Asphalt Pro - December 2021 by Asphalt Pro LLC

State of the Sustainable Industry

asphaltPRO PRODUCTION – PROFESSIONALS – PRODUCTS

Intercounty Introduces Maintenance Success to Region

Cement Emissions

• The Cost of EOHVs • Exceed Notch Wedge Specs • Astec’s Fiberbed Mist Collector • Alabama’s Perpetual Pavement Win • How We Incorporate Plastics in Mix Designs

DECEMBER 2021 WWW.THEASPHALTPRO.COM

BUILT TO CONNECT In an industry focused on manufacturing powerful equipment, our business remains decidedly human thanks to one simple belief: that our greatest achievement as a company is in mastering the art of connection. ASTEC helps build the infrastructure that physically connects the world, but the connections we build with people are what make us a true partner to the industry. We know the equipment we build is not our final product, because we’re not really in the business of building equipment. We’re in the business of building connections.

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Connection is at the heart of everything we do The primary use for asphalt is creating pavement for building the roads that connect goods and services to their markets, people to their communities and families to each other. ASTEC asphalt plants are essential to building and maintaining these vital connections. That’s what drives us to design, manufacture, and sell innovative, efficient, and reliable equipment. And that’s what inspires us to connect to our customers through knowledgeable sales, receptive engineering and responsive parts and service.

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CONTENTS

asphaltPRO December 2021

departments

Editor’s Letter

6 – Asphalt Community = Good Stewards

SAFETY SPOTLIGHT

8 – Mitigate Pyrophoric Material in AC Tanks By AsphaltPro Staff

MIX IT UP

10 – How We Can Incorporate Recycled Plastics in Asphalt Pavement By Sandy Lender

PAVEMENT MAINTENANCE 16 – Hawaii Preserves for Perpetuity By Sandy Lender and Jon Young 18 – The Broad Strokes of Better Micro Surfacing By Sarah Redohl

PROJECT MANAGEMENT

20 – How to Exceed the Long Joint Density Spec By Sandy Lender

INTERNATIONAL SNAPSHOT 26 – New Tech Suggests Drop in Cement Emissions From VTT

28 – Expansion, Bio-Solutions for India Bitumen By Akshita Pacholi

WOMEN OF ASPHALT

30 – Meet a Woman of Asphalt: ATS’s Tracy Moore By Sandy Lender

PRODUCT GALLERY

54 – Is Your Lab Ready for BMD? By AsphaltPro Staff

OFF THE MAT

58 – Overcome Software Integration Challenges By Sean Rizer

HERE’S HOW IT WORKS

60 – Astec’s Fiberbed Mist Collector

NEW TECH

61 – ARA Launches RentalHQ Mobile App By Sarah Redohl

ONLINE UPDATE

63 – AsphaltPro Online

Feature articles

34 – Measure Yield to Maximize Milling Benefits By Sarah Redohl 40 – Asphalt Industry Seeks Efficiency in Electric Construction Equipment By Sandy Lender 48 – Perpetual Pavement Performs for “Peanut Capital of the World” Perpetual Pavement Award winner SR 210/ Ross Clark Circle has gained just 3.3 inches of pavement in 63 years of service. By Sarah Redohl 52 – Spray to Pave APS used Vögele’s SprayJet paver to accomplish Route 8 project for NJDOT By Janie Gallagher

State of the Sustainable Industry

asphaltPRO PRODUCTION – PROFESSIONALS – PRODUCTS

Intercounty Introduces Maintenance Success to Region

Cement Emissions

• The Cost of EOHVs • Exceed Notch Wedge Specs • Astec’s Fiberbed Mist Collector • Alabama’s Perpetual Pavement Win • How We Incorporate Plastics in Mix Designs

DECEMBER 2021 WWW.THEASPHALTPRO.COM

on the cover

Tyler Spano of Intercounty Paving Company proved to the region’s new superintendent that milling prior to paving could save tonnage while offering good performance results. See related article on page 34. Photo courtesy of Nick Spruck

editor’s Letter Asphalt Community = Good Stewards

While thinking too long about whether I could put a mathematics symbol in a headline, I considered how easy it is for the general public to misunderstand our professional community. We often refer to ourselves as an industry, and that term sends 50% of the environmental justice warriors (EJWs) who hear it into apoplectic seizures. (I don’t have stats for that; I’m being humorous.) I consider myself a conservationist. By now, you all are aware of my love of the sea turtles. If you want to do something along the coast, my first thought is, “How will that impact the babies in their snug little nest chambers?” I’ve witnessed the randomness of hatchling footprints scattering across the sand from a nest cavity and plucked a hatchling off a basketball court at midday, so I know first-hand, yes, light pollution from beachfront condos is real. I’ve also visited asphalt plants with special LEDs directed and hooded to keep light pointed onto work areas for maximum worker safety with minimum lumen escape. I know for a fact that our asphalt community works to minimize light pollution. Are we sharing that message openly? Widely? In zoning meetings? I don’t think we are because I received—and refused to print—a diatribe disguised as guidance for meeting LEED certification standards in which an author excoriated our community for light pollution. My attempts to educate the author’s team in public relations were met with thinly veiled apathy. EJWs don similar blinders when it comes to the shortcomings of electric vehicles (see page 40), which are re-charged when plugged into an outlet. You might think this carbon emissions reducing panacea eliminates diesel fuel, thus should be embraced by the masses. When the masses do not blindly conform, our governments must force us to comply. I’m looking at you, California, banning gas-powered mowers and chainsaws. As the frustrated owner of an electric lawnmower that drives me out of my mind at the 90-minute mark (because that’s when its third battery dies), I think it’s asinine to ban the machinery that works in favor of machinery that frustrates the living daylights out of citizens. This is my opinion based on my experience. Sadly, it takes a great deal of effort to educate EJWs to the fact that electricity is not, in fact, generated by superheroes who stand atop pedestals turning the crank on a turbine. I thank Schoolhouse Rock for the visual that has stayed with me since childhood. No, the electricity used to recharge the batteries in our electric work trucks, hybrid excavators, electric underground wheel loaders, and so on is often produced with...wait for it...coal. Luckily for us, the coal industry knows how to mine coal in a more environmentally friendly fashion than it did in the mid-1900s when Black Lung was an issue. I know of what I speak because my grandfather dealt with it. Don’t try to tell me electric vehicles will save our planet until you fix their net zero map. I’m a child of the ’80s and an original conservationist. I’ve been re-using plastic bags as trash can liners since before the EJWs were born. I wash metal straws to avoid plastic ones because I live in Florida, where the sea turtles come ashore. And I fully regret purchasing an electric lawn mower with batteries that cannot yet be recycled. The asphalt community at large is made up of conservationists and critical thinkers like myself who live on this planet right alongside the EJWs who often think with their emotions. Now, I’m not knocking a good old-fashioned emotional breakdown once in a while. Images of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch can move any person to tears. But the asphalt community is working steadily toward further reducing its already low carbon footprint, assisting in cleaning an environment we didn’t pollute (see page 10), and learning how to share our good message. I welcome you to our annual State of the Sustainable Industry edition where we look at some of that messaging. Stay Safe,

Sandy Lender

6 / December 2021

December 2021 • Vol. 15 No.3

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

Mitigate Pyrophoric Material in AC Tanks P

Pyrophoric material is any material that spontaneously ignites or burns in air when rubbed, scratched or struck. While not a common problem at asphalt plants, it’s important to understand pyrophoric material and limit related risks. According to the Asphalt Institute’s recent white paper, “Pyrophoric Material Formation in Heated Asphalt Storage Tanks,” in the asphalt industry, pyrophoric material includes compounds that form on the inner surfaces of the tank, including iron and sulfur compounds or pyrophoric carbonaceous deposits usually found in coke formed on asphalt storage tanks. “The reaction of iron oxide (rust) and hydrogen sulfide, a common volatile component of asphalt, can create iron sulfides, which are pyrophoric,” said Bill Lee, PhD, terminal manager at Century Asphalt, Baytown, Texas. These materials can serve as a fire’s ignition source in asphalt storage tanks, which regularly meet other criteria of the fire tetrahedron, including heat, fuel, and oxygen (which can make its way into asphalt storage tanks during product transfers or maintenance). For example, when a radar level probe was removed from the top of a heated asphalt storage tank for maintenance, air containing oxygen was able to enter the tank and reacted with pyrophoric materials in the tank—in this case, coke along the tank walls—to ignite combustible vapors in the tank’s headspace. This caused an explosion, blowing the roof off of the tank and causing a fire.

LOWER TEMPS, LOWER RISK

Lee explained the minute amounts of phosphorus in asphalt is not elemental phosphorus and thus isn’t pyrophoric. The potentially pyrophoric iron sulfide or coke that builds up in tanks is not in the original asphalt, he continued, but is created when the asphalt is exposed to high temperatures. “When we’re talking about pyrophoric materials, we’re talking about materi-

8 / December 2021

als that can spontaneously ignite regardless of heat,” Lee said. “In this case, heat doesn’t start the (pyrophoric) fire, but can produce the pyrophoric products that ultimately can combust.” “Pyrophoric materials are more of a concern for different types of material other than asphalt, but could be present in asphalt due to additives that contain pyrophoric materials,” said Greg Jones, manager of heat and storage systems at BROCK, Chattanooga, Tennessee. “Where you are likely to run into issues are with cases where you’re keeping asphalt at very high temperatures, above 400 to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. The critical temperature depends on the grade of asphalt.” These temperatures are well above the average temperatures at which HMA plants typically store asphalt, so they are usually only reached in a select few processes. “That isn’t something you’d typically see at a hot mix plant, but rather asphalt terminals and blending facilities,” Jones said. “The most likely place for substantial iron sulfide formation would be within the polymer-modified asphalt (PMA) mixing and storage tanks,” Lee said. “The most widely used crosslinker chemical is sulfur. This means at PMA production and storage locations, the addition of crosslinking sulfur to the naturally occurring sulfur in asphalt would result in the highest concentration of hydrogen sulfide in the asphalt production or storage process.”

MINIMIZE COKE FORMATION

In its white paper, the Institute recommends a number of ways to control the conditions of coke formation. For example, air sweeping to remove fumes/vapors and maintain oxygen levels above those that encourage the formation of coke. Another option is to blanket the liquid in the tank with oxygen-deficient atmospheres, like nitrogen or flue gas. This may encourage buildup of pyrophoric materials in the tank, but it also reduces the probability of a fire.

“Using a nitrogen blanket means replacing oxygen with nitrogen, which is non-reactive so it won’t catch fire,” Lee said, adding that such a system could be helpful during the heating process before adding ground tire rubber. The Institute also recommends maintaining heated asphalt storage tanks’ operating temperature as low as possible to limit asphalt fumes/vapors and pyrophoric materials, and adding instrumentation to automatically monitor and adjust tank temperatures. Coke formation can also be limited by maintaining asphalt at least one foot above the tank’s heating elements and using level control technology to fill the tank while the fill pipe is still covered by material (to prevent asphalt splashing onto tank walls). The tank should also be stainless steel or covered with a barrier coating like phenolic epoxy to hinder rust formation. Vertical tanks can also minimize coke buildup.

KEEP YOUR TANK CLEAN

Lee’s top tip to prevent pyrophoric events is routine observation and cleaning of any coke buildup. “The bigger the buildup, the better chance you have of having a problem,” he said. In addition, routine observation and cleaning will minimize rust formation. “You just have to keep an eye on the buildup and clean the tank when it needs to be cleaned. That alone would reduce the chances of a pyrophoric event happening.” However, Lee cautioned, it’s important to use the proper tools. “Some tools could create a spark and ignite the pyrophoric material,” he said. That includes metal hand tools, but also jackhammers. One option Jones and Lee recommend is high pressure water jetting. “Just be sure to let the tank fully drain and dry before reintroducing asphalt,” Lee added. One final suggestion from Lee is to use hydrogen sulfide scavengers in processing and storage. “If you reduce the hydrogen sulfide evolution, you reduce the chances of significant iron sulfide formation,” he said. – BY ASPHALTPRO STAFF

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mix it up

How We Can Incorporate Recycled Plastics in Asphalt Pavement Editor’s Note: This article includes opinions of the author. As a sea turtle conservationist, I want to see the floating island(s) of plastic pollution eliminated from our planet. Contrary to popular belief, we cannot use our roadway system as the new landfill. Even back in 1998-99, a researcher bemoaned the problems with using recycled glass in mix designs during a presentation at the University of Missouri-Rolla, giving a scathing review of Glasphalt. I’ve not forgotten the spirit of his lesson. Throwing trash into our roadway system is not the climate-change solution we want it to be when one considers the health, safety and environmental (HSE) implications alongside the lifecycle cost analysis of a pavement that may or may not perform to our standards for the lifetime that it should. What I mean is the asphalt industry currently designs low-carbon-footprint pavement systems that can last 35, 45, 65 years and beyond (see Sarah Redohl’s excellent report of a Perpetual Pavement Award winner on page 48). How much of the asphalt pavement’s carbon footprint savings do we sacrifice to increased maintenance activities by adding an unverified waste product? In their “Interim Guidelines for the Use of Recycled Waste Plastic in Local Government Road Surfacing Applications,” published July 2021, Austroads’ Azeem Remtulla and Steve Halligan found an increasing interest in using recycled plastics, but found “no independent or comprehensive research has been undertaken into the effect of incorporating recycled waste plastic in asphalt and bitumen including HSE impacts, potential microplastic generation, leaching, fuming, reuse of asphalt incorporating recycled waste plastic and whole of life sustainability.” With this article, we will look at the “whole of life sustainability” concept and use that to consider HSE impacts. We will also look specifically at the idea many environmentalist groups have suggested regarding the leach-

10 / December 2021

Photo by Naja Bertolt Jensen on Unsplash

ing of microplastics from pavement systems once recycled plastic waste becomes standard. There is a way to guard against that potential for harm, and the industry has already considered how to prevent it. Let me oversimplify the incorporation of recycled plastic waste to make my initial point.

DON’T CROSS THE STREAMS

To incorporate recycled plastic waste in pavements, conveyors and machines powered by coal-fired electricity must sort the plastic streams. In the three-part series “Industry Incorporates Sustainability at Asphalt Production Plants,” which AsphaltPro published in 2019-2020, Malcolm Swanson, P.E., proprietor of e5 Engineers, Chickamauga, Georgia, reminded us that all plastics are polymers, but not all polymers are suited for use in all processes. “There are several types of plastics to be considered,” Swanson shared. “But only two ways of incorporating the plastics into the asphalt. The two methods are ‘wet’ and ‘dry.’” Krishna Srinivasan, president of Sripath Technologies LLC, Mahwah, New Jersey, listed the differentiation of methods as a top priority for the asphalt industry to keep

in mind when incorporating any form of recycled waste plastic in an asphalt mix design. “For dry modifiers, in many cases, the waste plastic functions as a filler,” Srinivasan said. “Even so, workability of the mix is important. The optimum binder content in mixes is defined by looking at density after a certain number of gyrations. If the plastic interferes with the packing, then more binder may be needed, obviously impacting cost of the mix. “For wet modifiers, several factors come into play,” he continued. “The first is the sorting issue—separating out the different plastics and incorporating only those with melting points that are compatible with the processing of the binder. High viscosity in such systems is also an issue. In the case of partially melted plastics, the particle sizes of the unmelted materials may interfere with measurement of key properties needed for verification of the binder grade used in the mixes. “Finally, one of the most dominant issues in waste plastics use in asphalt is the storage stability of the binder incorporating such plastics; often it is quite poor.” Swanson listed for us the waste materials where researchers were focusing their efforts in 2019/2020; where researchers saw the best

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mix it up potential for polymers/plastics to make their way into asphalt pavements with the best benefit for the system. He listed: • high-density polyethylene (PE-HD), commonly used to make grocery bags; • low-density polyethylene (PE-LD), used to make frozen food bags; and • polypropylene (PP), used to make microwaveable food containers. Once the waste plastic items are sorted and selected, other machines must melt, manipulate or otherwise break down the waste product into pelleted, wax or fiber form for blending. It must then be transported to the terminal or plant where it will be injected inline to a liquid asphalt cement (AC), added to the aggregate weigh bridge for blending or another similar method to be discussed below. In other words, the recycled waste plastic product is treated like an additive. Because this recycled waste plastic additive does not naturally blend molecularly with asphalt—they are not compatible in nature—we must force the reaction via a modifier. The modifier’s purpose is to facilitate the recycling process. Once broken down, the recycled waste plastic additive often requires 2% to 4% of Polyphosphoric acid (PPA), by weight, to improve blending capability, as discussed in the January 2020 edition of AsphaltPro. The first priority our industry must consider before incorporating recycled plastic in the asphalt mix design is the recycled plastic source and composition. It doesn’t take an expert in recycling to recognize there are differences in recyclate streams. To get a quality mix with recycled plastic included, the plastic may require modification to meet performance specifications of the city, state, region and so on. Experts in polymer and additive manufacture remind us that it will take the correct elastomeric compatibilizer to ensure the resultant asphalt mix can deliver a long-lasting road pavement performance, no matter the country or climate. Add the modifier’s production to the whole of life sustainability concept we are discussing, but keep in mind, the modifier is not only making it possible to use recycled waste plastics in the mix design; it is often improving the properties of the recycled waste plastic so that the new mix design will continue to perform well upon placement. As these experts are showing us, the asphalt industry is not

12 / December 2021

interested in increasing a mixture’s carbon footprint at the expense of pavement performance. That is creating a loss-loss. Instead, if we must add steps that generate whole of life sustainability costs for the purpose of cleaning up plastic pollution, we would like to retain—if not improve—performance in the end. Let’s make it a win-win. The good news is incorporating the recycled waste plastic additive and its modifier can be done in a way that offsets the carbon footprint increase. In the discussion below, we will see additive manufacturers offer information on this possibility, thus showing how the asphalt industry can turn the inclusion of recycled waste plastics into a win-win-win.

WET VS DRY ENERGY CONSUMPTION

The dry method of blending recycled waste plastics into the asphalt mix involves introducing the product as a dry additive—with its modifier entrained—directly into the hot aggregate. The wet method involves introducing the product to the liquid AC binder before adding the binder to the mix. As Swanson pointed out two years ago, “[i]ntroduction by wet method appears to be most likely to succeed; however, just because two materials exist in liquid state within a certain temperature range does not mean that they will automatically blend well. We are all familiar with oil and water.” That’s where modifiers come in to facilitate blending, as well as performance characteristics. Toby McCartney, CEO of MacRebur, Lockerbie, Scotland, stated: “Our products are designed to be mixed via the ‘dry process,’ which means that we don’t heat any plastics or bitumen before the asphalt is made. The polymer modification happens when the bitumen and aggregates are mixed in the drum. “Asphalt containing waste plastics is made at the standard temperatures and is mixed for the standard times, which again helps keep the manufacturing process as energy efficient as it can be.” McCartney explained how the MacRebur mix is delivered. “All MacRebur’s products have been designed with the asphalt production process in mind. Our products can be added in the same way that a fiber is added to make an SMA or via any additions system at an asphalt plant. For example, a weigh hop-

“Some polymers are easy to dissolve in the common range of temperatures used for binders, and here the energy requirements are low.”—Krishna Srinivasan per can be used, or product can be added via the RAP belt or through a hatch—or through any other system that is in place at a plant looking to replace part of its imported bitumen with MacRebur’s waste plastics.” Srinivasan shared with readers how energy consumption will depend on plastic type: “This would depend on the type of waste plastic being incorporated into the asphalt. Some polymers are easy to dissolve in the common range of temperatures used for binders, and here the energy requirements are low. Some others—including some virgin polymers used in manufacture of PMBs—require high shear and high temperatures for incorporation into asphalt. Here, obviously, the energy requirements are considerably higher.”

THE MICRO-DISCUSSION

Currently, conversations outside the asphalt industry don’t center on how to sort plastic waste for optimum efficiency or energy savings at the asphalt plant. When I discuss recycled waste plastics in asphalt pavement outside of mix design or paving circles, I am inundated with environmental justice warriors shaking their fists about microplastics escaping the system. Experts share how we can assuage their fears. “Again, the answer depends on whether waste plastics are used as dry modifiers or wet modifiers,” Srinivasan said. “In the case of dry modifiers, leaching could be an issue, not only of the vulnerable molecular weight segments in the plastic, but also additives used to improve the processing or use of the plastic in its original, intended application. For wet modifiers, this is not an issue. A virgin polymer like Sripath’s PGXpand® melts into the asphalt during processing and it loses its original identity. In such cases, leaching out of the mix is not a concern.” “The polymers used to modify a road are melted into the bitumen to form a homogenous mix and so there are no actual plastics

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mix it up in the road, but instead a polymer-modified bitumen,” McCartney provided. He explained that prolonging the stable life of a pavement in any way reduces the amount of any microparticles that might be released. When paving with plastics, we are integrating recycled plastics into the asphalt. As shown in this article, the recycled waste plastics are selected and separated from their streams. They’re processed into a usable form—I gave the example of pellets or fibers; some experts call them “shredded.” The modifiers we discussed chemically bind the recycled waste plastic to the asphalt mix. They become, as McCartney suggested, a homogenous mix; a blended unit from which microparticles are not leaching.

SOLVE PAIN POINTS

Avoiding leaching of microplastics is merely one pain point that departments of transportation may not yet have placed on their collective radar. I asked additive manufacturers what other challenges they are addressing for

agencies and contractors/producers alike. A handful of additive manufacturers weren’t ready to share their secret sauce, thus are not included in this discussion. McCartney shared that the MacRebur product addresses pain points for both the DOT and contractor, including, but not limited to: • The quality of roads. MacRebur’s MR6 product has been proven to enhance the performance of asphalt, which results in less maintenance of roads and a reduced cost for future maintenance. • For producers there is money to be saved, as MacRebur’s waste plastic products cost less than bitumen. [At press time, that differential was around £50 per tonne.] • MacRebur’s products have also been designed with ease in mind, requiring no change to the manufacturing process or from the surfacing contractor’s perspective. Srinivasan’s Sripath Technologies is in the research and development stage for its plas-

SIL3 PLe

14 / December 2021

tics offering. The team is looking at a host of issues they would like their resulting product(s) to address. “Obviously, the sorting—and the attendant characterization—issue is the first hurdle,” Srinivasan said. “What is the starting point raw material that we are working with? We all know that quality is dependent on the ingredients used in the binder/mix. And the answer we are finding varies quite a bit by country or region. Pre-qualification testing of the waste stream may be important here. “The next issue is how do we get it into a form that can be easily used by the producer/manufacturer? What does it contribute to the properties of the binder/mix and how do we reliably and reproducibly control those properties? Stability is a big concern here. “Finally, one big area of study is endof-life issues,” Srinivasan concluded. “Asphalt is the most recycled material in the USA. Responsible use dictates that whatever we do to incorporate waste plastics in

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All plastics are polymers, but not all polymers are suited for use in all processes.— Malcolm Swanson asphalt does not degrade the recyclability of the RAP. For high RAP mixes containing Sripath’s ReLIXER® rejuvenator, we have been able to convince customers that the RAP from the resultant roadway can be recycled when the roadway reaches the end of its useful life. We want to be responsible stewards of the environment, and this dictates that any technology we introduce has the same degree of future recyclability.” By pumping the brakes on the idea of turning roadways into landfills, the industry has encouraged the public at large to let it take the idea of recycling waste plastics one step at a time. The asphalt industry has an excel-

lent record of accomplishment for reducing emissions, for increasing recycling abilities, and for taking the time necessary to perform carbon-reducing and carbon-neutral processes in the most planet-friendly manner possible. Incorporating recycled waste plastic is one more example of this good track record playing out before us. One step I believe we need to take now is looking at the recycling of roadway systems that have incorporated recycled waste plastics. As both Austroads and the National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA) have alluded to in their guidance documents, asset managers must, at this time, perform their own assessments of how roadways will be treated in future. If diamond grinding a distressed pavement 25 or 30 years from now releases microplastics, it is not the treatment to perform on a system containing recycled waste plastics, according to this sea turtle conservationist. “The issue that concerns me most is preserving the recyclability of pavements,”

Swanson agreed. “As mentioned, it would be a disaster to find out 20 or 30 years down the road that “plastic” roads don’t recycle very well.” He cautioned that getting out and paving ahead of the research could result in future failures. “Failures that show up early can derail the whole effort. Failures that show up late have even worse consequences. I understand the frustration of contractors while waiting on research results that always seem to be one more research project away. At some point, you have to pull the trigger, but not before recyclability is proven.” We are at a point in history where we can evaluate the methods used to design and place these environmentally sustainable structures. I would prefer we not be so hasty that we present ourselves with an environmental debacle 35 or 45 years from now. In fact, I see the opportunity before us to build an environmental win with logically sourced recycled waste plastics and their wisely planned modifiers. – BY SANDY LENDER

www.THeAsphaltpro.com // 15

Pavement Maintenance

Hawaii Preserves for Perpetuity Different states use different pavement preservation and maintenance methods to maximize their paving budgets. While department of transportation (DOT) materials specifiers and pavement managers alike know the importance of pouncing on the right pavement with the right treatment at the right time, funding coffers ultimately dictate what can be done and when. In Hawaii, the Hawaii DOT (HDOT) recommends mill-and-fill and crack fill maintenance procedures, but the different counties along the island chain have regional and weather-induced needs influencing their funding reservoirs. Hawaii Asphalt Pavement Industry (HAPI) Executive Director Jon Young discussed the pavement treatments used in Hawaii during a HAPI Shorts, Lunch Time Lessons webinar. The County of Hawaii performs overlays in addition to mill-and-fills with the three pavers owned by the agency. Since 2016, the County of Kauai has been using a sealcoat as its pavement treatment. The County of Maui’s approach to pavement preservation is to perform crack filling, and to lean heavily on slurry seal and micro surfacing treatments. The City and County of Honolulu (City) also perform mostly slurry seal and seal coat treatments, and do so in a manner that returns the roads to traffic by 3:30 p.m. Oahu has embarked on a robust pothole patching program. They use the throw-andgo approach as this method allows them to quickly repair potholes. Look at these stats. • In 2008, Oahu repaired 82,850 potholes • In 2010: 41,805 potholes • In 2012: 52,070 potholes • In 2014: 39,951 potholes • In 2016: 42,656 potholes • In 2018: 20,987 potholes • In 2020: 11,711 potholes The decrease in potholes can be attributed to the city’s repaving program and their maintenance of the roads using pavement treatments. In 2012, HAPI members welcomed then Mayor Peter Carlisle and joined the Department of Facility Maintenance to demonstrate four pavement preservation methods

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the city would evaluate as part of its effort to improve road conditions. Over 120 guests from city, state and federal government agencies, as well as contractors and consulting firms, attended the demonstration to observe the application of the four treatments. We demonstrated crack filling, a fog seal, a sealcoat and a slurry seal. The demonstration areas were then monitored by the city to evaluate how the various treatments perform under local weather conditions, especially Hawaii’s high level of ultra-violet radiation. Then in 2014, HAPI members donated labor, material and equipment to pavement treatment research being done by our University of Hawaii. The counties and agencies use various pavement management systems to assess whether the preferred treatment regimen is the best option. For example, the County of Maui uses iWorQ, which offers a subjective pavement distress rating system based on what the engineer sees happening with regard to fatigue, transverse, longitudinal, patching and/or edge cracking. The engineer scores or rates the distress according to the extent of the cracking segment (low to high) and the severity of distress (low to high). (See the table at right.) In the event a pavement has a low enough score, an agency that typically depends on a sealcoat knows this process is merely burning money for the season. Members of HAPI who perform maintenance work have the opportunity to reach out to agencies and recommend robust methods that will target and correct pavement system troubles from the bottom-up, prior to performing the preservation treatments that seal and protect from the top-down, but this is a rare occurrence. The agencies are the parties that determine the treatments they have the funding for. Deep maintenance and preservation tagteam can be avoided with perpetual pavement planning. Light maintenance and preservation tag-team can be a smart, infrequent method of protecting a long-lasting pavement that’s been designed for permanence. When a team designs in long-lasting performance, the asphalt roadway can last 35, 65, 95 years and up with minimal structural

PAVEMENT DISTRESS RATING Extent of Segment

SEVERITY OF DISTRESS

LOW

MED

HIGH

LOW

MED

HIGH

improvements during its life. In fact, the Asphalt Pavement Alliance (APA) has built its Perpetual Pavement Award on that concept. The awards started in 2010 and now have over 150 winners; award-winning pavements achieved through conservative designs. The cost savings for an agency are obvious. Any long-lasting pavement system requires only infrequent maintenance or surface preservation for it to remain long-lasting. Like a deck requires a fresh coat of paint every few years to protect its wooden planks from the sun, a 35-year-old road requires a check-up once in a while to make sure the elements aren’t causing harm. To win a Perpetual Pavement Award, the system must meet the following criteria: • have 35+ years of service; • experience minimal structural improvements totaling less than 4 inches of gain; • incur infrequent resurfacing; and • show no deep structural distress. This means a 45-year-old pavement that needs a mill-and-fill to correct some freezethaw cracking could have 2 inches of depth milled, a 2-inch lift replaced, a sealcoat sprayed on top the next summer, and have gained only a smooth new ride for the taxpayers. That’s a minimal maintenance and preservation investment on a long-lasting, award-winning roadway. At this time, Hawaii has not yet designed any perpetual pavements. HDOT has recently designed a road with a 50-year service life and, since 2007, new city streets pavement sections are like a perpetual pavement design. – BY SANDY LENDER AND JON YOUNG

For more information on how to select minimally invasive maintenance treatments, visit the Treatment Toolbox tab at https://roadresource.org/.

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Pavement Maintenance

The Broad Strokes of Better Micro Surfacing Micro surfacing is used by many local governments on pavements with a variety of average annual daily traffic counts up to 250,000 vehicles per day, said FP2 Past Executive Director Jim Moulthrop. He’s one of the authors behind the Transportation Research Board’s “Guide Specifications for the Construction of Chip Seals, Micro Surfacing and Fog Seals” (NCHRP 14-37). Moulthrop highlighted the broad strokes of several best practices from the construction guide in a recent TRB webinar.

Weather The guide specification calls for ambient temperatures of 45 degrees Fahrenheit and rising, with no anticipated rain before the mix cures and no anticipated freezing temperatures within 24 hours of construction. Mix Design AASHTO’s micro surfacing mix design is PP83. “That’s usually required on all work being done for an agency,” Moulthrop said, adding that it is prepared by an AASHTO-accredited lab, and submitted to the owner agency before work begins. “Field adjustments to the design are allowed if they’re within the overall tolerances set forth in the job mix formula.” There are a number of tests that are performed in the lab to measure the design components, including mix time, cohesion, stripping, wet tack (one-hour and six-day), lateral displacement and sand adhesion tests. “These tests typically run during the design phase.” Pre-Construction “Before the project starts, it’s always a good idea to have a pre-construction meeting between the agency and contractor,” Moulthrop said. He recommends discussing the construction process, quality control plan, the mix design, ingredients and materials control and measurement, as well as traffic control plans, inspection, construction of a test strip, any unique project conditions, project documentation, agency expectations and the construction schedule.

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Surface Prep To prepare the surface for micro surfacing, it’s important to properly prepare the surface. This may include crack sealing, covering utilities, patching and leveling, and removal of plastic pavement markings. You’ll also sweep, blow, or otherwise clean the pavement. If you perform any crack sealing, Moulthrop recommends doing so at least 30 days before micro surfacing. Application Equipment There are generally two types of application equipment for micro surfacing, truck-mounted units and continuous run machines. Continuous run machines are fed by trucks as it goes to prevent stopping and limit transverse joints as much as possible. These are usually used on major highways and arterials, Moulthrop said. Truck-mounted units return to the stockpile location when empty before returning to the job site to continue application. They are more commonly used in local government work and residential areas, but can also be used on highways, Moulthrop said. Within the application equipment, there will be a spreader box with augers to continuously agitate the micro surfacing material. Then, there’s the initial strike off and secondary strike off to provide the finished surface to the material. Calibration “Calibration is a very important part of the operation,” Moulthrop said. “The idea behind calibration is that no machine can be used on the project until calibration has been completed and accepted.” Each machine should be calibrated with the aggregate and emulsion to be used prior to the project, usually in the presence of a representative of the specifying agency. The name of the person who carried out the calibration and documentation should be provided. “Generally each unit should be calibrated prior to the beginning of each project, or as required by the agency,” Moulthrop said.

If you’re using the same mix throughout the season, he adds, some agencies will require calibration only once at the start of each construction season. Test Strip Performing a test strip offers a chance to optimize materials proportions; verify application rates, uniformity of the surface and proper alignment of the material; ensure equipment is in good condition; and the contractor has adequate workforce and workmanship to perform the job. Test strips also give us a chance to confirm cure time before you can let traffic on it. Traffic Control Contractors should conform to the latest version of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) and state and local requirements. One concern specific to micro surfacing is ensuring the surface has had time to cure before traffic returns to the pavement. Project Documentation Project documentation should include the amount of aggregate, emulsified asphalt, mineral filler, additives, and water used. You should also document the percentage of emulsified asphalt, surface area application rate, and surface area application rate. Quality Control “Quality control is very important,” Moulthrop said. The contractor’s QC manager may or may not be on the project the whole time, but the QC technicians will be there to sample and execute the quality control plan. There have also been some efforts to certify crew members, and this may even be required in some specifications. Testing may be done on-site with a field testing lab containing the necessary equipment, or might require technicians to return to the stockpile location where a lab can be set up. “If we want our micro surfacing to perform, it’s important that materials, design, and construction activity meet our requirements,” Moulthrop said. – BY SARAH REDOHL.

Project management

The construction of notched wedge joints to achieve a quality end result is catching on. Jerod Willow shared: “I have heard Wyoming and South Dakota are in the process of implementing a joint density spec. It also sounds like Illinois is starting to dabble with notch wedge joints on their J-band projects. Arkansas has fully specified a joint density spec now after working with it the past 18 months. I have also heard some limited talk in West Virginia and Ohio.” Photos courtesy of Bryce Wuori, Wuori Consulting

How to Exceed the Long Joint Density Spec Northern Improvement Company, Dickinson, North Dakota, completed a cold in-place recycle (CIR) and paving project on Highway 8 in Dickinson County Sept. 17, 2021, with impressive density numbers. Their secret to success is wrapped up in proper equipment and best practices with the state’s new joint density spec. Let’s take a look at how Northern Improvement built a 26-mile notched wedge joint and achieved an average of 94.8% density on the longitudinal joint with 93.9% average density on the mainline. To begin work on the Hwy. 8, JCT ND 12 to W JCT ND 21 project in early August 2021, Northern Improvement performed CIR to a depth of 3 inches. The paving consultant on the project, Bryce Wuori of Wuori Consulting LLC, Bismarck, North Dakota, observed, “The existing road surface prior to the CIR was so rutted and had such deep transverse cracks it was almost unsafe to travel down the road at the designated speed limit. There was no ride incentive included on the project for Northern due to how rough the existing road surface was prior to construction. After the CIR and before the asphalt paving, the road surface rode very nicely, almost comparable to that of a common low-volume asphalt highway.”

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Paving began Aug. 9 and involved two lifts of 1.5 inches of Superpave FAA 43 with a CHS 58S-28 AC for a total design lift thickness of 3 inches. As required by the Jan. 5, 2021, NDDOT longitudinal joint for hot mix asphalt pavements special provision, the team built a notched wedge longitudinal joint, which had a required average density of 90.5 on the joint. The project called for at least a 92.5 required density on the mat. They used the Notch Wedge System from Willow Designs LLC, East Berlin, Pennsylvania, attached to a CAT SE60 screed. The system consists of the Willow Designs notch wedge joint maker and notch wedge pneumatic roller. “Something unique about Bryce is that he uses ground penetrating radar (GPR) as quality control to improve density consistency in the mat and, more specifically, the longitudinal joint,” Jerod Willow said. “We share a lot of the same clients in that region and we often converse on how to improve a contractor’s ability to get density in the mat and joint. He has some pretty impactful data from this season.” Wuori explained how Northern Improvement built the joint with quality control as part of the process. “We used the Notch Wedge System from Willow Designs to construct a ½-inch notch. The key part of

1/2 " ± 1/8 "

compacted lift thickness

1/2 " ± 1/8 "

12 Inches

The North Dakota Department of Transportation released a special provision Jan. 5, 2021, detailing the manner in which contractors would be paid for density of longitudinal joints for hot-mix asphalt pavements. If a notched wedge joint is used, it is to be constructed according to the diagram in Appendix A of the special provision. Illustration by Maranda Wilbanks for AsphaltPro this system is rolling the wedge properly to set the joint in for optimum density. The density on the joint is measured with a combination of a Troxler nuclear gauge and the PaveScan 2.0 GPR.” The technology he references is from Geophysical Survey Systems Inc. (GSSI), Nashua, New Hampshire, which makes the PaveScan RDM 2.0 continuous, non-destructive, asphalt density assessment tool described in the May 2017 Here’s How It Works department. Wuori explained that he can walk the entire length of the project with the PaveScan device, taking readings along every inch of the joint. If he were to receive a reading indicating a weak area, he could inform the paving crew immediately, rather than waiting until after construction is complete to return to the field to address possible failures. “In the event of reading below the 90.5 requirement, I would advise Northern to look at rolling patterns and what rollers are being used for compaction, then inspect and evaluate the setup of the notch wedge system as well,” Wuori said. “Typically, if the notch wedge is being constructed properly and rolled correctly the contractor will pass joint density requirements on every paving day. I have been on over six projects this year where the addition of the Willow notch wedge and correct rolling procedures brought the paving contractor from failing required density specifications and getting deducts on the joint density to passing with incentives with the addition of the notch wedge and correct rolling procedures.” The PaveScan, coupled with density gauges, played a hand in setting up the rolling procedures. Wuori explained: “Average mat density is recorded with the combination of destructive coring, nuclear testing and the PaveScan GPR. We use the PaveScan GPR and nuclear gauge to set up rolling patterns and develop a paving process for success and compare this data to the results performed in the destructive coring process. Northern Improvement also used intelligent compaction on this project to give roller operators temperature zones for optimum compaction and roller pass counts for efficiency and accuracy in the rolling process.” The rollers they used were a CAT CB 16 with an oscillating front drum in the breakdown position, a CAT CB 66 with dual vibratory drums in the intermediate position, and a CAT CB 68 set in static only in the finish position. The operators stayed aware of temperatures and rolling zones, which fluctuated for this mix.

www.THeAsphaltpro.com // 21

Project management

The quality control team was able to run the PaveScan 2.0 ground penetrating radar device along the joint to take continuous density measurements. The device is available through InstroTek Inc. as of Q1 2021.

On the left side of the screed, you see the system from Willow Designs building the first pass of the notched wedge joint. On the right side of the screed, you see the contractor-built sluff box and roller creating the safety edge. Superintendent Joshuah Davis shared: “We use a company designed system that we call a sluff box that’s adjustable in width and slope to achieve a 4-1 slope that is rolled with what we call a sluff roller. This is a safety edge required on all North Dakota roads.” “The average temperature the mix was delivered to the paver ranged from 250 to 280 degrees depending on the weather that day and the distance we were paving from the asphalt plant,” Wuori explained. “Notch wedge joints work because they confine the asphalt mix in the joint better than a butt or vertical joint, meaning that there is 85% less loose mix in the joint,” Willow explained. “Loose mix in the joint means a failure. Notch wedge joints are also stronger joints due to the increased surface area of the joint; this style of joint and similar forms of this joint have also been used in other construction materials from wood, metal and stone dating back hundreds of years.”

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“This mix had a very good design and was an average mix to achieve density with when compared to the FAA 43 mix designs,” Wuori said. “Due to the high amounts of aggregate absorption in the aggregate used in the design, the AC content was higher than what is normally seen on this type of mix design (6.8 percent). The one drawback of this mix in the field was its ability to turn tender on the hotter days of paving. “On these days, we would have to get most of our compaction up front on the hot mat with steel drum rollers before the mix cooled to 200 degrees. At 200 degrees the mix would develop a tender zone that would hold until about 160 degrees. This was only on days that the ambient temperature was above 85 degrees with very little wind on the project.” On the hotter days, when the tender zone appeared, the rolling train switched out the CB66 steel drum with a Sakai GW750-2 vibratory pneumatic roller. “We would also introduce a pneumatic roller into the train to get through the tender zones because a steel drum would tear and fold the mat if used when the mat was tender.” Despite the tender zone challenges, the roller operators achieved higher-than-required results. “The overall average joint density for the project was 94.8%,” Wuori shared. “One day’s average joint density was a 95.7 on 13 core locations. The roller operators do an exceptional job of holding patterns and understanding when the mix would become tender or what would need to be done to battle this issue. Having good, trained roller operators that understand their equipment and how important their skill is to the finished asphalt product is key in producing successful projects. These roller operators have been trained very well and have been put through some of the most difficult projects out there and have shown how a skilled roller operator can make or break a project.” The roller operators included Raquel Davis on breakdown, Kim Bumgardner on intermediate, and Luellen Johnson on finish. The Hwy. 8 CIR and pave project was a team effort that included the skills of roller operators and the entire quality-minded crew. Superintendent Joshuah Davis shared: “The crew from front to back were Brad Barnick dump man; Alyssa Polanski paver operator; Mac Cook screed operator; Amber Hoots and Ron Comon QC; fill in roller operators were Deryk Drew, Cody Bellon; plant operator and foreman Tom Stickel; supervisors were Jason McIntosh foreman and myself. Also a huge part of all this is Bryce Wuori. Because of his training and vast knowledge, he has helped me make this crew into what they are today. Without them we would never be able to achieve this. They do such a good job with the flow and consistency to achieve the compaction and ride.” Wuori also commented on some of the best practices he saw in the field. “Their best practices for quality included paver setup/ and consistency. By eliminating paver stops and keeping the paver at a consistent speed throughout the day. Then roller consistency using Intelligent Compaction as a tool to keep operators in designated temperature and pass count efficiency. And proactive quality control to ensure paving and rolling techniques being performed during paving operations produced the desired results.” By the time Northern Improvement was ready to turn the pavement over to the stripers Sept. 17, they had a new roadway made safe for motorists in Dickinson County. – BY SANDY LENDER

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International snapshot

New Tech Suggests Drop in Cement Emissions Together with its business partners, VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland Ltd. has developed a solution designed to bring a reduction in carbon dioxide emissions in the production of cement and quicklime. As one of the ingredients for concrete, cement is the world’s most used building material and is responsible for around 7% of the world’s carbon dioxide emissions. By using low-emission electricity instead of combustion for decomposing calcium carbonate—a central part of cement production— and by capturing the carbon dioxide produced in the production process, it is possible to run a cement plant with close to zero carbon dioxide emissions. This is made possible by using a gas-tight, electrically-heated rotary kiln. The main raw material for cement is limestone. Quicklime is also required in huge quantities in the pulp and steel industries. In the production of cement and quicklime, emissions are generated for two reasons. At present, the production takes place at temperatures above 1,832 degrees F (1,000°C), and this releases emissions into the atmosphere.

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At present, the production of quicklime takes place at temperatures above 1,832 degrees F, and this releases emissions into the atmosphere. An even bigger problem for the climate, however, is the carbonate contained in limestone, which decomposes in the production process into carbon dioxide and quicklime. These emissions that result from the raw material itself cannot be avoided without replacing limestone, one of the world’s most used raw materials. “Replacing combustion processes with electricity-based solutions and significantly increasing emission-free electricity production is an effective means of curbing climate change,” explained Project Manager Eemeli Tsupari, principal scientist at VTT. “With this technology, the pure carbon dioxide from the limestone can be captured and then either stored or utilized in, for example, the manufacture of low-emission products. There is already a market for carbon dioxide as a gas used in the production process, and a number of potential uses are being developed that would massively increase the scale of its use.”

EMISSIONS TRADING GUIDES EU-WIDE EMISSION REDUCTIONS

The Decarbonate project, led by VTT, involved constructing a 39-foot, 4-inch (12-meter) electrically-heated rotary kiln, which was then used to test out, together with VTT’s business partners, the precalcination of the raw powder for cement and the production of both quicklime and also the lime mud used in pulp mills. The project involves key Finnish players in the sector, including Finnsementti, Nordkalk and UPM. The test kiln could also be used for reducing emissions in other industrial sectors, such as the battery and asphalt industries. “Finnsementti has been working on climate change for a long time, and several emission reduction projects are under way,” explained Ulla Leveelahti, environmental manager at Finnsementti. “Minimizing fossil energy use and utilizing carbon capture will be an integral part of the future of the cement industry.” In the EU, emissions trading is steering the industry towards reducing emissions. At the current price level, a decrease of one tonne in carbon dioxide emissions means a savings of EUR 60 for the company. For a medium-sized cement plant, for example, a one-third reduction in emissions would mean savings of several million euros per year. In addition, the electric kiln produces a new product: purified carbon dioxide. In other words, electrically-powered calcination could be economically viable already at current prices, but assessing its feasibility at the industrial scale and the investments required for this will require further studies. – FROM VTT

26 / December 2021

International snapshot

Expansion, Bio-Solutions for India Bitumen Allied Market Research reports the bitumen market value in India is expected to reach $3.6 billion by 2026, growing at a CAGR of 2.8% from 2019 to 2026. The increasing industrialization and urbanization in developing regions—like India—are leading to the increasing demand for bitumen. Eswara Prasad, the manager for chemical and material at Allied Market Research, shared: “The India bitumen market is heading toward growth expansion phase over the coming years. This is due to significant growth in infrastructure development activities across the country. East India, North India and South India witnessed a considerable growth due to rise in construction activities that include construction of new highways, expressways and airports. In addition, government initiative such as Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) that includes construction of houses for poor in urban and rural areas of the country fuels the demand for bitumen. These factors are anticipated to boost the growth of the India bitumen market during the forecast period.” Allied Market Research recently reported the infrastructure development programs initiated by Government of India have helped drive the demand for bitumen for the construction of highways and expressways. These programs include: the Bharatmala project; Golden quadrangle project; and construction of various industrial and economic corridors like Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor, Bengaluru-Mumbai Economic Corridor, Chennai-Bengaluru Economic Corridor, Vizag-Chennai Industrial Corridor, and Amritsar-Kolkata Industrial Corridor. In addition, government initiatives such as Pradhan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojana, mentioned above, that include provision of good, all-weather road connectivity to unconnected villages of the country are anticipated to drive the growth of the market. Moreover, existing market players and new entrants are coming up with new strategies and trends. The market, therefore, is witnessing an array of happenings. Here are some of the latest market activities that are expected to thrive in the future.

NEW TERMINALS

The market players are investing to launch new terminals. Recently, Puma Energy, a Swiss, multi-national, mid- and downstream oil company, has unveiled the inauguration of its latest bitumen terminal in Chennai, India. The new terminal will manufacture around 40KT of asphalt yearly to reinforce infrastructure growth in the country. Furthermore, this initiative aims to help the country with an effective and modern infrastructure to supply bitumen. Along with this, the latest terminal opening in India would also supplement and expand Puma Bitumen’s portfolio in the Asian province. On this, the commercial operations manager of the company stated that India, with its second-largest road network in the world, promises an exciting market for Puma Bitumen to operate and grow. He added that this new terminal and surged

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supply of bitumen into India will be an essential part of the growth strategy of the company in this region in coming years.

ECO-TECH

Recently, one of India’s leading industrial biotech companies, Praj Industries, has brought an innovative technology to manufacture bio-bitumen based on lignin. Praj’s bio-bitumen samples have been approved by Circular Biobased Delta, based in The Netherlands. The company has now established a proprietary process to transform crude lignin into bio-bitumen. According to the company, the bio-bitumen carries the potential to replace fossil-based bitumen.

ADHESIVES VS. CHALLENGES

The road and building developing activities, including construction of various national highways, expressways and airport runways, have been boosted in emerging economies along with the increasing demand for adhesives, in the past few years. Simultaneously, the construction industry is witnessing growth thereby supporting the bitumen market. Bitumen is widely used in waterproofing of building roofs. Therefore, government initiatives such as “Smart City Mission” and PMAY that include construction of houses in urban and rural areas boost the market growth. Significant development in the Indian construction industry along with industrial development across the country are expected to drive the growth of the bitumen industry in the coming years. At the same time, the rise in use of bitumen alternatives in roadway applications create challenges, to a certain extent. In addition, the fluctuating crude oil prices further impede market growth. Nevertheless, the development and advancement in technologies to come up with solutions such as bio-based bitumen enlarge the opportunities for the market players. Also, the initiatives by the government bodies to develop infrastructure across the nations are leading to progress for the industry. Moreover, the strategies and trends adopted by the market players to expand the industry growth further present huge prospects for the market players, and the industry, therefore, is expected to witness exponential growth in the coming years. The key players operating in the Indian bitumen industry include Indian Oil Corporation Ltd., Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited, Bharat Petroleum Corporation Ltd., Oil & Natural Gas Corporation Ltd., Total India, Tiki Tar Industries India Ltd., Agarwal Industries Corporation Ltd., Juno Bitumix Pvt Ltd., Universal Bituminous Industries Pvt. Ltd., and Swastik Tar Industries. – BY AKSHITA PACHOLI

Akshita Pacholi has accomplished a Master’s degree in English Literature and presently is working as a content writer with Allied Market Research.

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Women of Asphalt

Meet A Woman of Asphalt: ATS’s Tracy Moore Tracy Moore started in the asphalt industry in 1988 with Sloan Construction. Over the years, she’s gained experience with quality control/quality assurance (QC/QA) as well as equipment operation, and she’s learned not to take any guff from negative types. “I first got into the industry in 1988 as a roller operator with literally no experience,” Moore shared. “I was hired kind of as a joke where they took bets on how long I would last. After mastering rollers, I went on to testing in the lab and continued to work for the company for seven years.” In 2018, she joined Asphalt Testing Solutions & Engineering (ATS), Jacksonville, Florida, as a roadway quality control technician. Now as an asphalt roadway specialist for ATS, she’s certified in CTQP Paving levels 1 & 2; she handles contract documents; she measures and ensures spread rates don’t exceed bid amounts in the field; and she performs all the tasks that work entails. One of Moore’s colleagues at ATS was excited to nominate her for this feature. “One of Tracy’s most valuable qualities is her confidence,” ATS’s Molly Berry shared. “She knows she does great work and takes pride in it—she won’t let anyone tell her otherwise and the crews respect that. When I started in the industry, I worked alongside Tracy in the field. She taught me a great deal about quality control, inspecting the mat, calculating spread rates, figuring out tonnage quantities, etc. Having someone like Tracy to help those of us new to the industry is invaluable; she is more than willing to share her knowledge. For me, as a female, it was nice to have another female to relate to when I was learning in the field where the majority of the workers were men.” True to her nature, Moore shared some of her tips and experiences as a woman of asphalt with the AsphaltPro audience.

AsphaltPro: Why did you become an asphalt specialist? Tracy Moore: To ensure a career for myself being a single parent. AsphaltPro: What about that position is “most cool” to you? Tracy Moore: Being in a different place daily. AsphaltPro: You mentioned about 90% of your time is spent in the field. What about working in hot Florida is challenging and what is appealing to you? Tracy Moore: The heat doesn’t bother me, every day is a challenge on its own.

30 / December 2021

Moore calibrates the straight edge in the field.

Moore leads a tailgate meeting. AsphaltPro: What is a facet of the lab work that you enjoyed doing in the past, and what is a tip you’d suggest to a woman considering a lab tech position to make her transition to lab tech or QC officer easier? Tracy Moore: Making changes to the mix, you have to be tougher in the field. An example: My foreman at the time [1988] used to tell me, “Tracy, never let the fellas get to you.” They would pick at me so bad I would cry, he would put me in the truck and ride me down the road until I calmed down, eventually I got tired of being the brunt of their jokes and would “give back” what they threw at me and they stopped. After that, I was one of the boys. AsphaltPro: What do you think is the most important skill you’ve brought to your role as a quality control team member in the asphalt industry? And how would you encourage other women entering the industry to hone a similar skill to be any kind of lab or field tech they want to become? Tracy Moore: Do not overthink. Go with your gut. If you’re unsure about something, ask. AsphaltPro: What would you say was the most challenging “obstacle” you, as a female in the asphalt industry, had to overcome in the past 33 years, and how DID you overcome that obstacle? How do you think other women in the industry can incorporate that skill or habit into their workdays? Tracy Moore: Being a woman in a “man’s” world requires you to prove your knowledge over and over. Be strong in your belief in yourself.

www.THeAsphaltpro.com // 31

Women of Asphalt

LEFT: Measuring is step one to calculate yields and ensure the team is staying on target. RIGHT: Tracy Moore is confident in her role as an asphalt roadway specialist for Asphalt Testing Solutions & Engineering (ATS), Jacksonville, Florida. AsphaltPro: Let’s talk about Teamwork. What is the most challenging project you’ve been a part of and how did you and the ATS team work with the contractor or DOT or other project participants to overcome the challenge? Tracy Moore: One particular highway job was a nightmare change orders, design errors. We worked together to solve the problems. Most of the time they were easy fixes. AsphaltPro: Let’s talk about Perceptions. It’s a fact that asphalt paving can be hot and dusty. How do you respond to people who say it’s a “dirty job?” Tracy Moore: Well, it is! I’m not going to lie but I’ve always been a tomboy so you can’t be afraid to get dirty. AsphaltPro: What do you think is an incorrect perception that we, as an industry, can re-educate young people about to encourage more women to consider a career in the asphalt business? Tracy Moore: I found that if you enjoy a daily challenge, asphalt can be very rewarding. I would say if you have a strong backbone and enjoy being outside, a career in asphalt should definitely be looked at as an option.

32 / December 2021

AsphaltPro: What are some of the reasons you’ve stayed with ATS for so much of your career? Tracy Moore: Strong leadership. My boss is very knowledgeable and helpful as are all the team members. AsphaltPro: What is the most challenging aspect for you of being in the asphalt business? Tracy Moore: Meeting someone (usually men) who do not believe a woman should be in “the business.” I love to prove them wrong. I show them that I do in fact know my job and I’m good at it. AsphaltPro: What is the most rewarding aspect for you of being in the asphalt business? Tracy Moore: At the end of the day, not wasting or needing another load of asphalt. AsphaltPro: Tell us about a person who served as a mentor for you: Tracy Moore: Thad Dampier. At first, he fought me for years, never calling me by name. After about six years he would ask for me to be on his jobs. He taught me so many things, it’s hard to pinpoint just one or two. He retired after about 45-50 years. – BY SANDY LENDER

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MEASURE YIELD TO MAXIMIZE MILLING BENEFITS

Located in the Hudson Valley alongside the Hudson River about 70 miles north of New York City, East Fishkill, New York, is home to around 30,000 residents. For three of the past four years, Intercounty Paving Co. (IPC), Carmel, New York, has won the bid to perform the paving and pavement maintenance work in the town.

34 / December 2021

BY SARAH REDOHL

However, 2021 was the first year the town’s highway supervisor agreed to allow IPC to mill prior to paving. “Milling is nothing new on highways or state roads, but in our area towns are just starting to adopt the practice,” said Project Manager Tyler Spano. “We’re seeing that trend and we want to be on the leading edge of it.”

Spano has been working to educate highway superintendents in IPC’s area of operation on the benefits of milling. “Not only does it maintain current elevation, but it reduces reflective cracking and results in a smoother ride,” Spano said. However, many municipalities have been reluctant to try a new process with which

LEFT: Spano has been working to educate highway superintendents in IPC’s area of operation on the benefits of mill-and-overlays. TOP: In addition to paving more than 10,000 tons of asphalt in East Fishkill—including several mill-and-pave projects—IPC also performed mill-andoverlay jobs in two other New York towns, Yorktown and Sommers, in 2021. BOTTOM: After the crew milled off 2 inches of pavement with its Wirtgen 200 milling machine, broomed and applied tack coat, it paved 2 inches of New York state 6F top mix asphalt with its Caterpillar 555 paver equipped with Cat grade control. All photos courtesy of Nick Spruck. they are unfamiliar. “For years, they’ve just paved on top of the existing pavement,” Spano said. For decades that approach worked, but eventually road elevation became a problem. All the catch basins and manholes were low, and municipalities began to experience more callbacks from residents asking to have a lip paved on their driveways. When East Fishkill hired a new highway superintendent, Ken Williams, one who was open to trying new things, Spano took his shot.

He explained the benefits of milling, including how it minimizes trimming and leveling and could reduce the total amount of required asphalt. “I explained how those savings could be applied to the cost of milling,” Spano said. “In the end, a 2-inch mill-and-pave was only 10 percent more than their traditional 2.5-inch overlay with leveling and made for a much better pavement.” It also didn’t hurt that IPC had multiple years of history performing work for the mu-

nicipality. Williams gave them a chance to illustrate to him the benefits of milling and paving on a ¾-mile section of East Fishkill’s Dale Road in September 2021. “It’s probably not by accident that they wanted to test out a mill-and-overlay on a small project first,” Spano said. He knew he and his crew had to bring their A game. “I’d been in his ear all year about milling, so if the job didn’t come out right I knew they’d never mill and pave again.”

www.THeAsphaltpro.com // 35

Spano made this chart to help him calculate yield on IPC’s projects.

“In the end, a 2-inch mill-and-pave was only 10 percent more than their traditional 2.5-inch overlay with leveling and made for a much better pavement.”—Tyler Spano MAKE THE CASE WITH A TEST CASE

After the crew milled off 2 inches of pavement with its Wirtgen 200 milling machine, broomed and applied tack coat, it paved 2 inches of New York state 6F top mix asphalt with its Caterpillar 555 paver equipped with Cat grade control and Carlson EZIV screed. They compacted the mat with a Cat CB 10 10-ton roller for breakdown and Bomag 138 5-ton roller for finishing and compacting up against the country curb. In total, the job required around 1,200 tons of asphalt, which IPC purchased from Thalle Industries in Fishkill. Keeping close track of their yield was key to the project’s success, since the reduced asphalt tonnage helped the municipality afford to mill. “I told the highway superintendent that we could use less asphalt if we milled and paved,” Spano said. “If we went over, that disproved my theory.” IPC has worked with paving consultant John Ball of Top Quality Paving and Training, Manchester, New Hampshire, for years. Among the skills they’ve picked up is how to measure and monitor yield throughout the project. The company honed its measuring skills on its private jobs, where blowing their yield could mean breaking even on a project. Half of the company’s work is for municipalities, the rest is parking lots, condos and private roads. “Even when we get paid by the ton, it’s a good practice to have,” Spano said. “Regardless of the job, the materials we’re playing with are expensive. We try to be right on the money with tonnage.” Spano calculated the yield for the whole project, and then divided it by each pass. Spano set off with his measuring wheel and began marking out the milled pavement with anticipated yield at several points throughout the project so he could monitor and control tonnage as the crew paved.

36 / December 2021

This is the yield formula Spano uses for IPC’s projects.

Spano set off with his measuring wheel and began marking out the milled pavement with anticipated yield at several points throughout the project so he could monitor and control tonnage as the crew paved. “If I have the load ticket in my hand, and I know how far 21 tons should have taken me on a 10-foot-wide pass, I can easily monitor how close we are to our initial calculations,” Spano said. It also helps him call for the right number of additional trucks as the crew gets close to finishing for the day. Between markings, Spano relies on the smartphone app Measure Map. “I can sit on the paver and lock in my location, draw a line to the end of the road and it will tell me how far I am from the end of the road,” He then multiplies that linear footage by the width of the pass to figure the balance of the unpaved area.

“Measuring beforehand, marking on the ground how much each pass calls for, and checking that against each pass is a lot of work,” Spano said, “but it’s worth it because we’re dealing with a lot of money.”

CALCULATE & COMMUNICATE On the Dale Road job, Spano’s calculations were within 20 tons of the amount of asphalt the crew ultimately placed. “That’s pretty good, especially with the challenge of calculating with the country curb on both sides,” he said.

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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: IPC utilizes Sonetics wireless headsets to communicate with one another on the job site.; IPC compacted the mat with a Cat CB 10 10-ton roller for breakdown and Bomag 138 5-ton roller for finishing.; The job also called for a country curb, which is a 4-inch tall integrated berm on both sides of the road.; Keeping close track of their yield was key to the project’s success, since the reduced asphalt tonnage helped the municipality afford to mill. In total, the job required around 1,200 tons of asphalt. The geometry of the job was tricky, with about two dozen driveways tying in and ending in a cul de sac. The job also called for a country curb, which is a 4-inch tall integrated berm on both sides of the road. Country curbs are quite common in the northeast and growing in popularity year by year, Spano said, since they are more cost effective than installing costly concrete curbs that frequently get damaged by snow plows. To create the berm, the last 12 inches of IPC’s Carlson screed extension is angled upward to pave a wedge that is 4 inches taller at the end gate than the rest of the pass. Spano calculated yield for the country curb by adding 1 foot to each side of the road. “If the road is 20 feet wide and has a country curb on both sides, I’ll figure the yield as though the road is 22 feet wide,” he said, since the area of a triangle with a base of 12 inches and a height of 4 inches is 24 square inches (or, the same area of a 12-inch-wide by 2-inch-tall lift). The country curb is uncompacted, achieving a density of 77 percent from the strikeoff.

38 / December 2021

To calculate the yield of the cul de sac, Spano will use the formula for the area of a circle if the cul de sac is a perfect circle. Otherwise, he will use the Measure Map app to draw around the cul de sac to get its square footage and perimeter. With the unique challenges on this job in terms of yield, constant communication was a useful tool on the project. IPC utilizes Sonetics wireless headsets to communicate with one another on the job site. Spano, who usually runs IPC’s milling crew, would often find that he needed to stop milling in order to communicate with other members of the crew. “If I have to get off the machine to tell him what to do, that reduces my own productivity,” he said. With the headsets, everyone on the crew can hear one another clearly. “They really improve our efficiency.” If Spano is out measuring and the paver operator needs to know the yield on the paving job, Spano can tell him his measurements from 400 feet away without stopping the paver, and the screed operator will hear the an-

swer simultaneously. “Everyone is talking about the job and how it’s moving versus how it should be moving,” Spano said.

MILL MORE

“We had to nail the job on Dale, because we only had one shot to show the benefits of milling,” Spano said. And they did. After IPC finished its project on Dale Road, East Fishkill’s highway superintendent opted to have them mill and pave an entire neighborhood, a 3,200ton job on the aptly named Miller Drive. In addition to paving more than 10,000 tons of asphalt in East Fishkill—including several mill-and-pave projects—IPC also performed mill-and-overlay jobs in two other New York towns, Yorktown and Sommers, in 2021. “It’s hard to convince someone to spend money, but once they see the value of not getting called back and ending up with a better product, it speaks for itself,” Spano said. “The best part of this job was the opportunity to prove to the municipality that this process is the way to go.”

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Asphalt Industry Seeks Efficiency in Electric Construction Equipment BY SANDY LENDER

Leveraging over 400 Caterpillar advanced power system design patents, the new electric Cat R1700 XE LHD offers 100% battery electric propulsion. It is designed to match the performance of the diesel-powered R1700 while using switch-reluctance (SR) technology that draws from Caterpillar’s 15+ years of electric drivetrain experience and thousands of field application operating hours.

Editor’s Note: This article includes opinions of the author.

Many members of the asphalt industry have lately contemplated environmental product declarations, product category rules, life cycle cost analysis or net zero mapping. These tools are part of our vernacular in large part because environmental groups have grown nimble in their ability to point out a pavement’s cradle-to-grave greenhouse gas emissions potential, showing how ingredients have been sourced, crushed, transported, produced, and so on. Our community must often remind others of the recyclability of our product to present a complete LCCA that shows the true resilience of an asphalt pavement system. When it comes to the heart of an electric vehicle, we are often shown the magically appearing lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery pack “mid-stream.” I dare you to find an episode of “This is Your Life” for this battery. Instead, many blogs bemoan the horrors of the diesel engine as a CO2 emitter and claim: • all-electric equipment is powered by Li-ion battery packs and • all-electric equipment boasts net-zero carbon emissions. I posit, those two statements offer a dichotomy for us to overcome. It is my understanding that Li-ion battery packs are not a net-zero end game if you are mapping an EPD, LCCA or net-zero plan.

40 / December 2021

A trend I noticed during my research was writers’ propensity to ignore the Tier IV Final advances engine manufacturers have made in recent years. Statements like “[d]iesel-powered vehicles like dump trucks and LHD loaders emit massive amounts of harmful gasses,” courtesy of MarketsAndMarkets, kept catching me by surprise. Our industry has worked overtime to implement EPA emission standards for diesel engines with selective catalytic reduction (SCR) and diesel particulate filters (DPF) where bad actors are converted to harmless water and vapor. In fact, MarketsAndMarkets acknowledged, “as per the US EPA norms, NOx and PM levels have seen a decline of around 95.6% and 96.2%, respectively, from Tier I to Tier IV.” That’s a stat worth shouting from the rooftops.

BATTERY IMPROVEMENTS

Dr. James Edmondson, a senior technology analyst at IDTechEx, specializes in market research for materials and thermal management in electric vehicles and 5G technology. In his look into the portfolio of trends for EV data, published July 8, 2021, he pointed out different material demands between the Li-ion batteries in electric vehicles and the internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles. He wrote: “Whilst ICE

John Deere continues to incorporate the latest innovations and power solutions into its lineup of backhoe loaders including its first-ever joint test of a battery electric backhoe loader with National Grid. Aimed at lowering its carbon footprint and promoting sustainability, the Deere E-Power backhoe loader targets the performance of a 100-horsepower 310L diesel-powered machine, but with zero tailpipe emissions. drivetrains heavily rely on aluminum and steel alloys, Li-ion batteries also utilize many other materials such as nickel, cobalt, lithium, copper, insulation, thermal interface materials, and much more at a celland pack level.” During my research of electric off-highway vehicle (EOHV) batteries, I found a lengthily-titled, 211-page report from MarketsAndMarkets published in September 2020. The paid research portal reported in its summary section of opportunities in development of long-range and fast-charging battery technology: “Most electric off-highway vehicles are currently working on lithium-ion batteries due to their numerous advantages over lead-acid and nickel-metal hydride batteries. However, lithium-ion batteries have several limitations that affect battery performance. Limitations of lithium-ion batteries include issues related to robustness (as they require protection from being overcharged and discharged too far), limited power density, short lifespan (often 500-1,000 charge-discharge cycles before their capacity degrades), performance fluctuations with changing temperatures, rigidness, and high cost.” The opportunities section of the summary continued: “Solid-state batteries manufactured with stabilized solid electrolytes in lithium metal offer up to 10 times charging capacity compared to graphite-based Li-ion batteries. Moreover, solid-state batteries offer increased energy density, such as double energy for the same volume, and an increased lifespan of up to 10 years. Thus, many electric off-highway vehicle manufacturing companies are investing in the development of solid-state batteries.”

IDTechEx’s Edmondson, and colleague Dr. Alex Holland, shared similar good news, stating in their report, “Materials for Electric Vehicle Battery Cells and Packs 2021-2031,” that the energy density improvements of Li-ion cells might appear to be the most prominent battery improvements in the public eye. “[W]e are also seeing an increase in pack-level energy density at a greater rate than just cell-level improvements,” they wrote. Something I found echoed in conversations for this article is also found in the Edmondson and Holland report: When improving the battery design, the cell-pack weight can be decreased, which offers a lighter pack and/or multiple packs used in series. Here’s how the Edmondson and Holland report handled that explanation: “Manufacturers are improving their battery designs, the mass of materials being used around the cells is steadily being reduced, allowing for a lighter battery pack or more cells to be used for the same mass. The choice of materials for several pack components also affects these improvements. More interest is being paid to composite enclosures for light-weighting, fire-retardant materials, thermal interface materials and much more. The thermal management strategy also impacts these choices, with increased energy density and consumer demand for fast charging, the thermal management must be more effective, but also present a smaller and lighter package.” No one from Caterpillar was available to talk about battery electric vehicles (BEVs) for the construction industry, but information from around the web shows the company invested with Fisker prior to January 2019 with at least one goal of developing a solid-state battery for

www.THeAsphaltpro.com // 41

Caterpillar introduced the MEC500 mobile equipment charger during MINExpo September 2021. It’s equipped with a durable skid mount and integrated forklift eyes. It is designed to provide an alternative to expensive static charging station infrastructure, additional batteries, or battery handling and swapping. Specs: 500 kW charging and connector capability; 300 to 1,000 Volt, up to 700 Amp current output; units can be connected in parallel. Contact your Cat dealer for more details. the purpose of out-performing Li-ion batteries. This positive step is noteworthy. Given the probability that industry will create a better, more sustainable, longer-lasting, recyclable battery, let’s move on to the BEV discussion for the construction industry. Back in 2017, our associate editor Sarah Redohl shared with the industry a report from IDTechEx estimating that more than 165,000 fully electric machines would be operating in the construction, maintenance, agriculture and mining industries by 2027. We’re five years from goal and more than one source has referenced COVID-19 complications as a barrier to EOHV growth. Despite the pandemic’s disruptions, MarketsAndMarkets predicted September 2020 “global electric off-highway vehicle sales are expected to grow at a rate of 22.8% from 2020 to 2025.” Let’s take a look at how that growth could be assisting the asphalt industry.

ELECTRIC CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT JOINS OTHER GREEN OFFERINGS

Shortly before press time, I received word that Zeus Electric Chassis Inc., Minneapolis, Minnesota, had joined forces with EAVX and launched electric vocational trucks in the Zeus Power Platform. The Zeus Z-22 Class 6 electric vocational truck incorporates a Li-ion NMC battery, up to 175 kWh size.* *I am not comfortable trying to summarize the different sub-chemistries available for the Li-ion batteries and the temperature ranges in which each is designed to perform best versus the leaching potential when batteries are disposed of. I’ll leave that rabbit hole to the reader.

42 / December 2021

Bob Grinstead, founder and chief technology officer for Zeus, pointed out the best practices for users to charge the battery and keep the truck at optimum readiness for work. “A simple example is the Zeus 140 kWh battery system scenario,” Grinstead shared. “Our intelligent control system will monitor the battery depth of discharge (DOD) and control temperature to ensure optimum battery life. If we utilize our Level 2, 15-kW, on-board charger and if the fleet facility’s grid supports that power, we can fully charge the vehicle after a full day’s use in under eight hours. Plugging in the vehicle at the end of the day will ensure the battery is ‘topped off’ for the next day.” The Zeus trucks are designed for easy access to charging infrastructure as well. “The Zeus truck will interface with standard charging units from any number of suppliers,” Grinstead shared. “We offer an on-board Level 2, 15 kW liquid cooled charger and we interface effectively with DC fast charge options. We have other options for higher power on-board charging power when needed to meet customer specifications.” A few days later, Volvo Construction Equipment announced its prototype ZEUX© LX03 concept wheel loader, which President Melker Jernberg described this way: “It’s even more cool because it’s not a gadget, it is for real. It’s in the R&D phase and is not commercially available, but still, we will show the first fully autonomous, fully battery electric, and self-learning wheel loader concept. It has a brain to make decisions, to perform tasks and interact with humans.” Setting aside my Luddite fears of artificial intelligence uprisings, I was pleased to hear a leader of the R&D team speak not only of the system learning from its mistakes and history, but also speaking of

the elements a contractor/producer cares about: more tons. Joakim Unnebäck, specialist for machine applications and concepts, shared: “First of all, we are able to carry the material closer to the front axle and do the vertical lift...With that we increase the capacity significantly of the machine. Also do a lot more efficient bucket fill with the machine utilizing the ZEUX function.” The introduction to the LX03 didn’t provide information on battery capacity, staying power, and so on, but there are specs available for the company’s now commercially available, all-electric wheel loaders— the L20 and L25. Both are listed as operating in temperatures from 14 to 104 degrees F (–10 to 40 degrees C). The spec sheet also says, for a typical stop-start working pattern, the loaders should complete an eight-hour workday on a single charge; the battery also recovers energy during driving conditions while using the brake functions. This regenerative braking energy capture is a common—and important—theme to watch for in the EOHV conversation. I turned to the May 17, 2021, Volvo CE blog post, “Electric Construction Equipment Vs. Diesel Performance Comparisons” for additional answers. I found: “A final difference between the L25 electric wheel loader models is that in North America, we’re not initially offering a high-speed version of the electric loader in order to better maintain the battery during a full workday. The maximum speed of the electric L25 wheel loader is set at 10 mph (16 kph). The good news is that for most applications, high speed isn’t required. It’s mainly necessary if you have an application where you need to drive from jobsite to jobsite without hauling the machine.” A source I’m protecting shared a particular OEM’s anecdotes that included driving an electric haul truck up a hill, maxing out its battery and requiring recharging prior to working a shift. This demonstrates, to my mind, the necessity for attention to charging infrastructure, regenerative power on-board, “quick” battery swapping, or other accommodations for heavy equipment working in severe operating conditions. We’re telling crews they can work longer because the work is quieter, but the battery only lasts five to eight hours under the conditions of our industry. I’m not making up those numbers. In a Jan. 29, 2019, article titled “Caterpillar unveils an all-electric 26-ton excavator with a giant 300kWh battery pack,” Electrek’s Fred Lambert reported, “They believe that the battery capacity can enable between five and seven hours of use before needing to charge, which can be done overnight.” We’ll dive into charging and the infrastructure for that shortly. But let’s look at more equipment before we look into how to recharge it. Tangentially related to EOHV, Curry Supply Co., Martinsburg, Pennsylvania, offers a crash attenuator truck featuring the TrafFix Scorpion TMA Model TL-3 attenuator (and Wanco arrow board), which plug into vocational trucks. Jeff Shaw, VP of sales and marketing, explained the Curry Supply equipment is mounted on the electric vehicle chassis. He estimated the crash attenuator and solar panel boards can run three days on their own solar battery power and plug into the BEV for support. “Our equipment doesn’t draw much power from the chassis,” he said. If the workers fail to recharge the arrow board battery for whatever reason prior to arrival on a jobsite, plugging it into the BEV to recharge the battery doesn’t pose a heavy load for the truck. John Deere is currently testing its 310L backhoe loader with E-Power in the field. The company stated: “As a commitment to the next generation of backhoe loaders, John Deere has begun joint-testing its first-ever battery electric backhoe loader with National Grid, an electricity, natural gas and clean energy delivery company. Aimed at low-

ering its carbon footprint and promoting sustainability, the Deere E-Power backhoe loader targets the performance of a 100-horsepower 310L diesel-powered machine, but with zero tailpipe emissions.” The design is intended to provide lower daily operating costs, lower jobsite noise, enhanced machine reliability, and zero tailpipe emissions. Wirtgen Group, Antioch, Tennessee, currently offers a hybrid of a different nature, and its intriguing asphalt compactor deserves more than a footnote in this discussion of clever energy use. The HAMM HD+ 90i PH tandem roller combines a conventional ICE with a hydraulic accumulator, letting the diesel engine of 55.4 kW output handle the base load of the 9-metric-ton roller. Then the hydraulic system kicks in to handle peak loads. The smaller diesel engine meets Tier 4 standards, meaning it does not require an SCR catalytic converter, requires no DEF, is a quieter engine for the operator, and so on. Hamm Applications Support Manager Tim Kowalski said the HD+ 90i PH includes two hydraulic pressure tanks; the hydraulic accumulators and hydraulic pressure start up the vibration when it’s needed, which means less horsepower is drawn from the motor. The system regenerates the pressure during driving. He explained that municipalities can get “green” points or LEED credits for using lower emission equipment such as the HD+ 90i PH. Sweeper OEMs are also looking at ways to reduce emissions on job sites. M-B Companies Inc., Chilton, Ohio, offers the Schmidt eSwingo 200+ compact electric sweeper, which the company claims can operate up to 10 hours without recharging, and then recharges in four hours. The machine specs list the battery capacity at 75 kWh, but no one got back to me on battery type. Caterpillar celebrated a worldwide release of the Cat® R1700 XE underground battery electric LHD at MINExpo 2021 in September. The machine will be commercially available in select markets starting in the first quarter of 2022. The electric LHD vehicle features a “thermally stable Lithium Iron Phosphate battery system” to offer “15 tonnes (33,069 pounds), 18 kph (11.2 mph) fully loaded top speed and 2.5 hours of aggressive run time between charges.” To assist with charging, Cat also introduced the Cat MEC500 mobile equipment charger during MINExpo. I think this boxy-looking device could be a game-changer. Here’s what I know: “When charging the R1700 XE, the mobile charger immediately recognizes the loader, and all charging functions can be managed from the keypad at the MEC500 or LHD. Allowing for constant communication between the charger

Some Abbreviations of Note BEV = Battery Electric Vehicle DOD = Depth of Discharge EOHV = Electric Off-highway Vehicle EV = Electric Vehicle HEV = Hybrid Electric Vehicle ICE = Internal Combustion Engine kWh = Kilowatt hour LCO = Lithium Oxide Cobalt (a battery chemistry) LFP = Lithium Iron Phosphate (a battery chemistry) Li-ion = Lithium-ion MPGe = Miles per Gallon Equivalent NMC = Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide (a battery chemistry) PHEV = Plug-in-hybrid Electric Vehicle SCR = Selective Catalytic Reduction SLA = Sealed Lead Acid (a battery chemistry)

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The non-exclusive collaboration agreement between Zeus Electric Chassis Inc. and EAVX announced October 2021 will focus on integration of the JB Poindexter & Co (JBPCO) commercial truck bodies, utility truck bodies, and vehicle cargo management systems with the Zeus Power Platform. Zeus offers a fully configurable class 4-6 all-electric vocational work truck cab-chassis. The core of their business model is to align with market leading vocational work truck body manufacturers and enable them to bring highly effective EV solutions to industry fleets. “As EAVX works with the most advanced alternative energy chassis producers, having a partner like Zeus is beneficial, with their holistic approach to integration of systems between the cab-chassis and the body,” said EAVX chief operating officer and general manager, Mark Hope. “Zeus will enable us to demonstrate innovative severe-duty EV work truck solutions in 2022 with plans for commercialized units.” and the R1700 XE, the battery-powered vehicle management system dictates the exact amount of charge needed throughout the cycle, optimizing battery longevity.” The press release says this mobile unit can deliver a charge to the LHD in less than 30 minutes; if two units are connected in parallel, the charge time is less than 20 minutes. It would be a boon to the industry if Cat’s mobile charging unit can be “taught” to charge other Caterpillar EOHVs and/or other OEMs’ equipment, because it is designed to protect the battery from overcharging and the degradation that comes with such practices. The team at Zeus has already “taught” its batteries how to perform: “The battery efficiency does not change from hour one to hour eight if you size the capacity and power output properly up front,” Grinstead shared. “The battery capacity for the Zeus Power Platform™ is configurable to meet the demands of the job. We first understand requirements for desired range and energy demand for all auxiliary and work functions over an eight-hour day (as an example). In addition, we thermal manage the battery packs, keeping them in their optimum temperature range for performance and life.”

CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE

So far, we’re talking about charging heavy equipment at the shop or in the quarry. And that makes sense, given the nature of asphalt production and paving. In the EV conversation, consumers need a way to measure and understand energy consumption. Andrew Ganz shared in his article, “Your complete guide to MPGe, the electric equivalent of miles per gallon,” for Kelley Blue Book, Sept. 8, 2021, that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) developed the MPGe to offer a comparable unit of measure for an electric car’s energy consumption to a traditional car’s. “When the EPA devised MPGe in the early 2000s, the government agency calculated that 33.7 kilowatt-hours (kWh) of electricity is comparable to a gallon of fuel in terms of its energy content,” Ganz wrote. The example we’ll follow is, “a car that uses 33.7 kWh of electricity to travel 100 miles rates 100 MPGe.” What Ganz pointed out, and what

44 / December 2021

we’ll look at next in terms of electric equipment, is “MPGe cannot offer...a price comparison since the cost of a kWh varies considerably by location.” Looking at the cost of electricity in a residential setting, we see that the national average August 2021 was 10.42 cents per kWh. You can follow pricing trends day by day and state by state at EnergyBot.com. (Woe to Hawaii where the cost in August was 30.55 cents per kWh.) As experts are quick to point out, the utility company will likely offer a rate plan based on your level of use and/or time of use. HMA plant owners are familiar with this concept. Electricity used during peak-demand hours will cost more than electricity used during off-peak hours of low demand. It makes sense, then, to work with your utility to determine the best block of hours for recharging EVs, EOHVs and backup batteries. Let’s say you have a piece of equipment that requires eight hours to recharge. The Volvo CE blog recommended: “To have an optimal charging time for the machines, it’s strongly recommended to have a 240-volt, Level 2 A/C setup—the same as for electric cars. This is because on the L25, for example, charging time would take approximately 24 hours on a common household 120-volt network. We highly recommended customers be prepared with a 240-volt, 32 amp charging infrastructure to accommodate electric Volvo construction equipment. “As for when to charge, this takes a bit of a change in mindset. These machines can perform on one charge all day during a typical application, like utility work—but if they’re used in harsher environments, it may require a quick charge over lunch to ensure it’s ready to go for the afternoon. It’s important to have the right charging infrastructure available in these types of instances.” Keep in mind, the runtimes I’ve listed above of eight-hour shifts is no longer based on a solid eight hours after you’ve put the key in the ignition. EOHVs don’t accumulate hours when idle. From the Volvo CE blog post referenced above, “With diesel construction equipment, operating time is defined by the engine runtime, and a lot of those hours are counted while the machine is idle. With elec-

tric, as soon as the operator stops working (e.g. a landscaper waiting for pipe to be placed in a trench he’s just dug), the motors turn off and no operating hours are accumulated. So when you think about it, jobs over time that can rack up 10,000 hours on a diesel machine might only add 6,000 or 7,000 hours to a comparable electric machine. These saved hours lower operating costs, and in turn lower total cost of ownership.” It’s also important to have the right battery for the equipment application. In his October 2021 article for Interact Analysis, Senior Research Director Alastair Hayfield wrote, “there is good news on battery pricing for off-highway equipment. Our latest research has found that the industry expects prices to decline at a rate of 7-10% per year out to 2030 as the already evident boom in the electric passenger car market drives down the cost of cells and demand for off-highway vehicles increases.” Hayfield’s article, “Will Automotive Help Off-Highway Slash the Price of Electrified Components?,” showed a clear path to reduced battery costs due to economies of scale. It’s the concept of buying in bulk to get a better deal and he posits it will work for battery components, traction inverters for heavy machinery, and, to a lesser extent, some motors. “Larger motors used in heavy equipment such as big excavators offer the most scope for price declines,” he explained in his article. The concept is sound. The more OEMs can purchase/source their batteries, inverters, and motors from “cheaper and better” established experts, the better the pricing will be.

POWER UP, OFF, ON

As Ganz shared in his Kelley Blue Book article, “pulling 33.7 kWh of electricity from the grid in a place dependent on coal power is not quite the same as using wind power.” Whether he realized it or not, Ganz made a critical point that the BEV discussion needs to incorporate. “You’re saving the planet at your immediate point in time,” Kowalski said of the Li-ion battery. “But what happened before that point and what’s happening in the near future because of this product?” If producers and contractors are comfortable with advances toward battery sustainability and incorporate the charging infrastructure necessary to keep equipment at-the-ready, what landmines await? Will EOHVs be ready to go to work on a muggy summer morning if the power grid became overtaxed and failed during the night? Diesel Technology Forum wrote Oct. 19, 2021, on its Policy Insider blog that “[t]he best insurance policy against electrical grid supply disruptions is having your own backup electrical supply, such as a diesel generator. Data centers, residence owners, manufacturing and healthcare facilities, and critical government services have all invested in diesel backup generators as insurance to protect against economic and other losses that routinely occur from grid instability.” The Forum’s executive director, Allen Schaeffer, Frederick, Maryland, addressed consumer confidence in diesel backup systems considering power companies’ failures. Check out his guest commentary here. In addition to the re-growing BEV market post-COVID, the diesel engine is seeing growth as we head into 2022 thanks to environmentally friendly refinements. The Diesel Technology Forum reported in late October 2021 that the machines and equipment used to build and maintain our infrastructure have been critical during the pandemic. At its Policy Insider blog, the Forum wrote: “Most of these machines and equipment are powered by diesel and are all expecting growth in 2021 with sales of earthmoving equipment projected to be up 20 percent, material handling equipment up 30 percent and agricultural equipment up 10 percent. Tremendous investment in compact construction equip-

ment in 2020 drove sales up 10 percent, sustaining the equipment sector that saw drop offs in other larger machine categories. In the ag sector, sales of tractors under 40 hp was higher in 2020 and is expected to level out in 2021. Future drivers include the overall state of the economy, federal spending and the potential for investment from the infrastructure bill now in Congress. (Data source: yengstassociates.com)” To wrap this all up, I feel as if I’ve thrown everything but the kitchen sink into this discussion. I don’t want readers to leave the piece with a negative view of EOHVs; I think anything our industry can do to alleviate noise and air pollution, or further reduce GHGs is a step in the right direction. EOHVs are a step in the right direction. What I’d like to see is the growth of Hayfield’s economies of scale for safely-sourced battery materials. I’d like to see OEMs demanding excellence in performance from long-lived battery cell packs so producers and contractors can have the lengthy, quiet, fume-free shifts of heightened productivity that our industry needs to produce the tons and pavements for a tax base that’s paying attention.

Charging Infrastructure The Florida Department of Transportation hosted an Electric Vehicle Workshop Oct. 21 in which multiple stakeholders discussed private heavy-duty fleets, long-haul trucks, construction vehicles, and other vehicles that would place charging demands on the state’s highway system. Charging while driving with in-road wireless charging using inductive loop technology would require electric vehicles (EVs) to have on-board equipment for this purpose, but is on the DOT’s radar now. Extreme Fast Charging (XFC) for heavy-duty vehicles, those requiring >150kW support, will get their own dedicated charging network under the plans being considered. Trucks traveling to and from work sites would hardly benefit from this technology, but something a haul truck driver might benefit from, if he or she has not planned ahead, is having a pull-off area where the construction vehicle can recharge before traveling back to the plant. Track with me here. While no paving foreman wants to see a haul truck driver stop along the route for any reason, if electric haul trucks join the fleet, there could be a propensity for drivers to forget proper charging protocol. The American Trucking Association’s Law Enforcement Advisory Board’s (LEAB) mission is to strengthen relationships between the trucking industry and law enforcement organizations across the country. To that end, safety, education and compliance take precedent when LEAB identifies and prioritizes industry issues. For example, LEAB invests resources and combined member expertise to address the industry need to increase truck parking capacity and ensure driver safety at rest stops. Fred Fakkema, vice president of safety and compliance at Zonar and vice chair of LEAB added, “In addition to LEAB’s existing efforts to increase awareness of this safety issue, infrastructure investments are being made at the Federal level in the proposed Truck Parking Safety Improvement Act. We aim to help prioritize investments and ensure that they don’t supersede or compete with the current dire needs of the industry. However, investments in EV charging stations for cars and trucks are also highlighted in proposed infrastructure investments and are certainly a need as fleets adopt more electric vehicles. As we consider improvements to infrastructure, Federal legislation should aim to find dual use for rest stops, with more EV charging stations for commercial vehicles at these pull off areas. This will not only improve safety on the roads by allowing truck drivers to take necessary rest stops to avoid driver fatigue, but it will also support EV infrastructure and the innovations/advancement in trucking technology.”

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Perpetual Pavement Performs for “Peanut Capital of the World”

Perpetual Pavement Award winner SR 210/Ross Clark Circle has gained just 3.3 inches of pavement in 63 years of service. BY SARAH REDOHL

ALDOT has been recognized with 12 Perpetual Pavement Awards from the Asphalt Pavement Alliance (APA). In its 63 years of service, Alabama’s State Route 210/Ross Clark Circle has only gained 3.3 inches of pavement and has been resurfaced just three times. One section of the 15mile bypass surrounding the city of Dothan has performed so well that it earned a Perpetual Pavement Award from the Asphalt Pavement Alliance (APA). “The pavement on this section in the City of Dothan has proven to withstand both time and traffic,” said Chris Huner, Troy area op-

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erations engineer for the Alabama Department of Transportation’s southeast region. Huner has traveled through Dothan for decades, long enough to watch the city grow and change. When SR 210, known to locals as “The Circle,” was first opened to traffic in 1958, the population of Dothan was less than half what it is today. “Today, Dothan is one of southern Alabama’s largest population centers outside of Montgomery,” Huner said, “and the larg-

est population center for 150 miles in each direction.” Dothan, the Peanut Capital of the World, has long been known for its agriculture. Although agriculture remains the city’s largest industry, Dothan now serves as a transportation and commercial hub for southeastern Alabama, southwestern Georgia, and parts of the Florida Panhandle. It’s also the point at which several U.S. routes converge, including U.S. 231, which runs the length of Alabama, U.S. 84, which

runs from Mississippi to Georgia, and U.S. 431, which brings with it a lot of traffic from the Atlanta area to the popular tourist destination of Panama City. “The Circle is a vital route for people passing through Dothan,” Huner said, “but it’s also vital to the growth and development of the city as well.”

ALDOT’s southeast region encompasses nine counties in Alabama, including Houston County, where the award-winning pavement is located.

PERPETUAL PAVEMENT, PAST

APA’s Perpetual Pavement Award recognizes agencies and owners whose pavements demonstrate the characteristics of a long-lasting pavement: excellence in design, quality in construction and value to taxpayers. Since the awards began in 2001, the program has recognized 156 long-life pavements in 31 U.S. states and one Canadian province. “The advantages of these perpetual pavements are significant,” said Amy Miller, P.E., national director of the APA. “Life-cycle costs are lower because deep pavement repairs and reconstruction are avoided. User delays are reduced because minor surface rehabilitation requires shorter work windows and can avoid peak traffic hours. And there are environmental benefits because minimal rehabilitation, combined with recycling any materials that are removed from the pavement surface, reduces the amount of material resources required over the pavement’s life.” To qualify for a Perpetual Pavement Award, a pavement must be at least 35 years old and have never experienced a structural failure, with the average interval between resurfacing no less than 13 years. Not only did the 5-mile section of SR 210 meet those requirements, it exceeded them. The average interval between resurfacing is 20 years. SR 210 was first opened to traffic in 1958. The original road consisted of 6 inches of compacted soil subbase, 6 inches of compacted granular base, 4 inches of compacted soil aggregate base, 2.3 inches of asphalt binder course, and 0.7 inches of asphalt wearing course. This provided a total asphalt thickness of 3 inches. In 1980, 22 years later, ALDOT performed its first resurfacing of the road, placing a 0.5inch surface treatment, followed by a 0.5-

When ALDOT released the bid for the expansion of SR 210 from four lanes to six in 2019, it tried to match the existing pavement structure that had performed so well. inch leveling course, and a 0.9-inch wearing course for a total thickness of 4.9 inches. In 1999, the road was resurfaced again. The contractor milled 2.75 inches off the existing surface and placed a 2.75-inch binder course and a 1.4-inch wearing course for a total thickness of 6.3 inches. The most recent resurfacing occurred in 2018, when 1.4 inches were milled from the existing pavement and replaced with a 1.4inch wearing course, with the total thickness remaining 6.3 inches.

PERPETUAL PAVEMENT, FUTURE

Although SR 210 has continued to hold up extremely well in its six-decade life, increased traffic required ALDOT to expand the fourlane divided highway into a six-lane divided highway on the section between U.S. 231 South and U.S. 231 North. “When The Circle was first built, it was outside the city limits, but the city has grown beyond The Circle,” Huner said. “Now, it’s more of an urban freeway.” Although ALDOT doesn’t have the average annual daily traffic figures from when the road was first built, Huner’s department extrapolated backwards based on traffic growth

trends in the area, based on the past 40 years of data. He estimates the original AADT to be around 15,000 with 7 percent truck traffic. Now, the award-winning section of the road accommodates an AADT of 40,000 with 8 percent truck traffic. When ALDOT released the bid for the expansion in 2019, it tried to match the existing pavement structure that had performed so well. The contractor, Midsouth Paving, Birmingham, Alabama, placed 6 inches of crushed aggregate base and 6.3 inches of asphalt: a 3-inch binder course, a 2-inch upper binder course, and a 1.3-inch wearing course. The contractor also milled 1.3 inches on the existing four lanes before placing the same 1.3-inch wearing course on those lanes, too. “The remaining 8 miles of The Circle continue to hold up well under moderate to heavy traffic,” Huner said, adding that they were not included in ALDOT’s Perpetual Pavement Award submission because their traffic count did not meet the award’s criteria. “Expanding the western half of The Circle to six lanes is part of our long term plan, but we started with the busiest section of The Circle,” Huner said. “In the meantime, ALDOT will continue to maintain and resurface

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Although SR 210 has continued to hold up extremely well in its six-decade life, increased traffic required ALDOT to expand the four-lane divided highway into a six-lane divided highway on the section between U.S. 231 South and U.S. 231 North. When Ross Clark Circle was first built in 1958, it was outside the city limits, but the city has grown beyond The Circle. The bottom right photo was taken in 1974. the other sections so they will continue to provide a high level of service.” If the rest of SR 210 continues its historic high performance as traffic counts increase, perhaps ALDOT will bag another Perpetual Pavement Award. To date, ALDOT has won 12 Perpetual Pavement Awards, two of them within the Troy area of the southeast region.

THE SECRET OF LONG-LASTING PAVEMENTS

Huner said the success of SR 210—and ALDOT’s 11 other Perpetual Pavement Award winners—can be attributed to several factors, including quality materials, preventative maintenance and quality contractors. “One thing that helped this road last is the high quality subgrade material below,” he said. “Having 12 to 16 inches of base has shown the value of a quality base to the life of the pavement. Roads built today don’t get 16 inches of base; the funding just doesn’t allow that.”

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Huner also credits ALDOT’s maintenance strategy, which is divided into preventative maintenance and minor rehabilitation. Preventative maintenance is further divided into two subcategories. PM1 includes crack sealing, seal coats, chips seals, and thin overlays up to 1 inch. PM2 includes wearing surfaces up to 2 inches. Minor rehabilitation includes milling up to 5 inches and placement of a binder layer and wearing surface. ALDOT plans for PM1 projects on pavements five to seven years old, and PM2 projects around 12 to 15 years old. Huner thinks the key to Alabama’s success with perpetual pavements is a result of its relationship with the state’s asphalt industry. “We have a good working relationship between ALDOT and the asphalt paving community,” he said. “They are subject matter experts, we hire them to help us maintain our roads, and they do a very good job.” The involvement of the Alabama Asphalt Pavement Association is also helpful. “They are very involved and regularly

offer input on construction best practices,” Huner said. Proximity to the National Center for Asphalt Technology in Auburn, Alabama, has also helped. “ALDOT has been involved in a lot of NCAT research projects, and NCAT has been a great resource for us. I think the whole roadway system in the state of Alabama benefits from having NCAT in our state.” Pair those factors with high quality continuing education and training opportunities for their engineers and a solid quality control program for asphalt pavements dating back to the ’90s, Huner said, and you’ve got a recipe for long-lasting asphalt pavements that wins again and again. “The benefit of long lasting pavements is that we don’t have to impede traffic as often to repair the road and we can spend that money to resurface more lane miles,” Huner said. “We’re very proud of the performance of [SR 210], we’re very proud to have won the award, and we’re proud to have provided a high level of service to the traveling public.”

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Application of bitumen emulsion is applied and asphalt paving is completed in one pass. The paver’s spray jet creates an even film of emulsion covering the entire area, and prevents contamination of the jobsite.

SPRAY TO PAVE APS used Vögele’s SprayJet paver to accomplish Route 8 project for NJDOT

During a night job on New Jersey’s Route 8, the crew at Asphalt Paving Systems Inc. (APS), was using their Vögele Super 1800-3i SprayJet paver and the VR 600 screed with rear-mounted extensions. The 19-mile section consisted of 7 miles of southbound lanes and 12 miles of northbound. Tom Zook, the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) resident engineer on site stated that APS’ new SprayJet paver with an integral bond coat spray system was contracted to place polymer-modified ultrathin bonded overlay, 3/4-inches deep and 12 feet, 6 inches wide. “The goal,” Zook said, “is to save state tax dollars by designating this project pavement preservation, which is funded by the federal government.” Unlike a traditional mill and fill job, pavement preservation is achieved by prolonging the life of the existing asphalt by applying a new ride course of ultrathin bonded overlay.

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BY JANIE GALLAGHER

This was just the second time APS had the opportunity to demonstrate this technology to NJDOT. “It is a process we could use more of,” Zook said. Shooting polymer-modified emulsion at a rate of 0.23 pounds per square foot immediately prior to paving is designed to provide superior bonding of the overlay to the existing pavement without the mess of traditional tack methods. Zook commented that in his 13 years of experience, tack traditionally gets picked up by the material transfer vehicle, dump trucks and paver tracks right where the new asphalt bond is most important—the vehicle wheel path. It can also make a mess of the jobsite. As the Vögele Super 1800-3i SprayJet paver moved down Route 8 at a consistent 57 feet per minute, the owner of APS, Bobby Capoferri stated, “In my opinion there is no other machine on the market that will lay a thin

Step 1. Using polymer-modified emulsion from the onboard tank, a computercontrolled spray system built into the Vögele Super 1800-3i SprayJet sprays a bond coat over a width up to 19 feet, 8 inches directly in front of the ultrathin bonded overlay. In addition to bonding the new open graded surface mix and existing asphalt road together, the emulsion creates a water barrier membrane, preventing water from wicking up through the pavement, causing freeze/thaw fractures. Step 2. On top of this bond coat, the paver immediately places a polymermodified, open-graded surface mix—fed by truck or material transfer vehicle—that cures very rapidly as it is compacted by a static roller. The resulting ultrathin lift optimizes water penetration to improve vehicle traction, while mitigating tire noise and back spray. The one-pass construction process moves quickly, minimizing the time necessary for lane closure and inconvenience to the traveling public. It also reduces the time crews are exposed to dangerous vehicle traffic.

LEFT: Here the Super 1800-3i SprayJet paver with spray assembly for bitumen emulsion paves a thin surface layer “hot on hot” on top of sealer. With the extra tank, a total of 1,875 gallons of bitumen emulsion are available for spraying. RIGHT: “In my opinion there is no other machine on the market that will lay a thin overlay like the Vögele will, and I’ve had them all,” said Bobby Capoferri, Owner Asphalt Paving Systems Inc., pictured with Tom Zook of NJDOT (right) and David Salzmann of Wirtgen America (center). This photograph was taken in compliance with the Coronavirus rules in effect on-site at that time. overlay like the Vögele will and I’ve had them all.” Starting in the Mid 1990s with NovaChip, Capoferri has a level of expertise that is rare in the roadbuilding industry. As a matter of fact, he owned the first purpose-built Vögele in the United States and now has three Super 1800-3i SprayJet pavers to cover the 11 states where his company is DOT-certified.

The Vögele Super 1800-3i SprayJet has five spray bars with a total of 24 spray nozzles spaced 10 inches apart with a 120° spray cone. Depending on the type of emulsion and nozzle size, the rate of spread can be varied between 0.06 pounds per square foot to 0.33 pounds per square foot. All the paver operator has to do is set the required

quantity before spraying starts. The nozzles operate in pulsed mode rather than continuously. This, combined with the low spraying pressure of 43.5-psi, means that misting is almost completely prevented. Vögele technology, according to Capoferri, “allows us to take a road that was so-so and you can come up with something better.”

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Product Gallery

IS YOUR LAB READY FOR BMD? The product gallery listings we bring you each month alternately focus on mix production and paving- and pavement maintenance-related equipment and services. This month we’re shaking things up with a deep dive into what laboratory and testing equipment manufacturers and providers have on offer. If you’ve been following along with our weekly toolbox tips emails, you know we recently showed how to perform I-FIT and IDEAL-CT tests. These are merely two of the tests associated with the balanced mix design (BMD) concept taking hold in the United States. What else is associated with BMD implementation? In the guidance document it’s preparing for the National Cooperative Highway Research Program project 10 107, the National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT) has identified eight tasks for BMD implementation. Rather than step on NCAT’s copyright, I’ll point you to the Fall 2021 NCAT Newsletter for a detailed look at those eight tasks. NCAT Director Randy West shared that one of the positives of BMD is it will overcome the shortcomings of the Superpave mix design system, which has a great deal of dependence on aggregate specific gravity. At the BMD Implementation Conference Sept. 2-3, 2021, presenters seemed unified in the message that the Superpave system solved problems of rutting seen in pavements prior to the 1990s, but did not fully address problems of cracking in pavements. BMD’s goal is to find the sweet spot, and to do so while giving contractors a bit more latitude. “BMD tests will give us better measures of a mixture’s resistance to rutting and cracking or other critical distress and therefore will lead to better performing pavements,” West shared. “It will also enable contractors to be more innovative in how they meet the BMD criteria.” If mix producers, designers or others in the field are concerned about new equipment additions or new testing criteria,

54 / December 2021

there are resources at the NCAT website to assuage fears and walk professionals through steps for adding lab “infrastructure.” Visit https://eng.auburn.edu/research/centers/ncat/education/bmd.html But there’s more happening in the world of quality control/quality assurance than finding the most expedient way to implement BMD-favored testing protocol. Let’s take a look at the next few pages to see what equipment manufacturers and lab service providers shared with you for this special gallery.

ATS

Asphalt Testing Solutions & Engineering (ATS), Jacksonville, Florida, offers asphalt performance testing and mix design. ATS operates its performance testing lab on Duval Asphalt’s production facility. The performance lab is AASHTO accredited for hot-mix asphalt, aggregates and asphalt binder testing, and is also validated by the US Army Corp of Engineers’ Material Testing Center. The ATS Mix Design lab is part of the performance lab providing custom designs for Superpave, porous friction course, Marshall, FAA, cold recycled asphalt and pavement preservation. Because it is housed on an asphalt producer’s site, ATS can run research mixes through the plant to provide realistic handling and sampling data. The ATS performance testing lab offers services such as Semi-Circular Bend (SCB), Cantabro, Draindown, IDEAL-CT, Interlayer Shear Strength (Bond Strength), Indirect Tensile Strength (IDT), Tensile Strength Ratio (TSR), Hamburg Wheel Tracking (HWT), Asphalt Pavement Analyzer (APA), Asphalt Ignition Oven, Marshall Stability and Flow, Bulk Specific Gravity and Maximum Specific Gravity. As performance testing requirements are implemented around the country, the team at ATS is equipped to design balanced mix design and test materials to predict future behavior of pavements. For more information, contact Tanya Nash at (904) 503-5100.

BLUEGRASS

Bluegrass Testing Laboratory, located in Louisville, Kentucky, is a construction materials testing laboratory providing a multitude of materials testing services. Bluegrass Testing Laboratory, since its inception, has been focused on asphalt mix designs, and binder and aggregate testing. With the national focus of most states on implementation of the balanced mix design process, Bluegrass Testing Laboratory is now heavily involved with providing training courses for BMD. The BMD training courses detail the key tests presently focused on, case studies of actual BMD test mixtures and highly interactive class participation. If your interest is becoming more knowledgeable of the tests and seeing what factors affect the test outcomes, these classes may be of benefit to you. For more information, contact Scott Quire at (502) 822-0303 or squire@ bluegrasstesting.com.

STANSTEEL

The Asphalt Safe-T Station from Stansteel and Hotmix Parts, Louisville, Kentucky, is an in-line liquid asphalt cement (AC) sample port that encloses the sample container. It is designed to remove any harm of burn or injury. The Safe-T Station is large enough to fit a one-gallon sample container but also provides the safety of taking a quart size sample. The door of the enclosed collection container includes a viewing glass so the person collecting the sample can get the amount needed. The Safe-T Station takes safety another step further by not allowing the plug valve to release AC unless the door is securely closed. There is also a safety latch for the plug valve handle when not in use. This ensures the plug valve cannot be accidently activated when no one is present. The Safe-T Station is versatile to your plant setup. It can be incorporated into all brands of asphalt plants, according to the manufacturer. The AC line is fully jacketed and comes in 3-inch or 4-inch lines and can also be horizontal or vertical. Many have

WE HAVE YOUR HAULING NEEDS COVERED The PQI 380 from TransTech is the fourth-generation non-nuclear asphalt density gauge. The Asphalt Safe-T Station from Stansteel and Hotmix Parts offers safe inline AC sampling. even begun using the Safe-T Station after the unloading pump to ensure they are receiving the correct AC from the refinery for total quality assurance. For more information, visit https:// stansteel.com/safe-t-station/.

TRANSTECH

TransTech Systems Inc., Latham, New York, is the originator, developer and creator of non-nuclear density technology for quality control in determining in-process asphalt density. The Pavement Quality Indicator (PQI) Model 380 is TransTech Systems’ latest and fourth-generation non-nuclear asphalt density gauge. The TransTech Systems team offers a resource for knowledge about density and compaction of asphalt and soils. Non-nuclear technology offers many benefits to the user and the owner— lightweight, easy to learn and operate, four reading modes, download data easily by USB, GPS location recording for reports, a quick swappable rechargeable battery, no licensing required, can be used by anyone (no badge/training requirements), no transportation restrictions, gauges can cross state lines without additional fees and administrative

burdens, according to the manufacturer. If a contractor has a mishap on a worksite and a density gauge gets damaged/run over/dropped/or falls off the tailgate, this is not a problem with the PQI 380. Merely call the TransTech office to replace the gauge. There’s no need to call various authorities or to complete cumbersome governmental paperwork while shutting down a job site due to possible exposures. TransTech Systems states it has cemented its place in the road construction industry by inventing an innovative use of capacitance technology and continuously developing and improving it for more than 25 years. The PQI 380 conforms to ASTM Standard D7113 and AASHTO T 343-12 and is used worldwide with distributors in over 87 countries. For more information, contact John Lamond, jlamond@transtechsys.com or visit - http://transtechsys.com/products/ pqi380.

TROXLER

Troxler Electronic Laboratories Inc., Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, recently announced the new, low activity, license-exempt gauge: the EGauge™ Model 4540 asphalt & soil density gauge. The company states it is the first gauge of its kind, being able to test both soil and asphalt without the hassle of licenses, reciprocity or inspections. It incorporates nuclear technology, while using both direct transmission and backscatter.

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Product Gallery The new EGauge is designed to give accurate and reliable results, meeting or exceeding ASTM D2950 and D8167. NRC License exemption valid in USA only. Additional country agency exemptions are pending. For more information, contact 1 (877) TROXLER.

WIRTGEN

Foamed bitumen is used to an ever-increasing extent as an economical binder in cold recycling. Preliminary testing with the mobile WLB 10 S laboratory plant from Wirtgen Group, Antioch, Tennessee, enables foamed bitumen quality to be precisely determined in the lab prior to the start of construction by offering one-to-one simulation of the cold recycling process in the lab. Simple handling permits different parameters, such as water quantity, pressure and temperature, to be varied quickly, and different types of foamed bitumen to be produced within a short period of time. Based on the results achieved, the WLM 30 laboratory mixer

can then be used to determine the mix proportion and to define the optimum bitumen foam for production of the test specimens. The integrated air compressor enables the plant to be operated even in those locations where there is no external supply of compressed air. The plant can also be used to test the suitability of mixes by adding cement or lime in combination with foamed bitumen. Direct injection of the foamed bitumen into the mixing chamber of the WLM 30 laboratory mixer enables mixes to be processed to specification and test specimens to be produced. The WLM 30 has a capacity of approximately 30 kg, and additionally offers variable settings for speed and mixing time. The mixing chamber is simply pivoted downwards about 180° and the cover opened to allow discharge of the mix. When used separately, the WLM 30 is suitable for most diverse mix proportions. Preliminary testing includes the procurement of source materials, determination of the mix formula, and suitability testing on the test

The WLB 10 S laboratory-scale foamed bitumen plant is used to carry out series of tests to determine foamed bitumen properties. specimens. Using the WLB 10 S and WLM 30 laboratory plants permits the final pavement design to be determined in advance. The two machines are designed to ensure an accurate analysis of mixes produced from granulated asphalt, virgin materials or a mixture of both. For more information, contact Matt Graves at (615) 501-0600 or visit https://www.wirtgengroup.com/ocs/en-us/wirtgen/wlb-10-s-712-p/

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Turn your surplus asphalt plant equipment into much needed plant upgrades.

GTB-5503A CMI® Stationary (6) Bin Cold Feed System

GTB-5503D Cedarapids® Stationary Parallel Flow Drum

1-800-826-0223 stansteelused.com GTB-5503I Cedarapids® 46,000 Stationary Pulsejet Baghouse

GTB-5503J1 CEI® 30,000 Gallon Stationary Split AC Tank

GTB-5503J3 Stansteel® Hot Oil Heater

GTB-5503L Cedarapids®/Stansteel® 470 Ton Stationary Silo System

For more information on the items above and more, call or visit our website. Availability, price and condition subject to change by Stansteel®. Specifications are accurate to our knowledge, however; they are not guaranteed. All prices are in U.S. dollars unless otherwise noted. Equipment is sold on the basis of as is, where is, therefore, Stansteel® recommends inspection by buyer of any used equipment to determine suitability to their requirements.

Off the Mat

Overcome Software Integration Challenges I

In today’s market we have more choices than ever when it comes to purchasing decisions. While not the primary focus of many paving companies, considering what software packages to use should be a top decision. There seem to be two general approaches in the market from software providers—the “one stop shop” or the “hub and spoke model.”

ONE STOP SHOP

A software package that can handle everything has certain attractions. Having the employees of the company only need to understand how to use one system creates significant economies of scale. Project managers can trust real time feedback in the system as being accurate and complete information with no concerns of missing data. Accounting is often the primary driver of choosing the main Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP). In construction, many employees need to have access to the ERP for various reasons. For example, project managers, project executives or project administrators all need access to gain information as to the status of their projects on a daily basis. Estimating and job costing are integral to a paving company running efficiently. Some ERPs have estimating, job costing, payroll and accounting integrated. These fully integrated one-stop-shop models allow for all users to log into one system and not have to piecemeal information together from multiple software packages. Ensuring a “clean” handoff of information from estimating to job costing is essential. A best practice is to estimate a job the same way the company charges costs to a job. This allows for the team to conduct a post close job review where the original estimate is compared to the final results. If certain costs are used in the estimate but not actually charged to the job, the project results will be skewed by those factors. For instance, if an equipment charge is used as part of the estimate, but not part of the actual job cost, then the project should come in more profitable than the original estimate. Having an integrated ERP that has both estimating and job costing allows for a better chance that the contractor will have a consistent approach to job costing and estimating. When using multiple software products, the estimate is done in one software, transferred to the accounting software and, finally, the field reports in a third software. Asphalt plants have similar challenges in multiple software products. Plant controls and plant loadout software packages can come from different software providers. Having a consistent software among both platforms has its benefits, however certain companies excel at plant controls and others excel at plant loadout. Understanding how seamless it is to get the information from the plant loadout to the accounting ERP can play a critical role in a company’s decision on what software to use for the loadout side. It is even more critical for the plant operator that the plant controls and loadout software integrate with each other. For instance, if the loadout system doesn’t communicate with the operations the ton-

58 / December 2021

nage in each silo count could get off, and that could lead the operator to make mistakes and either have an empty silo or an overfilled silo. Human resources information systems (HRIS) are also considerations for tie into the ERP. Does the system have tracking for things like payroll, benefits, PTO accruals, employment application monitoring, etc. A true HRIS can be robust and certain ERPs may have some of the capabilities of the HRIS platform; however, an HRIS developed specifically for HR commonly has a much deeper bench of tools for tracking.

HUB AND SPOKE

There are several benefits of the hub and spoke model; however, one major drawback can be data redundancy. Maintaining multiple software packages creates the need to have “unique identification keys” throughout the packages. For instance, to have the plant loadout software track tickets, that information contains a customer identification number; it may not be what the accounting team uses for the billing software. The information is exported from the loadout system and into the accounting ERP. Both systems need to use the same customer ID number to have a match of data and ensure the information from the loadout software makes it accurately to the accounting ERP. When new customers are added, they need to be set up in both systems. In a fully integrated one stop shop scenario, the customer information is entered one time and updated and tracked throughout all systems ensuring consistency in the information. For the hub and spoke model, when information is taken from the spoke software and sent back to the hub, is it a live connection or a static connection? If a company uses a software in the field to track payroll, equipment hours and cost code information, how does that information make it back to the accounting ERP? Is there a live connection that can identify all changes and import that information to the accounting ERP? Does it require a static (point in time) export and import of information and if so, what happens when information is changed in the field software after the import? Does the company just accept the information mismatch at that point or is there a way to efficiently go back and validate all the data to ensure there is no mismatch? These concepts can be far reaching and span across many different software platforms for consideration. A general recommendation would be for all data to end up in one centralized location, regardless of software model used, to allow for efficiencies in internal and external reporting. – BY SEAN RIZER

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

here’s how it works Step 1.

The gas stream slows rapidly as it enters the pre-filtration area and solid particulate matter settles out of the air flow.

Step 2.

The gas stream makes a 90-degree turn into a bank of prefilters.

Step 3.

Prefilters collect solid particulate matter and large liquid particles.

Step 4.

The gas stream passes downward through openings in the tubesheet into the oil collection chamber.

Step 5.

The gas stream is pulled upward through the main coalescing filters in the collection chamber.

Step 6.

Collection Occurs. (See Figure 6)

Figure 6.

Step 7.

Captured particles coalesce into droplets large enough for gravity to pull through the coalescing filters. Step 8.

Droplets collect beneath the tubesheet and can be removed for recycling or combustion via a valve.

Inertial Impaction Inertial Impaction = Particles continue along their original path until colliding with a fiber, which removes them from the gas stream.

Interception

Diﬀusion

Diffusion = Random collisions with air Interception = Particles brush against molecules allow particles to move the edge of a fiber, which removes them independently of the streamline until from the gas stream. they make contact with the media fibers and are removed from the gas stream.

Astec’s Fiberbed Mist Collector T

The fiberbed mist collector from Astec Industries, Chattanooga, is designed to control emission opacity by removing hydrocarbons from the incoming gas stream. Here’s how it works: Gases enter a pre-filtration area at the inlet of the fiberbed. Here the gas stream rapidly decreases in velocity and solid particulate matter settles out of the airflow. The gas stream then makes a 90-degree turn into a bank of prefilters for further collection of solid particulate matter and large liquid particles. After the pre-filtration compartment, the gas stream is directed downward through openings in the tubesheet into the oil collection chamber. Next, the gas stream is pulled upward through the main coalescing filters where liquid droplets collect on the inner media surface. Gravity pulls accumulated droplets through the coalescing candle filters

60 / December 2021

into the oil collection chamber. Clear air exits the fiberbed and is exhausted through a stack atop the system fan. As the gas stream flows through the coalescing candle filters, air molecules flow around obstacles—the individual media fibers—in their paths. However, hydrocarbon particles in the 5-micron range and larger, will not. Inertia forces these large particles to continue their original path until colliding with a fiber, which removes them from the gas stream. This is referred to as impaction. Hydrocarbon particles in the 1- to 3-micron range are collected via interception when they graze against the media fibers. Particles below 1-micron in diameter follow the streamline as it flows between the micro-glass fibers. They exhibit random motion, which is known as Brownian diffusion. This phenomenon is due to collisions with air molecules within the gas stream.

The random movements allow particles to move independently of the streamline itself. Particles tend to migrate from areas of high concentration to areas of lower concentration. Those particles that contact the media fibers are removed from the gas stream. Particle concentration near the fiber surface will go to zero thus continuing to drive the diffusion/collection process. Captured particles coalesce into droplets, which gravity pulls through the filters to accumulate in a collection chamber located beneath the tubesheet. The bottom of the chamber slopes toward the inlet of the unit to facilitate removal of the collected hydrocarbons through a valve. The collected compounds are primarily oils, so they may be recycled or combusted, as required by local regs and permit conditions. For more information, visit www.astecindustries.com or call Catherine Sutton Choate at (423) 827-1387.

New Tech

ARA Launches RentalHQ Mobile App ARA’s new RentalHQ app aims to make it easier to find your next equipment rental on-the-go. Each year, more than 750,000 visitors use online rental store locator website RentalHQ.com to quickly and easily find the rental equipment they need. The new RentalHQ mobile app, released September 2021, aims to put benefits of RentalHQ.com at construction professionals’ fingertips. Developed by the American Rental Association (ARA), the RentalHQ app offers a simple search feature with various fields for equipment type and location. RentalHQ can be used Searches then deliver a list of loto find construction cal ARA-member rental partners rentals, along with other carrying the equipment, ranging equipment and event from loaders and backhoes to haul rentals. trucks and mini excavators, alongside the mapped location of the rental partner, contact details and website for each store. ARA members include more than 11,000 rental businesses and more than 1,000 manufacturers and suppliers, located in every U.S. state, every Canadian province and more than 50 countries worldwide. “Contractors are busy people who don’t have time to search for rental equipment when it’s needed now,” said Debby Schaller, Vice President of Marketing for ARA. “By using the app, construction professionals will be quickly matched with nearby rental partners they can work with for a clean and safe rental experience.” That means construction professionals can find the rental equipment they need right from the job site. In addition to the app’s search function, users will also find helpful articles and tips on equipment best practices with new topics being added often. “Our purpose with the RentalHQ app is to provide technology that makes the equipment rental experience as easy, fast and reliable as possible,” Schaller said. Construction professionals can download the RentalHQ app for both Apple and Android devices.

– BY SARAH REDOHL

www.THeAsphaltpro.com // 61

2022 NAPA ANNUAL MEETING

SC TTSDALE

January 23-26 The Phoenician AsphaltPavement.org/Annual

Online update

AsphaltPro, Online

Join the conversation with AsphaltPro online, on our social channels, our website and our blog. Headlines from the AsphaltPro blog: theasphaltpro.com/asphalt-blog

→ 26 U.S. Cities to Turn Asphalt Roads into Works of Art → Volvo CE Unveils CX01 SingleDrum Autonomous Asphalt Compactor Concept → How to Participate in the First-Annual Construction Inclusion Week We Asked, You Answered! What’s the hardest part about paving at an airport? • FAA lab specs • Time limitations • Compaction/density • Grade control • The need to pave continuously Do you agree? Join the conversation online!

✈

Photo courtesy of CalAPA

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ad index Almix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

Meeker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37

Applied Test Systems . . . . . . . . . 26

Meyer Lab . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64

Asphalt Drum Mixers . . . . . . . . . .46

Minds . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 33

Astec Industries . . . Inside Front Cover

National Credit Card Group . . . . . .63

B & S Light . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .24

Process Heating . . . . . . . . . . . . .56

Blaw Knox . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .9

Reliable Asphalt . . . . . . Back Cover

Brock Industries . . . . . . . . . . . . .66 Clarence Richard . . . . . . . . . . . . 65 CWMF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .17, 39 D & H . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .64 Eagle Crusher . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 E.D. Etnyre . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 55 Elementsix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15

Roadtec. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Sapphire Blue Roads . . . . . . . . . .23 Sripath Technologies . . . . . . . . . .53 Stansteel . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13, 57 Systems Equipment . . . . . . . 19, 59 Tarmac International, Inc . . . . . . . 21

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

TeleRadio. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

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

Top Quality Paving . . . . . . . . . . . 64

Green Products . . . . . . . . . . . . . .27

TransTech . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31

HaulHub . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 61

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

KPI-JCI . . . . . . . . Inside Back Cover

Wirtgen America . . . . . . . . . . . . 29

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.

FEBRUARY 1 - MARCH 11, 2022 DESIGN YOUR OWN SCHEDULE! Class Times: 9am-Noon • 1-4pm CST

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THURSDAY

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FRIDAY 3

Mix Quality 2-All Day 9

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Mix Quality 1-Morning Production 1-Afternoon Mix Quality 2-All Day Production 2-All Day 8 Mix Quality 1-Morning 9 10 11 Production 1-Afternoon Mix Quality 2-All Day Or Electro-Mech 1 -All day Or Electro-Mech 2 -All day Production 2-All Day

CLARENCE RICHARD COMPANY carrie@clarencerichard.com • Phone 952.939.6000 www.clarencerichard.com www.THeAsphaltpro.com // 65

We’re on it.

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BOOTH 1967

www.brock.llc | 2011 West Polymer Drive, Chattanooga, TN 37421 | 1.800.441.9528 | 1.423.476.9900

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Power and Portability Our portable plant configurations feature a variety of components including jaw crushers, cone crushers, impact crushers and a variety of screening plants. Without sacrificing power or productivity, portable options deliver efficient and reliable performance with extra portability and adaptability.

astecindustries.com

Asphalt Pro - December 2021

Articles inside

ARA Launches RentalHQ Mobile App

Astec’s Fiberbed Mist Collector

Overcome Software Integration Challenges

Spray to Pave

Perpetual Pavement Performs for

Measure Yield to Maximize Milling Benefits

Asphalt Industry Seeks Efficiency in Electric Construction Equipment

Meet a Woman of Asphalt ATS’s Tracy Moore

Expansion, Bio-Solutions for India Bitumen

New Tech Suggests Drop in Cement Emissions

How to Exceed the Long Joint Density Spec

Asphalt Community = Good Stewards

The Broad Strokes of Better Micro Surfacing

Hawaii Preserves for Perpetuity

Mitigate Pyrophoric Material in AC Tanks

How We Can Incorporate Recycled Plastics in Asphalt Pavement