframe gap in the flow of asphalt.” That gap in the flow matters for quality control reasons, of course. Herne explained that the ground man no longer has to remember which valve to close or open first or second. “An experienced ground man would know to open the valve and give the AC 30 seconds to flow down the pipe before he closes the other pipe so we don’t have a gap in our AC,” Herne said. This keeps the variable frequency drive (VFD) from misunderstanding the gap, ramping up the AC pump for a few seconds, and sending the new flow of AC into the mix at a very high rate for 10- or 30-seconds. “You don’t want to see an air gap hit the pump, which is followed by a slug of AC that causes a rush resulting in 10 per-
cent of AC instead of the 5 percent the mix design calls for,” Herne cautioned. “The Tank Manager System from Stansteel has all that built into it. And those are the kinds of efficiencies that you can’t measure. If that happens once a day, you save a couple hundred pounds of material every day. If you add that up over time, it’s a huge deal.” Granite Construction is seeing a cost savings with the Tank Manager System in place, but Herne explained it’s difficult to put a number on. “There is a cost savings, but it’s like trying to prove a negative. Before, I could say, we had that spill and we lost x number of tons and it cost $20,000 to clean up. Now we have no spill.” For more information, contact Chris Loher at (800) 826-0223 or visit www.stansteel.com.
Web Extra at https://youtu.be/SfZ9OOuCgLY: Watch a video from CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2020 explaining how the Tank Manager™ System parts and pieces work together.
ST Bunn Compacts School Parking Lot with Varying Turning Speeds BY TOM KUENNEN
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ABOVE: At ST Bunn headquarters are Operations Manager Guy Watkins; President ST “Sonny” Bunn, Jr.; and Jody Thomason, the branch manager for Tractor & Equipment Co. LEFT: ST Bunn Construction’s Hamm DV+70i VV-S follows their Vögele Super 1703-3i paver on the school parking lot job.
S
ST Bunn Construction Company Inc., Tuscaloosa, Alabama, just marked 80 years of business. However, the asphalt contractor and producer is anything but old-fashioned in its pursuit of new technology to improve pavements. ST Bunn Construction has five asphalt plants within a 150mile radius of Tuscaloosa. Numerous crews in west central Alabama place asphalt from these five plants using, among other equipment, two 10-foot Super 2003-3i and one 8-foot Super 1703-3i wheeled asphalt pavers from Vögele. The company also has unique Hamm rollers, including two HD+120 VO tandem rollers, and an H13i VIO soil compactor incorporating both vibration and oscillation compaction in a single drum. In July 2018, ST Bunn Construction’s president, ST “Sonny” Bunn, Jr., acquired a new DV+70i VV-S roller. It features all-wheel steering with two smooth vibratory drums, but with a twist: both front and rear drums are split into halves, which can turn at different rates when negotiating tight curves or radii as seen in cul-de-sacs or parking lots. As an added plus, the roller swaps steering via conventional articulated joint for all-wheel steering that permits precise movement on mats, including “crab” steering. “We do a lot of jobs where we go around cul-de-sacs, or commercial parking lots and are rolling around islands. Turning the machine has a tendency to tear the mat,” Bunn said. “Normally, we would run a rubber tire roller on one of those jobs to close the mat back up.” “I remember years ago, when rollers turned with the drums instead of an articulated joint, we didn’t have near the problems we have now with tearing of the mat. I started trying to find a new roller that turned with the drums instead of articulation.” He tells the story of going to the Hamm factory in Germany and getting to see the DV+ roller there, and then seeing a DV+70i VV-S demonstration on a cul-de-sac a few months later. “Sure enough, it didn’t break the mat, or leave a roller mark,” Bunn said. “One of our senior operators was able to show the rest of the crew how it would perform in the field. We acquired the roller and use it nearly every day.”
www.THeAsphaltpro.com // 37
The split drums of the DV+70i VV-S enable compaction of tight radii without tearing the mat on the tight curves typical of parking lot construction such as this new school’s lot outside Tuscaloosa, Alabama. 38 // may 2020
The Hamm EasyDrive operation simplifies operation around tight curves. Because the DV+ series turns via drums, rather than an articulated joint, it can meet some difficult compaction challenges. When the opportunity presents itself, the “crab” steering offset enables the machine to compact a wider area than the roller drums themselves. However, ST Bunn Construction crewmembers like the drum-steering for a different reason. “Crab steering works for us when we are working right up against a stand-up curb, or curb and gutter,” Bunn said. “The operator can put the front drum right up against the curb and not worry about the back drum getting up on the curb.”
“I remember years ago, when rollers turned with the drums… we didn’t have near the problems we have now with tearing of the mat.”—Sonny Bunn Front-and-back slat windows in the floor of the DV+ series rollers permit a clear view of the drums from the operator’s platform. “If he can see his drum, he can see if it’s picking up asphalt,” Bunn said. “The floor windows allow our operators to see the drums, and in particular, whether the water system has stopped working,” said Guy Watkins, operations manager. “The split drum keeps the mix from tearing on tight curves, and the crab steering gives the operator better visibility while compacting a wider area than the roller itself, especially in getting rid of roller marks.” ST Bunn Construction also uses oscillation compaction in its two Hamm HD+120 VO tandem asphalt rollers and Hamm H13i VIO soil compactor.
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How to Save Cash at Invoicing
Reduce credit card acceptance rates and fees on a business-to-business rate program.
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Asphalt producers want to be sure they’re always paying the most competitive credit card acceptance rates and fees while doing business. National Credit Card Processing Group (NCCP Group) has focused heavily on asphalt plants, vertically integrated asphalt paving companies and aggregate recycling facilities nationwide, noting that too many producers, liquid suppliers and hauling companies have been giving money away without realizing it and without knowing why. Over the years, NCCP Group has saved asphalt-related companies—from suppliers to paving companies to construction aggregates producers— thousands of dollars every month. They not only focus on saving companies money, but they like to educate the owners, controllers and CFOs on what really controls the rates and fees paid each month. Many people have not been educated about the credit card processing industry and that lack of knowledge results in throwing money away. With advisory board members and partners from the heavy civil and highway industry operating asphalt plants, NCCP Group’s co-founders personally knew many companies overpaid to accept credit cards in the asphalt and aggregate supply industries. Being that they own asphalt plants and aggregate recycling facilities, they were well aware of the challenges that these asphalt and aggregate recycling suppliers were facing and they wanted to do something about it. While it’s in the best interest of most credit card processors and banks that offer credit card processing to keep CFOs and owners from understanding too much, NCCP Group operates differently. At NCCP Group, they wish to educate customers so they always pay a fair price and understand all the costs associated with accepting payments via credit card. Transparency and honesty sells, especially in a business-to-business (B2B) environment.
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BY PETER BRICKMAN
This is an example of the dashboard for the MX Merchant payment gateway that is extremely popular in the asphalt supply industry today. Photos courtesy of Peter Brickman of NCCP Group
B2B INTERCHANGE OPTIMIZER
The asphalt supply and construction aggregates industries are predominately B2B type industries. In these, and other, industries, purchasing and corporate cards are eligible for significant savings when processed with enhanced Level 2 and Level 3 data. In other words, if Asphalt Company A processes a payment and does so with copious amounts of information on the client, the rates built into the back end of the transaction can be lower than processing the payment with less information. When the B2B rates are built into the back end of the transaction through your payment gateway, and/or your credit card terminal, the NCCP proprietary B2B solution can verify that the additional Level 2 and Level 3 transaction data needed for those payments is provided during the authorization, ensuring Asphalt Company A receives the best possible rate.
EXAMPLES
If Paving Contractor B pays his $50,000 invoice with his corporate credit card with-
out B2B rates, Asphalt Company A could be losing money in fees that he doesn’t need to lose. If he gives away 2.79 percent out of that transaction, he loses $1,395, meaning he netted only $48,605. If Asphalt Company A processed that same $50,000 charge and it qualified under NCCP Group’s B2B rates, thus giving away 2.10 percent of the transaction, Asphalt Company A would have lost only $1,050. For this example transaction, he would have saved $345 by running the paving contractor’s card on the proper B2B platform. When a merchant can show MasterCard and Visa that he knows more about the customer, the card brands supporting those cards lower the rates. Level 2 and Level 3 data on the B2B app can include a merchant category code (MCC), product code, and so on. The rule of thumb is that the higher the risk, the higher the rate; the lower the risk, the lower the rate. This is why merchants—asphalt producers, in our case—give away more money out of a transaction when they key in a credit card number rather than “swipe” the physical card at a credit card terminal.
The asphalt supply and construction aggregates industries also operate predominantly in a “card not present” environment. Producers should learn how to run credit card transactions in a card not present environment to save additional money. That process involves entering all the necessary data including billing zip code, billing street address and CVV code, all on a B2B rate program. Richard Riccelli, who is the president of Riccelli Northern in Syracuse, New York, has set up his three asphalt plants and three concrete plants with NCCP Group for over a year now. He has seen real savings once educated on exactly what controls the rates and fees. “I didn’t know about what Interchange plus was and what B2B rates were,” Riccelli shared. “We were around 3.5 percent overall and now with NCCP Group we are sitting at 2.5 percent overall, so saving 1 percent was tremendous for us. We key enter all our transactions and take a large amount of corporate and purchasing cards so the B2B was huge for us. The payment gateway—MX Merchant—that Peter put us on is super user friendly; my staff in the office loves it and it has helped them a lot with reconciling our daily and monthly credit card charges. We store our customers’ credit card info safely and compliantly now on the payment gateway and that reduces our liability with exposing credit card numbers in and around the office.” The premier payments partner—Priority Payment Systems—is the MX Merchant gateway that Riccelli referenced. This is the gateway that has become popular in the asphalt and aggregate supply industries. MX Merchant has the B2B app already built into it and can be used when processing card-not-present charges. As Riccelli said, it has helped with reconciliation for the controllers and folks in the office and has also reduced liability for companies that still have credit card information written down on paper or stored in files, which is not compliant and has risk associated with it from a liability standpoint. For Riccelli, the setup was simple. “Switching to NCCP Group was very easy as well. We sent Peter our merchant statement. He did a complete review on our current rates and fees and showed us where and how he was going to lower them and how much we would save every month. From that point he sent us an application.
We filled it out and sent it back with a voided check for each facility and a day later we were processing cards on a new payment gateway that had the B2B rates built into it already. We have multiple companies— all separate entities—and when we login to our payment gateway all the companies are there and we just choose which one we are putting in a charge for. It was really
seamless and I must say Peter and our relationship manager Erica made the switch pleasurable.” Peter Brickman is the founder and president of National Credit Card Processing Group, Huntington, New York. For more information, contact him at (631) 9232586 or peter@nccpgroup.com.
www.THeAsphaltpro.com // 41
Example of alligator hinge splice from Flexco, Downers Grove, Illinois.
Quick Belt Fix BY A.J. RONYAK
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When production is going full tilt, any signs of fatigue on a conveyor belt will give you an instant headache. If you see a rip or tear that can’t wait until the end of the shift for repair, you’ll have to stop and handle it. Let’s walk through a quick fix.
Step 1. Hot stop and institute safety protocol per your company’s guidelines. (Check out the conveyor belt Safety Spotlight from the September 2019 issue on www.TheAsphaltPro.com for tips.) Step 2. Cut your splice straight across the belt. Step 3. Join the two ends of the belt with either an alligator hinge or the more
robust bolt hinge. I prefer the alligator hinges for asphalt mix production. They just work really well for moving the belt around the rollers. Aggregates managers tend to prefer the bolt hinge splice for heavy loads on their belts.
Example of bolt hinge splice from Flexco
Step 4. Get back to production. Step 5. At the end of the day, bring an air hose over to clean off the splice. Step 6. Apply your coating. For this, we used to use industrial strength caulk that we’d smooth out with a large putty knife. Maybe you’ve been using gutter sealant. Might I suggest a new product on the market: Flex Tape. Flex Seal also offers a good adhesive if you get it on there thick enough. Spread it out and let it set up overnight. Step 7. Restart in the morning! A.J. Ronyak is the proprietor of Asphalt Solutions, Cape Coral, Florida, and a veteran asphalt plant operator. For more information, contact him at (623) 853-2273 or nosmellasphalt@msn.com.
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Photo of conveyors courtesy of Morgan Asphalt, Salt Lake City, Utah, and Gencor Industries, Orlando
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product Gallery
Production After CONEXPO most anywhere.” This is made possible by the Versa Jet’s centrifugal fan with axial discharge, which produces an airflow that is parallel to the axis of the burner. This allows an efficient use of space within the tube, removing the lamination of airflow when other burner configurations use only the outer half of the tube. Because the Versa Jet has removed the need for internal components to “straighten out” airflow, less horsepower is required for operation. All three models use 25 hp. For more information, visit https://www. astecinc.com/products/drying-mixing/ burners/versa-jet-burners.html.
CWMF
The Continuous High Recycling Technology (ContiHRT) plant from Ammann Group is designed to handle up to 60 percent RAP without burning off light ends.
AMMANN
The ACP ContiHRT plant from Ammann Group, Langenthal, Switzerland, is a continuous plant for the North American market, designed to handle up to 60 percent RAP without burning the light ends off the replacement binder. The Ammann plant incorporates a high percentage of recycled material by taking an innovative approach to the heating process. The RAH60 dryer, the unique heating system used on the ACP ContiHRT, is designed to gently heat the RAP to prevent damage to the AC. The RAP can still reach its target temperature of 120 degrees C when the new aggregate comes into play. Fresh aggregate is heated in a separate dryer—and at a much higher temperature—where there is no AC to worry about. After heating, the hot, fresh aggregate is mixed with the RAP and in so doing brings the recycled material to its target temperature. The fresh aggregate acts as a second heat source. The gentle heating process does more than protect the coating. It also minimizes fuel usage and emissions. For more information, visit https://www. ammann.com/us-en/plants/asphalt-plants.
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ASTEC
The new Astec Versa Jet™ burner from Astec Industries, Chattanooga, has been engineered for versatility. The platform can be configured to fire at 25, 35 or 50MM BTU/ hour but it’s the unique airflow design that makes it ideal for retrofit applications. Astec’s Malcolm Swanson explained, “The blower is so compact that it can go in al-
The Revolution portable plant from CWMF, Waite Park, Minnesota, is designed for portability while meeting your tons-per-hour production needs. The plant includes the Revolution drum mixer, which is available in counter-flow and parallel-flow designs. It features a single-point, center-pivot trunnion design with railcar trunnion bearings and 50-55RC hardened trunnions. It’s also available in chain drive models. It has a variable feed drive speed control option. The plant’s single load modular self-erecting silo and slat conveyor come with standard bolt-in/replaceable Ni-hardlined slat floor and standard AR turtle back cone liner package. The cold feed and RAP
The new Astec Versa Jet™ burner is a reimagined asphalt plant burner designed for retrofit applications to any drum configuration.
Dish bottom storage tanks are available from Heatec.
The Revolution portable plant is now available from CWMF. bins incorporate the Honey Badger hammer mill. The Dust-Eater baghouse comes with reverse-air or pulse-jet options. The Tremor shaker scalping screens feature inclined weigh conveyors. The package includes dust screw augers, power cables, AC tanks, control house and plant controls. For more information, contact sales@ cwmfcorp.com or visit www.cwmfcorp.com.
H&B
Haver & Boecker Niagara, Haver & Boecker’s new mineral processing brand, exhibited the Niagara F-Class portable plant for the first time during CONEXPO-CON/ AGG 2020. The circular motion inclined vibrating screen of the plant is designed to increase production by 25 percent over linear-stroke horizontal machines. The screen uses gravity to help move material down the screen deck, reducing pegging as well as energy and horsepower requirements. Operations like Pidherney’s of Alberta are reporting production increases. To address screen media change-out needs, the portable plant is manufactured with six hydraulic run-on jacks to raise and lower the vibrating screen quickly. Producers gain the production benefits of an inclined screen with the maintenance benefits of a horizontal screen, according to the manufacturer. In addition, plants outfitted with Haver & Boecker Niagara’s Ty-Rail™ quick-tensioning system can cut screen change-out times in half, according to the manufacturer.
The Niagara F-Class has an advanced double eccentric shaft design, supported by four high-performance, double-spherical roller bearings. It is beneficial for screening situations that require consistent, load-independent performance at constant g-force. The F-Class portable plant can be customized to include a crusher, conveyors or other components. For more information, visit the Haver & Boecker website or contact Kristen Randall at (905) 688-2644.
HAUCK
Hauck Manufacturing Company displayed at CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2020 its BCS7000 burner control system, which is designed to offer precise control of stack temperature or material temperature and dryer draft. The unit offers simplified burner setup and tuning with electronic valve characterization and advanced troubleshooting with help screens and remote diagnostics. It’s available in table-top and drop-in versions and is designed specifically for Hauck StarJet, EcoStar, MegaStar and NovaStar series burners, but is also suitable for burners from other manufacturers. For more information, contact Elster Thermal Solutions at (717) 272-3051 or info@ hauckburner.com.
HEATEC
Heatec Inc., an Astec Industries Company, Chattanooga, has recently introduced
its dish bottom storage tanks for liquid asphalt cement (AC) binders. These tanks are designed to eliminate the need for expensive, time-consuming tank cleaning through their dish-shaped design and drain positioning. The tanks also feature optimum agitation and heat distribution in any capacity the asphalt facility needs. For more information, visit www.heatec. com/products/tanks
HOTMIX
Stansteel/Hotmix Parts & Service, Louisville, offers the Accu-Level™ AC tank & silo level indicator to replace the antiquated lever-and-pulley systems for determining the amount of material left in your asphalt cement (AC) tank. This piece of equipment affixes to the top of the tank and uses radar technology to detect the accurate amount of liquid AC in your tank without radar
The Accu-Level AC tank & silo level indicator is affixed to the top of the tank to be monitored. www.THeAsphaltpro.com // 47
product Gallery beam disturbance from the internal agitator. The use of radar allows for accurate readings even in situations of heavy build-up and gases associated with asphalt storage, according to the manufacturer. The AC tank level monitor can be incorporated into your current PLC or be a stand-alone control. With the Hotmix Parts & Service new remote monitoring system, any computer, phone or tablet on the same network as the Accu-Level can be assigned roles and monitor levels anywhere in your plant or at home. For more information, visit www. hotmixparts.com or contact (502) 245-1977.
TC wear strips featuring the Kenco TCI process can be welded to flight edges and any other drill tooling that needs extra protection. It’s not an overlay or spray-on. The TC becomes a part of the steel. Kenco crushes and sizes the TC raw material inhouse to maintain quality. TC has a hardness exceeding 90 Rockwell A. For more information, visit www. kencoengineering.com or call (800) 363-9859.
KLEEMANN
The MOBICAT MC 120 Zi PRO from Kleema offers a new mobile jaw crushing system for challenging quarrying operations.
Originally designed for the vertical construction industry, the foundation drilling auger protection concept from Kenco Engineering Inc., Roseville, California, can reduce downtime at the asphalt plant and at the paver by retaining auger diameter. Kenco’s unique tungsten carbide impregnated (TCI) process protects auger flights from abrasive wear. Crushed tungsten carbide (TC) is impregnated into the flight edges (and outer faces, if desired) by melting the flight metal to a depth between 0.25 and 0.375 inches and dropping crushed TC particles into the molten puddle. After cooling, the TC is solidified deep into the parent metal.
The new MOBICAT MC 120 Zi PRO jaw crusher from Kleemann GmbH, a company of the Wirtgen Group, was one of four innovations from Kleemann on display during CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2020. With an output of up to 717 U.S. tons per hour, the MC 120 Zi PRO is designed for natural rock applications. The jaw crusher has a feed opening of 48 by 32 inches and is equipped with an extra long articulated crusher jaw. The continuous feed system (CFS) adapts the conveying speed to the fill level of the crusher. Should material bridging occur in the jaw crusher, the crusher can be reversed with the aid of the electric crusher drive and in this way, the blockage can be cleared quickly. The machines of the PRO line can be operated with the SPECTIVE control system via a 12-inch touch panel. All
The tungsten carbide impregnated (TCI) wear strips from Kenco can be welded to flight edges to provide extra protection to retain auger diameter and reduce downtime.
The Ranger™ J20 mobile jaw crusher from Astec Mobile Screens Inc. is designed to crush a wide variety of materials.
KENCO
48 // may 2020
components and functions can be controlled conveniently from the ground. For more information, contact Matt Graves at matt.graves@wirtgen-group.com or visit www.wirtgen-group.com/america/en-us.
ASTEC MOBILE SCREENS
Astec Mobile Screens Inc., Sterling, Illinois, displayed the Ranger™ J20 mobile jaw crusher at CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2020. It’s a compact jaw plant designed to crush a wide variety of materials. It features a large feed hopper and low feeding height and can be folded to a transport length of under 32 feet. The manufacturer launched a new line of compact, track-mounted equipment in January, marketed through licensed dealers
at the Ranger™ line. These compact units serve a variety of markets including building and construction, landscaping, quarry operations and more. For more information, contact Michael Edwards or visit www.kpijci.com.
MEEKER
Meeker Equipment Co. Inc., Belleville, Pennsylvania, has launched the Freedom Air reverse-air baghouse. Hot air containing fine particles enters the baghouse’s tapered center plenum, evenly distributing
air across all bags. Meeker uses variable frequency drives (VFDs) on one to four stainless steel turrets atop the baghouse to move them faster or slower depending upon dust loading on the bags. The turrets pulse the bags in various configurations to allow even
MAJOR
MAJOR, a Haver & Boecker company, Candiac, Quebec, introduced its FLEX-MAT ID Enabled concept at CONEXPO-CON/ AGG 2020. The RFID technology tracks and stores screen media data such as panel dimensions and customer-defined details to offer users information at their fingertips for simple reorders. All FLEX-MAT screen media is now embedded with the ID Enabled microchip. Product information is easily accessed through the company’s new MAJOR App without the need of an additional reading device. Operations scan the FLEX-MAT panel with the MAJOR app to access product information, simplifying re-ordering and inventory management. MAJOR can also program the chip during production with some customer-defined information to improve convenience. Users just need their smartphone to view the data. Prior to ID Enabled technology, operations required time-consuming gauge measuring — by hand — to order the properly-sized media. ID Enabled also enables operations to track orders with an electronic record instead of paperwork. For more information, contact your local MAJOR dealer.
MCCLOSKEY
McCloskey International, Peterborough, Ontario, displayed its newest products in the silver lot during CONEXPO-CON/ AGG 2020, including the S250 screener. This portable, vibratory screening plant was introduced in 2019. It features a heavy duty, high energy, two-bearing, three-deck screenbox, which is side-tensioned to deliver a true screening area of 22 by 6 on the two upper decks and 20 by 6 on the bottom deck. It’s available in double or triple deck models and features up to a 10 cubic meter high capacity hopper to allow the use of large loading shovels. For more information, contact Julie Andras at (705) 295-4925.
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product Gallery For more information, contact MINDS USA, (833) 646-3787 or contact@mindsusa.com.
POWERSCREEN
The Freedom Air Baghouse from Meeker Equipment flow of dust from the baghouse back to the drum or batch processes. If a turret ever goes off line, the baghouse can still operate. The operator simply takes the selected turret off-line and the plant continues. This is another unique feature of the Meeker Freedom baghouse. For more information, contact Meeker at (888) 333-0323.
MINDS
Minds Inc., Kelowna, British Columbia, offers the PlantManager multi-plant dashboard software. PlantManager is designed to allow asphalt plant managers to gain a 30,000-foot level view of their company’s plants, all in one dashboard. Managers then spot issues at a glance and drill down into critical production and job data. The PlantManager software has opened windows into multiple plant processes, according to the manufacturer, thanks to the use of aggregated data and Minds’ software development. The software allows all the Minds-equipped plants in a company’s arsenal to share relevant data, which gives management teams a one-stop shop for viewing plant production, configuring and generating reports, tracking plant health, and more. Managers can use this asphalt plant control system to look deeper into their individual plants, where analog-style gauges make it easier than ever to track the temperature, energy consumption and mix rate of production, according to the manufacturer. The PlantManager asphalt plant software is available to managers who operate multiple sites that use Minds’ individual plant management systems, and can be used on tablets and PCs.
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Powerscreen, a Terex Corporation brand, displayed its new Powerscreen® Chieftain™ 1700X hybrid screen along with other Powerscreen crushing and conveying solutions during CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2020. The Chieftain 1700X hybrid includes a 16-foot by 5-foot screenbox with patented 2/4 bearing drive system. The screenbox maintains the size and mesh of the current Chieftain 1700, but offers increased screening force and increased screening angle. A number of other plant changes have been implemented, including the way the fines conveyor is suspended for easier transport as well as self-tensioning side conveyor sealing rubber. It features a lower running speed for reduced fuel use. The three-deck machine is available with a hydraulically folding extended auxiliary conveyor, complete with a transfer conveyor for re-circulation with the entire range of Powerscreen crushing machines. A quick valve change allows the conveyor to run in reverse, turning the machine into a two-deck screen. For more information, contact your local distributor.
PHCO
Lo-Density® drop-in tank heaters from Process Heating Company (PHCo), Seattle, are available for efficient heating of asphalt and emulsions in both underground tanks and distributor trucks. The drop-in heater is installed by simply dropping it through the tank’s manway and attaching it horizontally to the tank bottom. If needed, multiple heaters can be laid end-to-end using flexible high-temperature power leads. Drop-in heaters from PHCo are available for tank capacities ranging from 1,000 to 50,000 gallons and are designed to maintain temperatures from 125 to 325 degrees F. The heaters’ recommended capacities include sufficient heat to maintain the temperature shown, plus a reserve capacity for heat-up requirements. The drop-in tank heater kit includes a UL-listed control panel with digital thermostats for tank content temperature control. The complete kit includes heaters, controls, temperature sensors, wiring boxes and transition fittings for the tank top. As will all of its heaters, PHCo stands behind its
Process Heating Company offers the LoDensity® drop-in heater kits. equipment, offering a one-year element replacement guarantee. For more information, contact Rick Jay at (866) 682-1582 or visit www.processheating.com.
RM® GROUP
The flagship RM 120GO! compact crusher from RUBBLE MASTER, has a throughput capacity of up to 385 U.S. tons per hour. It weighs 38 tons. The diesel-electric drive concept allows location-independent, environmentally friendly, low-noise and low-emission operation. Bryce Swain of BTS Equipment in San Diego uses one. “Everything is so much easier and readily available on this machine,” he said. “There is no safety that you are risking. RM has designed everything to be as user-friendly as it can be all the way down to changing blow bars.” For more information, visit the RUBBLE MASTER website.
W.S. TYLER
Haver & Boecker launched its new global mineral processing brand, Haver & Boecker Niagara during CONEXPO-CON/AGG 2020, sharing with attendees that Haver & Boecker Niagara combines the long-term success of the W.S. Tyler brand in North America with Haver & Boecker’s worldwide engineering. “The ultimate goal of Haver & Boecker Niagara is to offer a complete portfolio of innovative mineral processing technologies to better meet the needs of our customers throughout the world,” said Karen Thompson, president of Haver & Boecker Niagara’s North America and Australia operations. Haver & Boecker Niagara will maintain its existing management, employees and distribution network in North America. For more information, contact Kristen Randall at (905) 688-2644.
New Tech
DOTslip Solves DOT Electronic Ticketing
Launched in December 2019, DOTslip enables contractors and producers to digitally share tickets with customers, crews, carriers, and project owner representatives automatically.
The Department of Transportation in Georgia, C.W. Matthews’ home state, approved the use of DOTslip in late February. Photo courtesy of C.W. Matthews. Management at C.W. Matthews, Marietta, Georgia, approached HaulHub Technologies, Boston, in late October 2019 with an idea. The Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) had begun to include a new electronic ticketing spec in its job lettings that proved a bit problematic. “We were in search of a program to increase our haul efficiencies as a company while minimizing the day to day paperwork currently required of field personnel,” said Lee Mims at C.W. Matthews. “During this process, the [Georgia] Department of Transportation announced their pilot projects with the e-ticket requirement.” C.W. Matthews, already a customer of HaulHub Technologies’ trucking and transportation solutions, was hoping the compa-
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ny could develop a solution that would meet the new spec. The team at HaulHub liked the idea, and began developing its own e-ticketing app, DOTslip. “DOTslip allows for faster reconciliation of tickets for payment on projects, eliminates the need for costly antiquated hardware which transfers savings to the state, and creates a safer work environment by removing employees from hazardous areas necessary to transfer paper tickets,” Mims said. The platform is set up for near immediate reconciliation of tickets eliminating the time C.W. Matthews’ employees, as well as state employees, spend at the end of the month tracking down missing paperwork, he continued. “This will be our pilot operation in regards to e-ticketing,” Mims said, adding that C.W. Matthews plans to provide feedback from
its employees and DOT staff to HaulHub for continuous improvement of DOTslip. “I believe that a mix of simplicity, minimized user interaction, and data accuracy will make this a success.”
MEET CONTRACTORS’ NEEDS, DOT DEMANDS
“We’ve seen a lot of DOTs putting out new requirements for e-ticketing,” said HaulHub Technologies Founder and CEO Joe Spinelli. “Construction companies, producers and the state asphalt associations had some input that would be useful to the process. That’s what we’re hoping to do with DOTslip: create a collaborative tool that meets the needs of all stakeholders.” Spinelli said some e-ticketing solutions capture and share sensitive data—such as
driver location data—that isn’t necessary for e-ticketing purposes. This not only raises privacy concerns, Spinelli said, but could also open up DOTs, producers and contractors to unnecessary risks.
Although DOTslip does integrate e-ticket data with HaulHub’s trucking and transportation solutions, DOTslip is a standalone app and does not require users to be customers of HaulHub’s other products. “Data is powerful, but with that comes tremendous responsibility,” Spinelli said. “For example, if a DOT inspector sees that a truck is speeding and that truck gets in an accident, was that not the DOT’s responsibility to relay that message?” “The goal of e-ticketing is to get rid of paper processes,” Spinelli said. “It doesn’t need GPS or telematics. It doesn’t need to be any more complicated than a digital ticket.” DOTslip creates a digital replica of the paper ticket, based on data from the producer. “The e-ticket will have the same fields you’d see on a normal paper ticket—plant address, job site, job number, etc.,” Spinelli said. DOTslip relies on producers backing up ticketing data to a cloud database, such as Amazon Web Services or Microsoft Azure. Spinelli said many producers, especially those with multiple plants, already back up ticket data on the cloud. For those that don’t, Spinelli estimates it’s possible to set it up in as little as a day or two. Once the cloud backup of ticket data is complete, DOTslip can use this information to automatically create a digital recreation of a traditional paper ticket. “The producer owns the [cloud database account],” Spinelli said. “They control what data goes to the cloud and they give us permission to read the database live in the cloud.” After this initial setup, the producer/contractor uses DOTslip to create a job and invite all stakeholders to join the job, similar to a private Facebook group. “Anyone who is a part of that job—the producer, the paving foreman, the DOT engineer—will be able to see that ticket immediately,” Spinelli said. In addition to seeing the tickets on a live feed within DOTslip, users can have PDFs of every ticket sent to their email and review
past tickets within the DOTslip app or web version. “DOTslip also allows inspectors to sign slips within the mobile app,” Spinelli said, “so they can be wherever they need to be on the paving line, or even at another job they might be responsible for.”
DOTSLIP: THE ROAD AHEAD
Spinelli said DOTslip could one day be used as a pay record and as a resource for quality control personnel. “I think we’ll eventually see quality control personnel wanting access to e-ticket information so they can make notes on the tickets as they’re taking temperature measurements and doing random sampling,” Spinelli said, adding that those notes would then be visible to all stakeholders. For now, the main goal is to ensure DOTslip qualifies as an e-ticketing alternative. The Department of Transportation in Georgia, C.W. Matthews’ home state, approved the use of DOTslip in late February. Haul-
Hub is currently in discussions with multiple DOTs across the country to get DOTslip approved in additional states. HaulHub is currently seeking input from various DOTs to ensure DOTslip meets their goals. “This is not ‘us versus them’,” Spinelli said. “We wanted to offer an alternative solution which was collaborative in nature. The industry needs a simple e-ticketing solution, where truckers, producers, contractors and state agencies are comfortable, everyone needs to be on board or else the e-ticket initiative will continue to die on the vine.” Already, four other Georgia-based companies have expressed interest in using DOTslip in the first quarter of 2020. Spinelli expects this number to grow as other states begin implementing new e-ticketing specs this year. DOTslip is available in the Apple App Store, and via the web. Contact HaulHub for more information about launching a pilot program for full digital ticket integration. – BY SARAH REDOHL
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off the mat
Picture-Perfect Trucks Shine on Social Media Throughout its area of operation in Connecticut and New York, American Pavement Specialists has established a reputation for its clean, shiny, bright red trucks. The family-owned asphalt paving company offers paving, milling, reclamation and grading services, mostly for commercial and DOT clients, as well as area municipalities. Based in Danbury, Connecticut, American Pavement Specialists was founded in 1993 by Bill Jr. and Colleen Stanley. “Even when my father had one truck, he made sure it was kept clean,” said Matthew Stanley, the youngest of the couple’s four sons, all of whom are now foreman on American Pavement’s crews. “The type of care we take in our fleet is hard to ignore,” Matthew said. “Paving trucks aren’t supposed to be cleaner than sports cars going down the road or have tire shine dripping off them at the asphalt plant. It’s that wow factor.” A few years ago, Matthew and his brothers began expanding the company’s picture-perfect image by effectively leveraging the power of social media. Here, he shares the company’s strategy and lessons learned in the process of growing a global online following.
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American Pavements lays an average of 80,000 tons of asphalt per year. Can you give us a brief bit of background on American Pavements? Asphalt paving is in our blood. When my father made the tough decision to go on his own, he had a set of hand tools, a small truck and a roller my grandfather gave him. He didn’t have any employees. His first job was a small driveway. Using a pick to pull the old driveway out, he threw the old asphalt on the truck hauled it away. Picked up the asphalt, dumped it, shoveled it, raked it and rolled it, all by himself. Then picked up his check.
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Even before establishing a successful social media strategy, American Pavement Specialists has always taken pride in its picture-perfect fleet. Fast forward 26 years later, through years of happy repeat customers, constant reinvested growth and an eager desire to be the best, American has distinguished itself as an industry leader. What is your marketing strategy in a nutshell? In a nutshell, our marketing strategy has always been our image backed by our performance. This may not sound like a marketing strategy to many people, but the way we maintain our trucks and equipment is hard to ignore. Each one of our trucks is waxed/polished weekly, tires shined, you name it. Along with our trucks, our equipment is maintained at the highest level. Our goal is when a potential customer sees us on the road or a contractor sees us in the field their first thought is either, “Who are those guys?” or “Those guys must be good!” It’s our mission to deliver on those expectations and gain referrals. Our quality fleet reflects our quality work. When you do that, you create a reputation that sticks out from others. One that’s worth keeping an eye out for on the road, one that’s worth supporting, worth following on social media, and worth being a customer one day.
How has social media expanded your ability to illustrate this message to a broader audience? Social media has been fuel to that fire. Our reach started with contractors across the country and now spans the world. We receive messages from people from Australia, Brazil, UK, Germany, France and Russia to name a few letting us know they love what we do and the way we do things. It’s very gratifying and awesome motivation to constantly improve and push the envelope in an industry we love. Many asphalt paving companies have embraced the ability to market on social media. For those that haven’t...how might they be missing out by not engaging on social media? Once our social media following started to grow, not only were we able to showcase our work and build on our word-of-mouth reputation, but we were also able to create some leverage within our market. Not only against competition, but also with the manufacturers of the machines we run daily, equipment dealers and the asphalt plants we buy mix from (even when working with plants we don’t normally buy from). Oftentimes, the plant operators are familiar with us already because of our presence on social media.
ing engaged and showing they care goes a long way. We have some reps from asphalt plants we buy from often that follow our page. They’re able to stay engaged with us and our jobs without physically being there.
Matthew Stanley, pictured, and his three brothers are all foremen at American Pavement Specialists. All of the Stanley brothers have access to the company’s social media accounts to post content from their projects.
Stanley believes the two keys to a successful social media strategy are understanding your audience and being authentic Historically, the biggest companies doing the most numbers get the best service. In some cases this is still true. When an equipment dealer or asphalt plant realizes our influence, we think it incentivizes top quality service, just like a popular blogger might get special service at a restaurant or hotel. Our relationships have improved through social media, and we’re optimistic they will continue to grow. We want our opinion and our influence to matter. We’ve been able to create a number of relationships we wouldn’t have been able to develop without social media. In my experience, even FEWER asphalt producers (versus paving companies) are on social media. What, if anything, could those companies gain by engaging on social media? It’s tough to say, since markets are so different from region to region. Regardless of the local market, I do think there’s an opportunity for asphalt plants to support the contractors who buy their product. Stay-
Have you found any benefits related to attracting new crew members using social media? We are just starting to experiment with attracting young talent from social media. We actually posted job offerings for the first time and received lots of promising responses. Some local, some even looking to relocate. It's definitely something we see as another avenue when it comes to the recruiting process but we are not sold on it just yet. We have a slow turn over rate within our company and take pride in the fact that we have several employees that have been with us for 25+ years. What channels do you use, and why? I believe there are two important factors to be successful on any social media platform. First, understanding your audience, and second (and most important), being authentic. We can proudly say we have a strong presence on almost all social media platforms. (Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, even TikTok). Instagram has been our most popular platform, with a growing audience of almost 15,000 followers and more than 100,000 engagements per week. With Instagram and on our Youtube channel, we like to get creative. That’s where we post all of our fun videography to capture that 18-to-35-year-old audience that we believe holds a strong impact on the future of the construction industry. We post all types of content: flashy red trucks and seamless paving jobs are what draw the most attention. It seems that the audience on Facebook is a bit older, so I keep it more official. In addition to posting our clean, pretty fleet out in the field every day, I like to share photos of our completed job sites, testimonials, and things like that. Do you have any tips on generating content for social channels? Do you incentivize crew members to take photos? Do you have a shared Google Drive for them to upload to, or do they text them to you? Or is it one person capturing all the content? To attract a following and gain some ground in the social media world, you 100 percent have
to be authentic with what you post. No more boring posts of a crew standing around in their brand new safety vests and hard hats. Know what your company stands for and try your best to relay that message through your content. I love to portray our hardworking-whatever-it-takes attitude. It’s what I feel our followers latch on to: the hustle. Although I love when my guys send pictures from the job site, one special thing about our account is multiple people have access to it. My three brothers, who are also foremen in the field, also have access to the account. So, if I’m paving a parking lot 30 miles away from the other crew, my brother could be with the milling crew that day on a town road and posting from there. That way our followers get to see all sorts of job sites in different locations. It keeps them engaged, and engagement is important. What are your top 3 tips for companies just getting started on social media? 1. Get active. Make it a point to post every day. Whether its progress from the job or even just a thought you had, share it! 2. Post content with purpose. Whether you're on there to gain work, build relationships, attract new employees, or just gain exposure, do it with a purpose. 3. Follow other people in your industry. Engage with them. What are your top tips for companies who have started their pages, but haven’t seen growth/realized the benefits of social yet? 1. Promote the places you're working at. I personally love when we do a plaza or a restaurant. I make sure to get their sign/ business location in my pictures with their fresh new parking lot. They tend to share it themselves. 2. Create giveaways/contests—maybe for a company shirt, hat, decals, etc. Get your followers engaged and sharing your posts. 3. Collaborate with others who do have a following. 4. Be patient. Don’t get caught up in the follower counts, the amount of likes, or the comments. Persistence is everything on social. We've been consistently posting content for 6 or 7 years. The following will come. – BY ASPHALTPRO STAFF
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Your tax deductible donations help support families that have lost a loved one, working on a construction site
Construction Angels, Inc. 501(c)3 Payroll Deduction Form Dear Construction Employee,
Construction Angels, Inc. provides immediate financial assistance to surviving children and spouse of a construction worker’s family when they lose a loved one to an onsite construction fatality. Your decision is yours alone to make, but Construction Angels will be there to help you or your friend’s family, pick up the pieces, if a tragedy such as this should occur. Is your family prepared? Everyone expects to return home at the end of the day to our families, but for unforeseen accidents, the loss of a family member or friend is heartbreaking. Construction Angels hopes you and your family will consider the option to support “One of our Own” in the construction industry. Instructions • Use this form to file for deductions from your payroll. • You can obtain additional copies of this form, by asking your HR department. • Print in capital letters with blue or black ink. Give a copy of this form to your Employer. • Note: Your deductions will be automatic every pay period. • Visit www.constructionangels.us for more information about this charity you are donating to. 1. What would you like to do? (Check only one box, and then complete all sections of this form.) ❒ Establish Payroll Deduction (Check this box to establish payroll deduction for the first time.) ❒ Increase or Decrease Amount (Use this form to increase or decrease your deductions. To stop payroll deduction speak with your employer.) 2. Contribution Instructions (You must complete all applicable parts of this section.) ✓ Tell your employer how much to deduct from your pay each pay period. The minimum contribution is $1 per week option, per pay period. Please Circle Contribution Amount per pay period: $1 $2 $3
$4
$5
$10
✓ Tell your employer when to begin these deductions. Unless otherwise indicated, your deductions will begin as soon as possible following receipt of all paperwork in good order. Effective Date (MM/YY): ______________________________________ 3.Employee Authorization and Signature By signing below, I authorize my employer to process periodic deductions from my paycheck for contribution into the Construction Angels, Inc. Fund. This authorization will remain in effect until canceled by me or by the Employer, Charity, or upon termination of my employment with my employer. Employee Signature_______________________________________________________ Date___________________________________ Construction Angels, Inc. • 2436 N. Federal Hwy, Suite 313, Lighthouse Point, FL 33064 754-300-7220 Office • www.constructionangels.us
Teach Your Crew What it Takes to Pave a Bonus-Worthy Mat
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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
off the mat
WOTUS’ Impact on Aggregates, Explained Waters of the United States, known as WOTUS, are federally regulated under the Clean Water Act of 1972. The goal of the Clean Water Act is to “restore and maintain the chemical, physical and biological integrity of the nation’s waters.” Since the Clean Water Act’s passage in the 1970s, WOTUS definitions have changed based on a number of court rulings, amendments and regulations. On Jan. 23, 2020, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of the Army revealed the new Navigable Waters Protection Rule and its definition of waters of the United States. The goal of the new rule is to offer regulatory clarity and protect federal waters. According to Emily Coyner, Senior Director of Environmental Policy at the National Stone, Sand and Gravel Association (NSSGA), the new rule gives businesses “more clarity, predictability and consistency.” In the aggregates industry, Coyner said, WOTUS most notably impacts dredge and fill permits with the Army Corp of Engineers, which are often but not always required during development or expansion. “If required, this spurs other federal permitting and requires that affected waters be offset by mitigation,” Coyner said, which can increase cost, time and complexity. “Any change to what is considered a WOTUS can greatly impact operational burdens for the industry.” The new rule, which replaced the 2015 Clean Water Rule, goes into effect 60 days from its entry into the federal register in spring 2020. “The new rule clearly states what is and is not included,” Coyner said, adding that the list of 12 exclusions includes groundwater; ephemeral features; most ditches; water treatment systems including conveyances; artificial lakes and ponds. “If you plan a quarry on a site with an isolated stock pond, that pond should not be considered a water of the United States,” she said. Pits are also excluded, so if a company is purchasing or reopening a site that’s been abandoned for a time and filled with water, those man made pits and quarries should not be considered waters of the U.S. According to Coyner, the most significant changes from the 2015 rule to the 2020 rule are for ephemeral and isolated waters, for which mitigation costs can be so high as to make a site unworkable. Ultimately, the final rule considers four waters to be WOTUS: territorial seas such as the Great Lakes; navigable waters like the Mississippi River; intermittent and perennial tributaries that flow into traditionally navigable waters; and wetlands adjacent to navigable waters; and ponds, lakes and impoundments that contribute flows to traditional navigable waters. Compared with previous rules, the new rule’s clearer definitions will make it much easier for a landowner or operator to better understand what areas may be WOTUS and which are not. For companies thinking about applying for a permit, to avoid confusion they may wish to wait until the new rule goes into effect
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“Any change to what is considered a WOTUS can greatly impact operational burdens for the industry.”—Emily Coyner late spring/early summer 2020. “For existing permits or jurisdictional determinations over the past five years, the preamble of the new rule said it’s possible for companies to request a new review under the new rule,” she added. Companies should make the decision on whether to revisit existing permits on a case by case basis. Affected operations are urged to review the rule carefully, particularly the definitions and exclusions This new rule could be challenged in court, and state programs may extend protections to other bodies of water, including ephemerals and isolated waters. Additionally, the 2020 election may impact the rule, but WOTUS has not been a high priority campaign issue yet and it would not be quick or easy to repeal the new rule. – BY ASPHALTPRO STAFF
asphaltPRO is where you are! AsphaltPro magazine is the leading “how-to” magazine for asphalt producers, highway pavers and public works specifiers, but we’re more than just a magazine! Get your AsphaltPro fix between issues by connecting with us online.
Visit our website at theasphaltpro.com for exclusive content, including videos demonstrating equipment or showcasing various projects and blog posts covering the latest industry news. theasphaltpro.com Join us on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn for daily tips to improve performance, asphalt industry history and trivia, construction humor, and news and happenings. facebook.com/AsphaltPro @AsphaltPro linkedin.com/company/asphalt-pro-magazine Sign up for our weekly Toolbox Tip emails to inspire your daily toolbox talks, and our monthly Training Solutions emailsto get advice to amplify your employee training programs. Toolbox Tips: bit.ly/toolbox-tips
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here’s how it works
Step 2
Step 1 BOMAGʼs MAGMALIFE heating system heats the screed to paving temperatures in approximately 20 minutes.
The operator sets the hydraulically extendible electric screed for base paving widths ranging from 3.6 to 5.6 feet.
Step 3 The 5-ton-capacity hopper receives material from trucks or end loaders.
Step 4 Material moves along the hopper conveyor floor to two 12-inch augers in the auger chamber.
BOMAG’s BF 200 Paver To handle commercial projects such as parking lots, cart paths, sidewalks, and the like, contractors often turn to a compact paver to get the job done. The team at BOMAG Americas, Ridgeway, South Carolina, demonstrated its new BF 200 cart path and small construction site paver with 44-inch track width during its Innovation Days in 2019 for such projects. Here’s how it works. First, the paving crew brings the 13,228-pound machine with its 51-inch transport width to the site by trailer. The MAGMALIFE heating system heats the screed, which has a basic extended width of 79 inches, to required paving temperatures in about 20 minutes, according to the man-
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ufacturer. The hopper, which has a 5-ton capacity, accepts mix from haul trucks— the wings open to 118 inches and the filling height is 17 inches in the middle. Material moves along the conveyor to two 12-inch augers at the head of material. The single-operator platform has two platforms to offer views to both the hopper and paver sides. Equipped with an automatic steering radius system, the paver matches and holds cart path radius, while allowing the operator to focus on other paving functions. The 74-hp Kubota diesel engine requires no diesel particulate filter (DPF) or diesel exhaust fluid (DEF) aftertreatment to meet Tier 4 Final (Stage V) emissions regu-
lations, according to the manufacturer, and the BOMAG ECOMODE active engine and hydraulics management system reduces fuel consumption by up to 20 percent standard mode operation. For more information, contact your local BOMAG dealer.
SHOW US HOW IT WORKS
If you’re an original equipment manufacturer with a complex product, let us help you explain its inner workings to asphalt professionals. There’s no charge for this news department, but our editorial staff reserves the right to decide what equipment fits the parameters of a HHIW feature. Contact our editor at sandy@ theasphaltpro.com.
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here’s how it works Step 1 Prepare the molds by pouring the heated binder into the ring and letting it rest at room temperature for an hour prior to hooking up sensors in the cooling chamber.
Step 2 Align sensors on the mold in the cooling chamber.
Step 4 Sensors inside the ABCD ring measure and record temperatures and strains, sending the data to the software.
Step 5 When the strain is abruptly relieved, the ABCD cracking temperature is recorded.
Step 3 The temperature in the chamber steadily decreases.
EZ Asphalt’s ABCD Tester The Asphalt Binder Cracking Device (ABCD), invented by Sang-Soo Kim, was developed alongside its low-temperature cracking potential test under the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) Innovations Deserving Exploratory Analysis (IDEA) project 99. In 2011, the ABCD test method was adopted as the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) TP 92 test method and then AASHTO T387 in 2019. Here’s how it works. The laboratory device consists of round molds, cooling chamber, sensors and software. Using proper safety protocol, a lab technician first pours a heated binder sample of 14.38 +/- 0.5 grams into a circular mold outside of a 2-inch diameter Invar ring. Invar is a steel alloy with a near-zero coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE).
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The filled molds should rest at room temperature for an hour prior to testing. If the technician has overfilled the mold, trim the sample with a heated spatula. She then places the ring with the specimen in the cooling chamber, lining up sensors that will collect data from the specimens. As the temperature within the chamber steadily decreases, the binder specimen contracts and compresses the ABCD ring. Sensors inside the ABCD ring measure and record the temperatures and strains throughout the test, feeding information to the “data acquisition” software on a computer desktop. The technician can monitor progress with the computer software real-time plots. When the binder specimen cracks, the strain is abruptly relieved. The temperature recorded at the instant of that relief is the ABCD cracking temperature.
According to Alaska Department of Transportation Northern Region Materials Lab (NRML) Supervisor Heidi Schaefer, the test takes about one day to perform and was relatively easy to perform. For more information, contact Dr. SangSoo Kim at EZ Asphalt Technology at (740) 707-6817.
SHOW US HOW IT WORKS If you’re an original equipment manufacturer with a complex product, let us help you explain its inner workings to asphalt professionals. There’s no charge for this news department, but our editorial staff reserves the right to decide what equipment fits the parameters of a HHIW feature. Contact our editor at sandy@theasphaltpro.com.
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advertiser index 4 Rivers Equipment . . . . . . . 49
Libra . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41
Ahern Industries . . . . . . . . . . 63
Meeker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13
Almix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7
NCCP Group . . . . . . . . . . . . 61
Ammann . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
Phoenix Industries . . . . . . . 9, 35
Asphalt Drum Mixers . . . . . . . 44 Astec, Inc . . . . 11, 15, 19, 23, 28
Reliable Asphalt Products . . . . . . . . . Back Cover
B & S Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51
Roadtec . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
CWMF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Stansteel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27
E.D. Etnyre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31
Systems Equipment . . . . . . . 53
Fast-Measure . . . . . . . . . . . 65
Tarmac International, Inc . . . . 39
Gencor Industries . . . . . . . . . . 4
Top Quality Paving . . . . . . . . 65
Green Products . . . . . . . . . . 43
Transtech Systems . . . . . . . . 37
Heatec, Inc . . . Inside Front Cover
Willow Designs . . . . . . . . . . 65
KPI-JCI-AMS . . Inside Back Cover
Wirtgen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33
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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