Asphalt Pro - November 2010 by The COMO Companies Magazines | COMO Magazine

Automation, Technology Advances

Intelligent Compaction Displays Clear Picture

How-to: Remove Water from Hot Oil System Asphalt Makes Trail Safe, Clean Robinson Adds Crushed RAP

Make it Safe: Shine More Light November 2010

Robinson Paving Co., Columbus, Ga., has expanded as many contractors have these days, and added their own crushing and screening operations with a Kleemann MR 130 Z. See related article on page 28. Photo courtesy of Wirtgen America, Nashville.

For most producers, plant automation starts right here in the control house. See related article on page 36. Photo courtesy of Nighthawk Technical Services, Oklahoma City.

November 2010

Departments

Articles

Letter From the Editor 5 Have You Renewed?

18 Where Can Intelligent Compaction Take You? by Todd Mansell

Around the Globe 6 People You Should Know 8 Spotlight on: Research Civil Engineer Ray Brown Safety Spotlight 10 Light up the Night: A reminder and primer for nighttime paving safety by John Ball Equipment Maintenance 14 Remove Water from Your Hot Oil System by Ron Henry

24 Hybrid Asphalt Mix Makes Safe Trail by AsphaltPro Staff 28 Robinson Gets New Crusher for the Job by Evan Clarke 32 Maintenance Trends with the iPhone by Don R. Sullivan 34 Funding Needed at University Level by Sandy Lender

10 Paving at night requires extra attention to detail and lighting. See related article on page 10. Photo courtesy of Volvo.

Producer Profile 22 K-Five Selects Plant Automation by AsphaltPro Staff Equipment Gallery 36 B&S Light Teams with Nighthawk to Offer EZ Automation Here’s How It Works 44 PHCo’s All-in-One Heater Kit 46 Gilson’s AP-1B Asphalt Permeameter Last Cut 49 More Safety Replaces Moratorium by AsphaltPro Staff Resource Directory 50

18 On the cover: Intelligent compaction involves a GPS station to track the roller’s movements. See related story on page 18. Photo courtesy of Sakai America, Adairsville, Ga.

From automation at the plant to apps on your iPhone and IC software in between, asphalt professionals rely on automation and technology to get each detail perfect and on spec.

The Rocky Mountain National Park Service hauled the EZ Street Hybrid product up a steep mountain trail to place the cold mix asphalt by hand. See related article on page 24. Photo courtesy of EZStreet/CASI, Commerce City, Colo. ASPHALT PRO 3

November 2010 • Vol. 4 No. 2

Have You Renewed? editor’s note

2001 Corporate Place Columbia, MO 65202 573-499-1830 • 573-499-1831 www.theasphaltpro.com

publisher Chris Harrison associate publisher Sally Shoemaker

sally@theasphaltpro.com (660) 248-2258

editor Sandy Lender sandy@theasphaltpro.com (239) 272-8613

operations/circulation manager Cindy Sheridan business manager Renea Sapp graphic design Alisha Moreland Kristin Branscom creative services Ashley Meyer

AsphaltPro is published nine times per year: January, February, March, April/May, June/July, August/ September, October, November and December by The Business Times Company, 2001 Corporate Place, Columbia, MO 65202

Funny. This note is NOT about recycling (or this month’s automation and technology theme). This note is about subscribing. Let me give you a short story that’s directly related to my point. In my non-asphalt life, I write fiction. One of the most prominent magazines in my second career is called Realms of Fantasy (ROF). That magazine went under a couple years ago and a great outcry from the fantasy fiction community was heard around the world. A new publisher took up the reins immediately, and ROF had new life. They depend on both subscriptions and advertising to pay the bills. It has ample advertising support, but far too many readers believe it’s still defunct. The editorial board provided an awesome review of my second novel in one of their summer issues this year, but I wonder how many readers saw it. They need more subscribers to sign up for the magazine. Now let’s apply that story to the magazine you hold in your hands right now. AsphaltPro is advertiser-supported, so we get to mail it to you free of charge if you reside in the United States, Canada or Mexico. Overseas subscriptions are another ballgame, but we still get it to you. The thing is, we have a similar concern to ROF. We need subscribers to fill out a subscription card (found in every issue of AsphaltPro) to receive the magazine so we can prove to our advertisers that folks out there know we exist and read our pages. You and I know readers are paying attention to AsphaltPro content. You call me on the phone. You send me notes—both e-mail and snail mail. You grab my arm at tradeshows and annual meetings to tell me about something you read in the magazine that you used at the plant or in the lab or on the paving site (such as the IC or plant controls articles in this month’s automation and technology issue). Folks, that stuff makes my day! But marketing reps can’t convince their bosses to advertise in a magazine based on the editor sharing anecdotes. We have to prove that you’ve sent in a signed subscription card. Gone are the days when people merely trust each other. Isn’t that a shame? If you enjoy AsphaltPro, fill out the subscription card in this magazine and send it back to us with your signature on it so we have it on file. If you have to share your issue of AsphaltPro with someone else in your company, fill out the card in this magazine to get your own copy. Maybe you want a lab tech or maintenance crew member in your company to get a copy; fill out the form for him or her. AsphaltPro makes an inexpensive Christmas present. (Although you probably ought to get him or her a Hickory Farms basket, too.) If someone has already used the card in this issue, visit our website at www.theasphaltpro. com and click on the “Subscribe Now” link to fill out the form online. We’ll set you up with your own free subscription and we’ll be able to prove to the world what you and I already know. Stay Safe,

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 and $175.00 all other countries (payable in U.S. funds, drawn on U.S. bank). Single copies available $17 each.

Sandy Lender

ASPHALT PRO 5

AROUND THE GLOBE Industry News and Happenings from Around the World Argentina

The Commission for Permanent Asphalt hosts the 36th Asphalt Reunion Nov. 29 through Dec. 3 in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in celebration of the Bicentennial of the Andes. To register, visit www. cpasfalto.org/reuniones.htm or call (54-11) 4331-4921.

China

Research in Hangzhou, Zhejiang, province has shown that the application of foamed bitumen cold recycling technology using equipment supplied by Wirtgen China, Germany, offers savings in heating energy, reduces carbon emissions and provides a high utility ratio for recycled materials. Lab tests and practical experience of outdoor paving on trial road sections led the Hangzhou Highway Administrative Bureau to apply foamed bitumen cold recycling technology to overhaul projects on 32 national and provincial roads. Statistics from the bureau show that on 249 kilometers of road 480,000 tons of bitumen wastes had been recycled with a 90 percent utility ratio. Compared to conventional technology the heating energy required was reduced by 60 percent and carbon emissions were reduced by 80 percent. Source: Wirtgen China

India

Several training opportunities are coming up for our subscribers in India. They include: B.M. Sharma presenting “Pavement Evaluation Techniques and their Applications for Maintenance and Rehabilitation” Dec. 6 through 10; and Niraj Sharma presenting “Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Environmental Clearance Process for Road & Highway Projects” Dec. 20 through 22 at the Central Road Research Institute, New Delhi. Contact Shri T.K. Amla at 91-1126921939 or visit www.crridom.gov.in.

Japan

The Japanese Road Contractors Association (JRCA), also called Dohkenkyo, hosted the 11th International Conference on Asphalt Pavements in early August. Attendees should have received transcripts of the conference by this time. Visit www.isap-nagoya2010.jp for information. JRCA works to research road building technologies and road materials; provide lab services for testing and analysis; provide educational and training programs for proper means of road building; hold seminars, lectures and symposiums; publish educational information; honor members for high-quality construction work; cooperate with and advise national and local governments for road-related administrative affairs; exchange experience and expertise with other road-related organizations; and promote the understanding of the social, economic and environmental benefits which are derived from developing roads and networks.

New Zealand

As discussed in this month’s Safety Spotlight, you can’t have enough lighting in the nighttime work zone. Contractors in New Zealand have the opportunity to train for proper lighting, road signage installation and more from the New Zealand Institute of Highway Technology. Visit the “Training Courses” link on the http://www.nziht.co.nz site. 6 November 2010

United Kingdom

The Liverpool Centre for Material Technology (LCMT) at the School of the Built Environment at Liverpool John Moores University has begun online registration for the Feb. 16 through 17, 2011, 10th annual international conference on sustainable construction materials and pavement engineering. Visit http://www.ljmu.ac.uk.

United States

• The U.S. Department of Transportation received 32 times the available funds in the form of nearly 1,000 applications for grants in the Transportation Investment Generating Economic Recovery (TIGER) program. USDOT can only award $600 million for round two of this program, and is evaluating the applications as of press time. For more information, read “Tiger I, Tiger II Primer” in the October issue; see www.theasphaltpro.com for updates. Source: AASHTO • For updates, opinion and links concerning funding legislation, such as the Administration’s decision to wait to detail its reauthorization strategy until February, be sure to check the blog at www.TheAsphaltForum.blogspot.com and the website at www.theasphaltpro.com.

Alabama

The Alabama Asphalt Pavement Association’s (AAPA) 51st Annual Awards Installation Luncheon and Quality Pavement Awards Ceremony will be held Dec. 10 at the Renaissance Montgomery Hotel and Spa in Montgomery. For more information, contact AAPA at (334) 834-5314.

Colorado

The 2011 CDOT Pavement Design Manual (effective July 1, 2010) was revised to include changes to Chapter 10 Life Cycle Cost Analysis (LCCA). One significant change was to include an “order of precedence” in determining the time interval of rehabilitation for the asphalt pavement option. The designer will now consider the performance history of the roadway being evaluated as the first consideration for establishing the LCCA input value for time interval of asphalt pavement rehabilitation. Source: Colorado Asphalt Pavement Association

Idaho

The safety product manufacturer, ECCO Group, Boise, has revamped its website. You can check out the new look at www.eccolink.com.

Illinois

Illinois has begun a $98-million project to upgrade an initial 90 miles of Union Pacific railroad track between Alton and Lincoln in preparation for high-speed-rail service. This initial phase represents the first high-speed-rail upgrades in the nation funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment

Act of 2009. The Chicago-to-St. Louis route received $1.1 billion from the Federal Railroad Administration for corridor improvements. The upgrades will allow passenger-rail service to operate at speeds up to 110 mph. Source: AASHTO

Indiana

Officials at Cummins, Columbus, Ind., announce they’ve reached an industry milestone by commencing production and supply of the first EPA Tier 4 Interim and EU Stage IIIB certified engines and aftertreatment for early installation by off-highway equipment customers. Workers at the Cummins Rocky Mount plant in North Carolina build the latest-generation QSB6.7 and QSL9 engines for customers in North America and East Asia, with the Darlington plant in the UK supplying European customers. Take note: The new emissions regulations take effect Jan.1, 2011, for engines over 173 hp (129 kW), with Particulate Matter reduced by 90 percent and Oxides of Nitrogen by almost 50 percent compared with the current Tier 3 and Stage IIIA standard.

Kentucky

Lab techs with experience with AASHTO M320 and who have worked under NBTC techs can register for the Certified Binder Technician program with Asphalt Institute, offered Dec. 14 through 16. To see if you qualify, contact Mike Beavin at (859) 288-4973. (additional dates are Jan. 25 through 27 and Feb. 15 through 17)

Maryland

Corman Construction, Annapolis Junction, Md., offers its president to the American Road & Transportation Builders Association for 2010-2011. Bill Cox is the new ARTBA chairman. Cox has led the family-owned contracting business for 22 years with a chemical engineering degree from Princeton University and a business administration degree from Northwestern University. He was elected at ARTBA’s annual meeting in New York City in early October.

Massachusetts

The Asphalt Institute and the Federal Aviation Administration offer a three-day course titled Asphalt Pavement Design, Construction, and Maintenance worth 20 PDH credits Nov. 9 through 11 in Boston, Mass. The fee is $995; $645 for FAA employees. Visit the Asphalt Academy page at www.asphaltinstitute.org for more information or contact Katrina Walasinski at seminars@asphaltinstitute.org.

Washington, D.C.

Are the politicians posturing or does the industry stand to gain $50 billion for transportation infrastructure spending this fall? Visit www.theasphaltpro.com for updates on election results and hopes for SAFETEA-LU’s successor, rather than another extension, as we approach the current extension’s Dec. 31 deadline.

people you should know Spotlight on:

Research Civil Engineer Ray Brown Name: E. Ray Brown • Age: 63 Title and organization: Research Civil Engineer, Corps of Engineers, Engineer Research and Development Center (ERDC) willing to work with others in the industry to investigate potential improvements in the construction process. Don was a great resource for me while I was director of NCAT.” If I weren’t doing this for a living, I would: “probably be some type of small business owner. I know that starting a small business is a lot of hard work and it is difficult to be successful but I think the challenge of the work and the freedom that you have would be fun and rewarding.” Job description: Brown mentors young engineers, teaches asphalt pavement short courses, revises guide specs and manuals, and performs research related to asphalt pavements Years in the asphalt industry: 41 Area of expertise: Asphalt pavement materials, mix design and construction Education: Brown earned a BS in Civil Engineering from Mississippi State University in 1969; an MS in Civil Engineering from MSU in 1974; and a PhD in Civil Engineering from Texas A&M University in 1983. Community involvement: “I participate in a number of church-related activities.” Professional background: Brown worked with the Corps of Engineers as a co-op student from 1965 to 1969, then as an engineer from 1969 to 1987. He served on the civil engineering faculty at Auburn University from 1987 to 2007 and as the director of the National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT) from 1990 to 2007. He retired from Auburn University in 2007 and has been employed as a research civil engineer with ERDC from 2007 to present. A businessperson I admire: “I admire many people that have had success in the asphalt and asphalt related industries. One person that I admire is Dr. Don Brock, CEO, Astec Industries. He has been a national and international leader in major developments in the hot mix asphalt industry…He is always 8 November 2010

Biggest career or personal obstacle I’ve overcome: “I never pushed myself very much in school prior to attending college. In fact, I always took pride in leaving all my books in the back of classroom overnight and over weekends. This meant that I almost never did any homework at home. I managed to graduate from high school with no problem but I wasn’t ready for college. In fact, when taking my first college course, Calculus, I had to get my mom to set up a meeting with one of my ex high school math teachers, Coach Gray, to get a little tutoring. He told me that his memory of Calculus was not very good but by working together on some problems for about four hours, I was able to get a much better understanding of the subject. Obtaining a little confidence as a result of this meeting helped as I continued to take courses. … I probably would have quickly changed majors or maybe even dropped out of college had I not gotten help from Coach Gray. After that one meeting, I had no significant problems in the remaining courses.” A favorite recent project: “Recently I have been involved in mentoring young engineers in writing journal articles. This is a program that we have at ERDC where more experienced authors meet 1-on-1 with less experienced authors to provide guidance in writing papers. All participants meet as a group to discuss various topics related to writing papers and then each team of two breaks out to work on a specific paper. I have been able to work with three individuals at different times to help them develop a

quality journal paper and this has been a lot of fun and rewarding.” What’s currently on my iPOD: “Remember, I used a slide rule in college. I have not yet advanced to the iPOD. But if I had an iPOD, it would contain primarily country music.” Favorite movie: “My favorite movie of all time was probably Father of the Bride. This movie was popular just before my daughters were getting married and it gave me a lot of insight about things to do and things not to do immediately prior to their weddings.” Family: “My wife, Shirley, and I have been married for 43 years. We have three kids and eight grandkids.” My pets: “None. When my youngest daughter was about 3 years old, my wife and I agreed to let her adopt a puppy….All of our kids agreed that they would take care of the puppy. They did until the puppy, Rocky, became a full grown dog about a year later, and then you can guess who had to take care of him. Rocky lived to be about 20 years old. After that, no more pets.” What I do for fun: “I enjoy playing with grandkids, playing golf, going to college ball games. I also enjoy traveling with my family.” Favorite place in my hometown: “My hometown is Bruce, Miss., and my favorite place is Bubba T. Chickenbones, a great little restaurant in a small town. The Bollinger Family Theatre (same ownership) is adjacent to the restaurant and here the owner of the restaurant is the lead player in various plays (musicals) scheduled throughout the year.” Accomplishment I’m most proud of: “Being married for 43 years to my wife Shirley, helping raise our three great kids, and being able to see our eight grandkids grow up (still working on this).” Most people don’t know that I: “was the son of a pool hall owner and used to be a pretty good pool player until I retired at the age of about 17. Now you know what I did when I left my books at school. ”

SAFETY SPOTLIGHT Light up the Night

A reminder and primer for nighttime paving safety by John Ball

hen it comes to nighttime paving, lighting takes on incredible importance. Safety should always take the front seat, but don’t forget the extra effort that makes a nighttime project successful. Little things like paint color, strobe stick lights and whistles, skid steer loaders at the ready, and extra generators offer the scenario for best nighttime paving practices. The savvy contractor always starts with safety, but let’s exaggerate it for a nighttime paving scenario. Let’s look at ways to keep drivers awake and aware, and let’s never forget the buddy system. As far as lighting is concerned, I don’t believe you can ever have enough lights in and around the nighttime work zone. This is for safety and best practices. Even after all the presentations my colleagues and I have given about this important subject and all the articles that have appeared in industry publications, our workers still don’t use enough lighting on the job. If you don’t have enough light behind the paver to illuminate the full width of the mat, how will you know if something’s caught and dragging under the screed? If you don’t have enough light

Photo courtesy of Roadtec, Chattanooga. 10 November 2010

illuminating the work area, how will drivers passing the work zone see the worker who steps between the screed and breakdown roller? I’ve stated it before and I’ll state it again: When paving at night, your work zone is only as long as your light zone, which is maybe 50 feet. You can only see what you’ve illuminated. Your co-workers and equipment operators can only see what’s lit up around them. It’s safe to assume that anything left in the dark is left in harm’s way. Something to consider when lighting up equipment and the areas around it is vibration. Equipment vibration offers a challenge to lighting. For instance, most balloon lights are subject to fracture from vibration. Some bulbs are too fragile to have on poles on a vibratory roller. If you use sets of balloon lights, I suggest putting them on the top deck of the paver where they’re more insulated from the machine’s vibrations and likely to last longer. I also see contractors use them with success on material transfer vehicles, which have their own generators to power the lights.

One of the things I suggest to my clients is making your own light towers. Not everyone has the time to manufacture their own lighting system, though, and there are a bunch of companies out there that specialize in this. You can go to the internet or read through a magazine like this to find companies that sell light towers and lighting systems ready to plug in and go when they’re delivered. But if you have the time and skill, I recommend machining a couple different kinds for different pieces of equipment. For the paver, place eight fluorescent lights in plastic cylinders on a telescoping pole. The plastic encases them in the event of a break. The pole allows you to adjust the system up and down. I also use six 500-watt floodlights from the local hardware store on the paver. Two face forward to illuminate the hopper. Two face toward the steps to provide a safer walkway for workers. Two face back over the mat to illuminate the quality of the job. I also put a 65-pound round magnet on an extension cord and affix lights to the side of the paver with that. This allows me to move light around to illuminate guidebars and endgates as necessary. These lights not only illuminate the work zone around the paver, they brighten up the paver for passing motorists to notice. Don’t forget the smart use of strobe lights. While these can catch the motoring public’s eyes, strobe lights are best placed on a pole behind the operator so he isn’t blinded by them.

We won’t leave your site without

100% customer satisfaction WE KEEP YOU RUNNING 30 years experience in the asphalt industry • Setups and Teardowns • Retro-Fit and Rebuilds • All Parts for Asphalt Plant • Maintenance Packages • Operator Training at your facility • New & Used Equipment

ASK

how Bullis Fabrications Maintenance package program will keep you going all year long while saving you 20 - 30% on your maintenance budget.

866-981-8965 www.bullisfabrication.com

Light up vehicles that move independently of the paving train, too. This helps protect workers from dangers within the work zone as well as lighting the way for good work. Look at the tack truck. Its headlights face away from your paving crew when it’s backing toward them. You want to put fourway flashers on the tack truck. Put strobe lights on the front and back. Put flood lights on the back to illuminate the full width of the spray bar. Put a camera on the back at the top of the tank so the operator can see exactly when to stop when he watches the screen/monitor in his cab. Be sure the back-up alarm on the tack truck is in working order—nice and loud. You want the tack truck to be a loud, bright beacon moving toward the crew so no one misses it.

Signs at Night

One way to make sure no drivers miss the trucks or personnel in your work zone is appropriate signage. The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) and state departments of transportation (DOTs) carefully spell out exactly how much signage a project should have and exactly where signs should be posted. Signage is critical to catching the motoring public’s eyes and in communicating what’s going on. Billboards, arrow signs, flashing signs, permanent and mobile signs, message boards—these all have specific measured points from the start of the work zone where they should be stationed according to the regulations of your state DOT and the MUTCD. Follow these rules to the

paint to mark your lines for the nighttime work zone. Red paint won’t reflect the way white paint will at night, so make the job easier and more efficient with this simple switch. It’s also important to have strobe stick lights to help direct haul trucks, tack trucks, skid steers and any other vehicles that move independently of the paving train. Quick, glowing signals communicate in a microsecond and can stop a backing driver before he hits something vital— like a worker or an errant driver who’s followed him into the work zone. Dump men and ground men use the strobe stick lights to orient the dump trucks and other vehicles in the work zone. When the tack truck or dump truck is backing, the ground man uses the strobe stick lights just like the ground men do for traffic control at the gates at the airports. They’re the same lights used there and used in the same manner. When the ground man or dump man crosses those in a big “X,” the driver knows Stay Awake, Aware to stop immediately. Something’s wrong or something’s in the way and Part of keeping traffic flowing safely is paying attention to what’s going he needs to stop. on around the work zone. That’s a little more difficult during nighttime Strobe stick lights aren’t the only safety items to help communicate paving when senses are dulled by sleepiness and mini-work zones are around the haul trucks. Another way to make crew members stand out created within pools of light. for both vehicle operators and passing motorists is to light them up. Keep an eye out for erratic driving behavior and alert police officers High-visibility clothing and reflective vests are just the beginning when it when you suspect there’s a drunk driver in the construction zone. You comes to alerting people to a crew member’s position. Federal regulacan also help a confused driver safely re-enter the traffic stream when he tion 23 CFR 634 took effect in November 2008, and it specifies workers or she has mistakenly entered the work zone. in federal-aid highway work zones have to wear high-visibility personal Alert workers also keep an eye on each other. If you’re working protection such as Class II or Class III safety clothing. While the ANSI/ISEA with the buddy system, you’ll know when a worker has left the pool of 206-2007 public safety vest standard is compatible with the ANSI/ISEA light that makes up his or her mini-work zone for too long. If your work Class II requirements for nightpartner has left his station for time visibility, according to the a moment, and that moment Red paint won’t reflect the way white paint Federal Highway Administraturns into nine or 10, it’s time tion’s Associate Administrator to locate him and make sure will at night, so make the job easier and for Operations Jeffrey Paniati, everything is all right. employers can make improveSomething else to give ments. more efficient with this simple switch. attention to is the time. Several companies I work Everyone has an internal clock with use reflective tape to put that puts us in a zombie-like mode at some point during nighttime a large “X” on workers’ backs. So not only do they have the vest working paving. Sometime around 2 to 4 a.m., you can feel exhaustion overin their favor, they have this sign on their back that lets equipment whelm you. operators know instantly whether they’re seeing the front or back of that If you have a partner watching out for you, he might notice that person in the shadows. Dump truck drivers are trained that when they’re you look drowsy and be able to call for a coffee break. In any event, the backing toward a worker and they see that “X, ” they stop immediately foreman needs to be aware of this “Twilight Zone.” No matter how much because that worker isn’t aware of the danger approaching them. The production you think you need to get done during the shift, take a break ground man and dump man especially want one of those vests with the (or two) during these critical hours and stomp your feet. Drink coffee or “X” on the back. Gatorade. Huddle together in the light with some boisterous talk, while Another way to make improvements is to put extra lights directly on keeping a few eyes on the passing traffic, of course, and review the work the worker. Put a light on his hard hat. Put a flashlight in his hand that he yet to be done. can clip to his belt or wear easily in a holster. A clever idea that workers are using now is the flashing bicycle light. You can pick those up at the Right Night Tools sporting goods store and clip them on the back of the worker’s vest. The When performing the nighttime work yet to be done, be sure you have lights blink continually, constantly alerting operators and passing motorthe tools that make it more efficient. It’s important to have a skid steer ists to the presence of the worker. loader on the job to clean up any mix that gets dumped in the wrong Everything listed in this article is a tool for safe, efficient nighttime spot. At night, it’s not so easy for truck drivers to hit the hopper every work, but I must stress the importance of adequate lighting. It worries time. Being off six inches or a foot, or stopping in front of the paver me that so many companies in our industry still have insufficient lighting means hot mix asphalt (HMA) ends up in the lane. That’s a lot of shovfor nighttime work zone safety. Lights catch passing motorists’ eyes and eling for the dump man, lute man and anyone else the foreman can alert workers within the zone to each other’s presence. It’s vital to get spare. If a skid steer’s on the job, clean-up goes much more quickly. good reflective sources and light sources on our workers and on our The paver operator and tack truck driver will also appreciate the right equipment to light up the work zones and light up the night. kind of paint for the night job. While you might have some extra red John Ball is the proprietor of Top Quality Paving, Manchester, N.H. For more paint left over from the day shift, you want to get bright, glowing, white information, contact him at (603) 624-8300 or visit www.tqpaving.com. letter. In this day and age, it’s wise to have a member of the crew who is responsible for monitoring signage. As the paving crew moves down the road, the work zone moves. That means the employee moves the signs along with the crew and zone, and updates the messages on the message board(s). Some of the good ideas we use for traffic control include hiring police officers to monitor traffic, having “follow me” vehicles drive the construction zone at posted speeds, and not engaging any motorists who stop for any reason in the construction zone. It’s uncanny how many people will stop in your construction zone to ask a worker for directions or information. Whatever you do, it’s important to get these people moving and out of your construction zone before they cause an accident.

12 November 2010

FO C R AL A LU Q S U O TE • Minimum fuel savings 15% • Ease of Installation • Small footprint • Retrofits to any make of drum plant • Eliminates blue smoke • Compatible with most blend control systems • UL listed

Foaming asphalt is simple. Your equipment should be too.

513-874-0201

AquaFoam, LLC | Cincinnati OH www.aquafoamllc.com

EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE Remove Water from Your Hot Oil System by Ron Henry

ccumulation of water in the heat transfer oil is a frequent source of problems in hot oil heating systems. When you detect water, you should purge it from the system, which can take from two hours to two days or longer, depending on the amount of heat transfer oil in the system, the amount of water in the oil and how the piping system is designed. Water gets in through the expansion tank, which accommodates expansion and contraction of heat transfer oil during normal operations. It’s partially filled with heat transfer oil and is vented to atmosphere, so its unfilled space consists of air. When the heat transfer oil cools, it contracts and draws fresh air into the tank. As it continues to cool, moisture in the air condenses into water and falls into the heat transfer oil. It eventually migrates into the heating circuit. Another source of water is new heat transfer oil that may have accumulated water before it was added to the hot oil system. Any way water gets in, it can significantly reduce the heating ability of the heater. Water and oil have widely different heat absorption rates. The amount of energy required to raise the temperature of one pound of water one degree Fahrenheit is one British Thermal Unit (Btu). But one Btu will raise the temperature of one pound of uncontaminated heat transfer oil about 2 degrees F—twice as much. Consequently, increasing the temperature of oil contaminated with water requires more heat than is needed to increase the temperature of uncontaminated oil by the same amount. Thus, water in heat transfer oil impairs the heating system. The more the water, the more it impairs. Another adverse effect is the likelihood that water will turn into steam at the inlet of the heater’s circulating pump and cause cavitation. Cavitation results when water in the heat transfer oil changes to steam at the inlet of the pump where there is little or no pressure. Cavitation can damage the pump and prevent it from pumping the oil. Heat transfer oil can withstand much higher temperatures than water before it vaporizes. 14 November 2010

Heater and tanks at CW Matthews

Check for water in the system

Heatec hot oil heater

The best way to check if there is water in the system is to operate the heater in the purge mode according to the instructions provided with the heater. Watch for steam coming out of the vent pipe on its expansion tank. The presence of steam is a sure indication that there is water in the system. You should make this check periodically rather than wait for other symptoms. The hot oil system at most HMA plants may need to be purged at least twice a year. Other symptoms that usually indicate that there is water in the system are • inadequate flow of heat transfer oil due to cavitation at the heater circulating pump, • high temperature controller shows dramatic increase in temperature, • visible separation of oil and water in the sight glass on the expansion tank, and • milky appearance of the heat transfer oil in the sight glass.

Get rid of water The easiest and most effective way to remove the water from the system is to change it into steam and vent it to the atmosphere. However, this must be done in the expansion tank while avoiding creation of steam in the circulating system. This is achieved by carefully manipulating temperature and pressure. Consider these facts about steam. Changing water to steam is affected directly by pressure and temperature. Notice how the temperature of the boiling point changes with changes in pressure as shown in the table below. Psig*

Temperature

212°F

240°F

259°F

274°F

287°F

298°F

307°F

316°F

*Psig stands for pounds per square inch gauge. It’s common knowledge that water boils at 212 degrees F. Boiling water changes it into steam or vapor. But that temperature applies only at atmospheric pressure at sea level on a standard day. Atmospheric pressure changes with altitude and weather conditions. Pressure also changes when liquid is pumped through a heating system. The pressure at the outlet of the pump is typically about 60 psig. Consequently water in the oil under that pressure remains a liquid at all temperatures less than 307 degrees F. That pressure decreases as the oil flows through the system. As the oil reaches the inlet side of the circulating pump its pressure drops close to 0 psig. At that pressure, temperatures higher than 212 degrees F will cause water in the oil to change into steam. However, temperature of the oil may

now be lower than this before it reaches the inlet of the pump. That’s because much of its heat energy is transferred to asphalt in the tanks and piping. If the temperature of the oil were to remain higher than the boiling point of water, some water in the oil would quickly turn into steam. Steam at the inlet of the pump could cause cavitation so that little or no fluid is pumped. This would cause loss of pressure at the inlet to the heater coil and loss of flow through the coil. The heater coil would quickly overheat, causing extremely high temperature indications to show on the temperature controllers. The limit circuit would shut down the heater to prevent unsafe operation.

Purge the water

Purging water from the system requires resetting valves on the heater to reroute the return fluid directly through the expansion tank. Air in the tank is always at atmospheric pressure, which requires a temperature of only 212 degrees F to change water into steam. Thus, water in the contaminated oil flashes into steam as it is diverted through the expansion tank. The steam escapes through the vent of the tank. The amount of water removed depends on the temperature of the liquid in the tank. During this process it’s important to create and maintain a back pressure1 in the system to prevent steam in the circulating system. This is achieved by adjusting the valve at the inlet of the expansion tank to restrict the flow of the fluid diverted into the tank. When purging the water it’s also important to start cold and heat the oil slowly (in increments of about 10 degrees). This allows the water to boil out progressively. Otherwise there is risk of creating a violent reaction in the expansion tank as the water-laden oil enters the tank and its pressure drops suddenly to atmospheric pressure. You should routinely purge water from your hot oil heating system before adverse symptoms are apparent. Doing so will make your heater last longer and cost less to operate. Ron Henry is a service manager at Heatec, Inc., Chattanooga. For more information, contact (800) 235-5200 or visit www.heatec.com. 1

Be aware that increasing system pressure beyond its usual operating pressure can rupture worn parts in some systems. This is especially true for drag conveyors and silos heated by hot oil that flows through channels that are integrated with wear parts. ASPHALT PRO 15

Where Can Intelligent Compaction Take You?

by Todd Mansell

With Intelligent Compaction (IC) systems, a global positioning system (GPS) tracks the location of the roller. One type of GPS, called Real Time Kinematic (RTK) involves setting up a GPS base station on site. RTK GPS is accurate to within ¼ of an inch. The outer dimensions of the roller drum are located by the GPS to within ¼-inch accuracy, with few exceptions where constant satellite reception is not available.

n recent years, you may have heard the term “Intelligent Compaction” in reference to the rollers used on an asphalt paving project. In general, Intelligent Compaction (IC) refers to rollers that record three primary pieces of information during the compaction process: 1. Number and location of roller passes 2. Surface temperature of the asphalt mat 3. “Stiffness” of the asphalt mat, called the roller measured value (RMV) “Stiffness” is a generic term used in the IC context to describe the rebound of the front drum off the asphalt mat measured by an accelerometer on the IC roller. Some manufacturer-specific examples of RMVs are CCV (Sakai) and Evib (Bomag). With currently available IC technology, the accelerometer readings are affected by all materials up to about six feet below the paved surface. Research continues on exactly how deep the zone of influence of accelerometer readings is and how to isolate the RMV of the pavement layer being compacted from the influence of the underlying base and subbase materials.

18 November 2010

All recorded data is time and date stamped. This means we can know precisely when each measurement was taken. For example, at any point in time and at any given location, the number of roller passes, surface temperature and mat stiffness are known. A question someone might have is “How many roller passes were made over a particular spot before the mix cooled to 200 degrees F?” The data could be analyzed in any number of ways, depending on the analytical capability of the software that comes with the IC roller. Ultimately, a correlation to pavement density (in-place air voids) is what most paving contractors want, because density is most commonly specified for determining acceptance, remedial work, removal or bonus pay for the paving contractor. It should be noted that to date, there isn’t an IC system available that will directly measure the density of the HMA layer being compacted. Several correlations between RMVs and density have been made—some good, some not so good—but there is no published data available that statistically proves repeatable, accurate measurement of density by an IC roller over an entire paving project.

RMVs can only be generated while the roller is in vibratory mode. Contractors are paid on density after the finish roller, which in many cases is operated in static mode. As one can see, when and where the RMVs are recorded can have a huge impact on attempting to make any correlation with in-place density. A complete article could be written on application and interpretation of RMVs. For practical purposes, there is no current method of directly measuring density using IC rollers. That’s not to say there isn’t great value in using an IC roller!

IC rollers are equipped with the following hardware

• Global Positioning System (GPS) to track the location of the roller • Infrared temperature sensor(s) for recording mat surface temperature • Accelerometer(s) that measure the rebound of the front drum of the roller (RMV) • A computer to collect, process and record the data • A video display screen for the roller operator to view during compaction There are different levels of accuracy available depending on the type of GPS setup. One type of GPS, called Real Time Kinematic (RTK) involves setting up a GPS base station on site. RTK GPS is accurate to within ¼ of an inch. A less expensive GPS setup that is accurate within 6 to 20 feet can be achieved and eliminates the need for a base station. The level of accuracy is something the customer should weigh for their particular application of an IC roller. During the rolling operation, the operator can view in real time the number of roller passes over any area, the surface temperature and the roller measured value (RMV). The realtime visual display of roller passes lets the operator make sure he has uniform coverage as directed by the quality control team or as determined by a test strip. Mapping also lets him see his “tracks” and make efficiency improvements to cover the mat in fewer passes using different patterns. In this sense, IC rollers also act as an operator self-training tool.

Current Benefits of IC rollers

• Identifying soft spots in the base before or during paving—IC rollers can be used to map aggregate base (new construction) or milled surfaces to identify weak areas or soft spots in advance of paving. In many cases, contractors who have done this identified areas that required “dig outs” or waivers on compaction in those areas. A relative use of the RMV is used to identify soft spots. For example, during mapping if most RMVs range between 40 and 50 and suddenly there is an area measuring 20, it is a soft spot. Exactly how soft cannot be determined by the RMV, but it clearly needs further investigation. RMVs have been very successful at accurately identifying soft areas in the road base before and during paving. • Mapping the number of roller passes over any area of the project— the real-time visual display of roller passes enables the operator to make sure he or she has uniform coverage as directed by the quality control team or as determined by a test strip. Mapping also allows operators to see their “tracks” and make efficiency improvements to cover the mat in fewer passes using different patterns. In this sense, IC rollers also act as an operator self-training tool. • Ensuring full coverage on the back pass—one of the most common areas of low compaction lies between zones in a rolling pattern. It is often difficult for operators to know exactly how far back to roll to ensure adequate vibratory coverage over the previous rolling zone. A display of the number of vibratory passes easily lets the operator know how far back to go before changing direction. This is especially valuable during night paving when there aren’t any easily visible reference points. • Identifying changes in mat surface temperature—changes in mat surface temperature are easily identified on a color-coded map (or other display with other systems) so the operator can identify “cold loads” or a change in mix temperature from the plant. A colder load may require an extra roller pass through that area. • Ensuring drum overlap on the longitudinal joint—the operator is able see on the color mapping display if sufficient drum overlap on the longitudinal joint is being achieved. Generally, an operator aims to overlap roller passes on the longitudinal joint by approximately six inches to ensure adequate joint density, maintain maximum production of the roller, and to mitigate a future longitudinal crack that is likely to occur when sufficient overlap is not achieved. The outer dimensions of the roller drum are located by the GPS to within ¼-inch accuracy, with few exceptions where constant satellite reception is not available.

ASPHALT PRO 19

Different contractors will have different priorities or primary needs with Intelligent Compaction (IC) systems. One crew may wish to establish consistent rolling patterns, while another may seek final densities within certain limits—no matter how many passes it takes. Either way, a monitoring, data-collection and guiding system such as IC helps instruct roller operators on the job.

Typical Operation

A typical day operating an IC roller involves attaching the GPS antenna to the roller and mounting the portable video display on the roller at the beginning of the shift. The operator then presses a start button at the beginning of the rolling operation and a stop or finish button at the end of the paving shift. Data is downloaded from the roller onto a USB flash drive at the end of shift (or anytime in between) where it can be transferred to a laptop or desktop PC for storage and further analysis using desktop software. Some IC software allows the roller operator to replay the rolling pattern on the roller. Other IC systems provide the ability to print out results at any time. During the rolling operation, the operator can view in real time the number of roller passes over any area, the surface temperature and the RMV. The major benefit of displaying real-time information is that it allows the operator to make adjustments to the rolling pattern while the mix is still hot.

IC Software

There are generally two software packages available with IC systems. There is software on the roller itself and there is desktop software that is used on a personal computer. The primary function of the roller software is to collect, display, replay and print data on site. The desktop software has more analytical capabilities allowing in-depth analysis of the rolling pattern and various report generating functions. For example, a report showing the surface temperatures after the first roller pass only 20 November 2010

can be generated. There are several combinations of report functions, depending on what the user wants to view. All major manufacturers have developed or are in the process of developing IC systems. Roller manufacturers have different strengths in their IC products. The buyer’s choice of IC systems depends on what his primary needs are. For some paving contractors, the primary need may be establishing consistent rolling patterns, thus a good video display and color mapping system might be the most important feature. Other paving contractors may want to know if the final density is acceptable; they may not be too concerned about how many roller passes it took to achieve density. IC technology for asphalt rollers has a very promising future because there is much data provided by IC systems to enable improving the compaction operation and ultimately quality and job profits. At this time, contractors who are considering renting or purchasing an IC roller should understand the following: • What software is included or required? • What GPS options are available? • What does the RMV tell me? (If density is a primary concern) • Does the IC system control the roller operation or simply provide information? IC rollers don’t tell paving professionals anything that they don’t already know; however, they do provide the hard data needed to justify operational improvements that will produce a quality, long-lasting pavement in the most efficient way possible. Todd Mansell is with Sakai America. For more information, contact him at t-mansell@sakaiamerica.com or visit www.sakaiamerica.com.

producer profile K-Five Selects Plant Automation by AsphaltPro Staff

illiam J. Newman and George Krug K-Five separates its successes into private and tional team of managers and engineers, eager to had their own construction compa- public work. In the private sector, they have go the extra mile. Our team provides the overall nies back in the early 1900s. Then their performed projects from subdivisions to the coordination of scheduling, budgets, quantitakids, Josephine Newman and young George United Center, completing jobs on time and on tive analysis of all materials and specifications, Krug got married in 1941 and formed the foun- budget. A few of their projects in recent years the very latest in construction and computer dation of K-Five Construction. According to the have included Cominsky Park, Menards Distri- technology, as well as constant assessment of K-Five Construction, Lemont, Ill., website, “Today, bution Center and Home Depot. Their public the client’s changing needs.” all five of Josephine and George’s children are clients include the Illinois Department of TransWhen it comes to construction and computer directly involved in the corporation.” portation; Illinois State Toll Highway Authority; technology, the company puts automation to That small family business that performed O’Hare International Airport; City of Chicago; the test. All five plants employ the DrumTronic™ residential paving is now a large, unionized, system from Minds, Inc., Boisbriand, Quebec, heavy-highway paving corporation that employs which has the capacity to control all facets of more than 500 people during these tough a plant system, right down to site lighting. For economic seasons, posts annual sales in excess K-Five’s needs, Plant Manager John Sullivan of $100 million, and uses full-scale automation spelled out something a little simpler. First of at each of five asphalt plants around the Chicago all, the number of available screens ranges from area. The company has distinguished itself one to four, and it comes with a “zero console” as an industry leader in a variety of option, but K-Five didn’t need all that construction industry practices and is on all five plants. The DrumTronic is a member of the Illinois Road Builders an industrial grade computer with With all that plant power, K-Five is one of the Association (IRBA), the Illinois Asphalt security and redundancy features. Pavement Association (IAPA) and It runs on Microsoft Windows® via a largest suppliers in the Chicago-land area. the Concrete Pavement Association communication driver, RTX from Inter(ACPA). They have a centrally located valZero, and uses one or more unique hot mix asphalt (HMA) drum plant in I/O boards, depending on the plant Lemont, Ill., where the main office is, and other and Cook, DuPage, Will and Kane Counties; as complexity, over a real-time TCP/IP protocol. drum plants in Chicago, Elmhurst, Markham and well as various municipalities and railroads. “We have five of these units,” Sullivan Naperville that all operate from 6:30 a.m. to 3:30 K-Five also serves as subcontractor in the reported. “Four have three screens and one p.m. Monday through Friday—Saturdays and residential and commercial sector, and for large has four screens. We only have the DrumTronic Sundays upon request. municipal and state agencies. It all comes down controlling the plant. One DrumTronic controls With all that plant power, K-Five is one of the to good project management. Owners state on the burner air/fuel ratio.” largest suppliers in the Chicago-land area, but the K-Five website: “We pride ourselves on going The K-Five owners decided to go with this their private sales also include dumping services the extra mile for our customers. To fulfill our level of control with an automated system in for concrete and asphalt. For general contracting, client’s needs, K-Five has assembled an excep- 2001. Sullivan explained.

What’s Your Problem? Does your safety director want some extra ideas? Here are some HMA plant safety tips from the researchers and engineers at Astec Industries to help your safety director with his or her next toolbox talk. Top 10 Plant Safety Tips 1. Know what to do in an emergency. Make sure employees know exit routes and a predetermined assembly area in the event of an evacuation. 22 November 2010

2. Follow established rules, procedures and safety signs. Enforce rules through progressive discipline. 3. Wear the appropriate PPE for the job/task. 4. Handle hazardous material according to instructions. Read the label and MSDS for the substance you are working with. Know the hazards, PPE, safe handling procedures and emergency procedures. 5. Operate equipment correctly. Only use equipment for which you have been trained and authorized use.

6. Avoid taking safety risks. Never take shortcuts, ignore near misses or engage in horseplay. 7. Remove, repair or report safety hazards right away. 8. Report accidents promptly. 9. Contribute to a safe work zone. Individual work areas should be kept neat and clean, and everyone should help keep common areas free from clutter and other housekeeping hazards. 10. Take training seriously. Safety training will be an important and ongoing process. Source: Astec Industries, Chattanooga

The DrumTronic system allows plant operators the option of one to four screens that display bar graphs, plant configurations, charts, and more to give a quick and easy snapshot of the plant’s status.

“This was one of the first controls in 1999 to chooses the silo. The DrumTronic will stop use Windows operating system instead of DOS the plant 20 tons after the silo reaches a high operating system. An old-timer in the controls, limit if we do not change silos.” Wayne Martin and Ron Heap sold us the first With well-trained operators and easy-tothree systems. I thought it was time to move manage controls, K-Five has a set-up that’s away from DOS. In 2001, we switched to Minds. made for versatility. “We use operators from Minds worked with Wayne on our first three one plant to operate any of the five plants,” systems.” Sullivan said. As it turned out, learning the Windows-based “Dennis Devitto is vice president in program went pretty smoothly. charge of asphalt plants. Jay Patel works “The plant operators seem to learn this under Dennis and is in charge of QC/QA. Jay system quickly,” Sullivan explained. “We use has a manager at each plant. We can bring a numbers backed up by bar graphs. Our plant crew in from one plant to run a second screens show mostly shift at another numbers. The feeders plant. The plant have nice bar graphs. operators can help “The plant operators These bar graphs trouble-shoot seem to learn this system allow the operator to another plant using run a feeder manuthe same controls. quickly.” — John Sullivan ally if needed by Each DrumTronic matching the two bar has its own mixes. graphs.” We are not linked The operator remains in control with the together. Also, not all plants share the same DrumTronic, even though the system is running material sources.” the plant. As the Minds, Inc., website details, the Not all plants have the same capacity, operator can stop and resume the process at any either, which makes an automated control time and have direct control of motors. The soft- a nice backup in any operation. The Chicago ware can control silo storage, including complex plant has three 200-ton silos and two 150-ton conveying layouts, to ensure a precise change of silos; the Elmhurst plant has five 200-ton silo following a mix change. The software can be silos; the Lemont and Markham plants have linked to additional users through the eRoutes™ five 300-ton silos; and the Naperville plant platform, providing totals, consumption and has five 200-ton silos. inventory usage. But K-Five elected to put more “The DrumTronic is an easy control to control in the operators’ hands. operate and trouble-shoot,” Sullivan said. “In “We do not allow the DrumTronic to choose the past 10 seasons, it has performed well which silo to fill,” Sullivan reported. “The operator and produced a good quality mix.”

by AsphaltPro Staff

➋

➊ Proje

525 lin ct Param e e at 3 in ar feet by 6 ters ches d fe eep = et wide 3,150 covere sq ft d 50-po with the und b ags 220 lin e at 3 in ar feet by 6 ches d feet w id e covere ep = 1,320 s e q ft d with t h 1-ton bulk b e ags

➍ 24 November 2010

➌

of physical er. “The amount m m su is th do ove and d to ce staff went ab k park workers ha an or en w nt rd ai ha m e s th rk e of The national pa on for CASI spok commendable. as w 1) A spokespers the t ec oj pr is into th reet Hybrid up to St EZ of ” . gs rs to ba si e labor that went vi the rrow carried th re the safety of otorized wheelba m a beyond to ensu at ix by hand. th d ne ai on expl ated the cold m ul ip an m rs ke The spokespers or here w ALmix HMA you see here, w rid product in its yb H summit, which et re St EZ the Center trail erce City, makes e Alpine Visitor’s m th m r fo Co s ) SI ck A sa (C lk , c. bu halt Services, In ound bags and product in 50-p 2) Colorado Asp e th l Parks d lie pp su ny ll (of the Nationa na ig W n aw plant. The compa Sh ith ed to “After we met w ies he would ne tit d. an ne ai qu pl t ex ha w SI project. A d what aske for EZ Street/C could offer and the project and e w of t s ha on w si d A spokesperson en se m us di in pallet quantihad already disc lied us with the 50-pound bags rklift to use we d fo Service), he supp a de ly en m on d m co ha Since they eded, etc. We re cover the area. orage space ne st g, tin e pallets of lif be ld ou We delivered th . er m m weights they w su e th ut the top cks. liveries througho use they were at ca de o Be . tw ne d ties and bulk sa Ju te in an w er with nt rks Service t they were done of the visitor’s ce t us lo ug g A in In “The National Pa rk . pa nd e ha th for the gs by t bed trailer to lifting these ba and 1-ton sacks s be ck ld sa lk ou w bu bags first on a fla d ey un e th on an incline a mix of 500-po e highest inclin were not working ovel from s. We delivered ey ck of the trail at th th sa e lk nc bu Si e r. le th delivered a flat bed trai wed them to sh the bags so we rking lot again on e cost effective to use and allo pa e th to l ai tr e sacks were mor lower part of th (of the trail), the om tt bo e th d towar using was interested in e ic rv Se rk the sacks.” Pa l s Park ationa cky Mountain N r’s Center in Este to Ro si e Vi th e id in sa lp A ak e n Sovi t mix proved trail from th okesperson Kevi it with an asphal pave the walking ng to vi t pa uc 3) Estes Park sp so od e, pr ac ly rf tally friend t-so-smooth su an environmen path offered a no rt di e Th it. m m to the scenic su rations of t idea. d offer demonst an s, er a safe and smar om st cu ntly. A new each one differe le or a workshop to nd er ha im ey pr a th e s, id ed ov have unique ne l at CASI can pr rent customers ffe 4 ) The personne di came to fruition. e e us ur ct ca pi Be is t. ey had a shor t th uc in od e pr se et u trail yo high elevation th ly a the EZ Stre ve ch lo e su t th A w e. ho m erco trail. The mateplained y obstacles to ov road up to the an e spokesperson ex m th d e ha os e cl ic ld rv r large wou rks Se roller or any othe inds and snow a w t “The National Pa gh ge hi to re le fo ab be the work ey would not be time frame to do ial and staff the hand because th by n w do t purchase mater pu to g be in to nd fu ed d ed rial ne had limite move the to the trail, they different ways to to in ed ok lo e equipment up on w ind, lable. ese factors in m t they had avai en pm ui eq t project. With th ha ith w ct ever y 2sacks around w reet is to compa St bags and bulk EZ g in us n actice whe tholes, utility The standard pr application—po y er ev r fo es go is to 3-inch lift. Th case a trail.” r ei th in d cuts an

ASPHALT PRO 25

by Evan Clarke

Middle Georgia paving contractor is using its new Kleemann MR 130 Z mobile tracked impact crusher to process reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP) into engineered gradations that can be incorporated into asphalt mix designs. In early 2010, Robinson Paving Co., Columbus, Ga., located its new MR 130 Z plant at a portable asphalt plant in Rupert, Ga., southeast of Macon. There crews were processing RAP for the plant, which produces close to 250,000 tons of asphalt each year. “A lot of this material was milled from our project on U.S. 19,” Darrell M. Robinson said. He’s the vice president for Robinson Paving. “It was milled up, brought to us, screened, and we are crushing the oversize—mostly ¾- to 1-inch size material—to 9/16-inch size.” Then much of the crushed, beneficiated RAP would go back into the ongoing U.S. 19 four-lane project, in up to 25 percent of mixes for all courses. “The same RAP that was taken up is going back to the same areas we took it from,” Robinson said. “We have found the 9/16-size works best with the asphalt mix designs we make at our plants, and the Georgia DOT specs we use. You can get another design for a base mix using larger stone, but overall, this 9/16 material works good for everything we use, be it 25mm, 19 or 9.5 mixes.” 28 November 2010

RAP Isn’t Waste

Decades ago, RAP was considered a waste product that could be used as fill, as base or in limited amounts in coarse mixes. But processing and testing of RAP as an engineered material has tremendously increased the acceptance and usefulness of RAP in mixes, lowering costs and giving roadbuilders environmental “street cred” to use against those who say roadbuilding is not environmentally sustainable. “RAP’s been in the DOT specs for years now,” Robinson said. “But it’s even more important now with the high prices of fuel and liquid asphalt. The price of liquid asphalt has gone through the roof. That’s affected the DOT’s lettings and the amount of roads that can be paved. So now, the more RAP that can be used, the cheaper the prices can be for hot mix, and the more roads that can be paved in Georgia. In the future I can see the price of liquid asphalt getting even higher, so RAP re-use represents a great return for Robinson and the state as well. But you need to process it.” The MR 130 Z was prescreening the material, separating any fines out ahead of the crusher. “That’s great,” Robinson said. “A grizzly is standard on the machine, and it works great for crushing concrete. But Kleemann also offers the option of what they call a punch plate, which we purchased. The punch plate has holes that separate a lot of material out of the feed. The stockpiles show a great deal of material was separated out by the prescreen before it entered the crusher. That separation of fines saves lots of wear and tear on the crusher, and also saves electrical power.” Because the MR 130 Z generates its own power, that calculates directly to diesel fuel consumed. “When I first started talking with Kleemann about this machine, they said it would burn around 14 gallons an hour,” Robinson said. “Well, the first time we checked it was burning 10 gallons per hour. That’s a tremendous saving, considering what we are producing in a day’s time.” Robinson’s target for crushing the oversize RAP was around 125 to 150 tons per hour, for crushing and screening of a final product. Robinson reported they’re achieving that tonnage.

Asphalt chunks enter the Kleemann MR 130 Z.

The MR 130 Z crushes oversize RAP at around 125 to 150 tph.

Crusher Mobility Pays Off

Mobility of the crusher was a key requirement for Robinson. “We wanted one machine that would be mobile, as we were looking at moving the machine six to eight times a year, with as little trouble as possible,” Robinson said. “But we’ve now moved this machine twice, and after removing certain components, can move

Here, crushed material is stockpiled.

ASPHALT PRO 29

The MR 130 Z offers a uniform gradation for Robinson Paving Co.

“As a small, family-owned company, we have to look closely at our purchases, before we buy a piece of equipment we do a lot of research.” - Darrell Robinson it with our lowboys. And we are very pleased with that.” The crusher’s mobility will come into play later in 2010, when Robinson would begin crushing concrete from an Interstate job. “We have done some advance crushing of that concrete, and we were getting about 250 to 300 tons per hour,” Robinson said. “We just wanted to see how well it would do, and it was very good.” For that project, the Kleemann MR 130 Z will be taken directly to the Interstate job site. “When lane shifts are completed on the Interstate, we will take the crusher out to the site,” Robinson said. “Instead of bringing the concrete to a different location to be crushed, we will feed the crusher as we take it up, crush it there, processing it there to the right gradation, and trucking it to a different job site for re-use.” With the Kleemann crusher, Robinson is confident that the recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) will meet specs. “We fully intend to crush that material and have it approved to go onto one of our projects, as base material for a road,” Robinson said.

Taking Crushing In-House

Robinson acquired its MR 130 Z mobile, tracked impact crusher because it wanted to take crushing in-house. “We always contracted out our crushing,” Robinson said. “Probably in the last couple of years, with the economy being what it is, a lot of contractors have gone to crushing and screening their own material, saving as much money as possible. Back then we were crushing 60,000 tons per year and higher, and with more milling going on than ever before, it made sense to acquire our own crusher. That’s why we acquired the Kleemann and it’s worked out great.” 30 November 2010

Robinson does its own asphalt milling and owns a Wirtgen W 1900. “The W 1900 is our second Wirtgen mill, and we’ve been really pleased with it. It’s a good machine and it’s one of the busiest machines that we have.” Robinson’s experience with the quality of the Wirtgen mill led to its consideration of the Kleemann crusher, Robinson said. “As a small, family-owned company, we have to look closely at our purchases,” he said. “Before we buy a piece of equipment we do a lot of research.” Robinson saw the same “family business” tradition in the Wirtgen Group, when he visited with Wirtgen Group president Jürgen Wirtgen in Georgia in 2009. “His visit said a lot to me, because we also are a family-owned business,” Robinson said. “I spend a lot of my time out in the field, visiting customers, seeing the people who work for us, every day. I see the same thing in Wirtgen, in the same emphasis they put into their equipment quality. It’s always good to deal with people who take a personal interest in what they do. I love what I do, and if he didn’t love what he does, he would not have been here. That to me indicates a better quality of machine.” Buying a brand that was new to America, with a limited number of product placements, gave Robinson pause, at least for a while. “Kleemann’s newness was a big concern of mine,” Robinson said. “There really weren’t any dealers in our area. But after dealing with Kleemann’s representation that was no longer a problem.” As this was Robinson’s first crusher, the contractor underwent a learning curve with the help of Kleemann’s parts and service manager Paul McLaren.

“Paul is tops in his field,” Robinson said. “He really helped me learn a lot about crushing, as I went into crushing knowing very little. At times I thought he knew more about his competitive machines than their own representatives. And he was always right about what he told me, which I confirmed after seeing the machines in person. At the end of the day we sat down and discussed the Kleemann. We noted it would be more money, but we would get what we paid for, and we wound up with a machine that will last us for many years.”

Electrical System Doesn’t Leak In the environmental age, Kleemann’s design using onboard generator produced-electricity instead of hydraulics posed definite advantages to Robinson. “The Kleemann’s electrical system, to us, was very attractive,” Robinson said. “We knew the fuel consumption would be better. And now we don’t have the extensive hydraulics that we would have with other machines. Nowadays we cannot have any leaks on a machine. If a machine has leaks, customers won’t let you run it. At Fort Benning, the machine will be inspected; if they see leaks they have to be fixed before you start running, or you have to move it off the job. Because the electrical system is so advanced on the Kleemann it’s much easier for us.” Evan Clarke is the vice president of Kleemann, Inc., a division of Wirtgen America. For more information, visit http://www.wirtgenamerica.com/us/.

Maintenance Trends iPhone with the

by Don R. Sullivan

Editor’s Note: While some industry experts advise that iPhone use is spotty in the field, the 250,000 apps available for the iPhone at Apple’s website include construction industry news headlines, traffic sites that let you select up-tothe-minute routes for product delivery, weather sites for right-now forecasts, and more.

everal of my co-workers and I lovingly refer to one of our colleagues as having a “sewer of product knowledge.” While it’s a comedic attempt at admiration, it’s also a testament to an individual, and those like him, who have spent their careers gaining and retaining knowledge for future use, as well as teaching others about our industry and products. Not too long ago I used product memory, a printed catalog, a pay telephone, a fax machine and the “Sewer of Knowledge” back at the office to coordinate support materials for a sales or maintenance call with customers. Then came the cell phone and laptop computers with 3½-inch floppy drives and dial-up internet, and I was on cloud nine. Fast forward another decade and we find ourselves in a sea of speed and technological advancements—most notably smart phones.

Instant Knowledge Gains Momentum

Perhaps the most talked about phone on the planet is the iPhone. Using it not only makes us “somewhat cool” to our kids, but more importantly gives us an instant lifeline for maintenance issues when we’re in the field. Over the years I have amassed a great amount of respect and product knowledge from my colleague mentioned earlier. Beginning in 2009, I recognized a growing shift in how young technicians were communicating and building their product knowledge base. I’ll never forget standing on a trade show floor in Orlando and being amazed at the number of technicians who were using the iPhone to access our internet site and YouTube channel while still in our booth. The observation so intrigued me that I began to ask the technicians how they used their phones in their day-to-day work schedules. I quickly learned that the technological reach of the internet via an iPhone allows a newer technician to quickly gain confidence and shorten the learning curves typical with a new job. Numerous manufacturers have online video tutorials on products, downloadable installation instructions and tips, part identification and interchange data, and technical live chat forums that are of great benefit to a technician. In addition, a technician can e-mail or text more experienced co-workers and get almost instant replies. Perhaps the most-time saving aspect in using the smart phone is the ability to record video, take photos and make voice recordings for reference. Imagine being faced with a repair issue you haven’t encountered before and being able to e-mail a photo to a co-worker or manufacturer who is familiar with the 32 October 2010

issue. He or she can walk you through the problem and solution without ever stepping foot on the job site. Obviously, business owners and management are thrilled with the improved productivity. With all the maintenance and repair technological horsepower now available in the palm of your hand, it helps explain why the June 2010 launch of the iPhone 4 resulted in 1.7 million units in just the first three days of introduction.

Subject Matter Experts in the Palm of Your Hand

As a senior product manager I’m always looking for innovative and beneficial ways to reach my customers. I have always considered myself an early adopter to technology, but my teenage daughter and the millions like her often remind us that trends change. To meet our customers’ needs we too sometimes need to embrace change. As I took the time to understand the potential and how other companies were successfully using smart phone technology, it sparked my creative spirit and expanded my strategy to reach and assist customers. The development of smart phone applications was a natural migration. My first iPhone application launch was an energy efficiency calculator that mirrored the functionality of our popular web-based version. However, because phone screens are smaller, we made the navigation of input criteria friendlier for hand-held users. The download and usage results have been outstanding and technicians are using the app to help project energy savings for their organizations and/or their customers. I’m also receiving invaluable feedback from users on ideas for future applications.

Embracing the Shift

A co-worker once made a statement I never forgot. He said, “Don, they fill libraries with what we do not know.” While simple in meaning those words have a special applicability to using smart phones for expanded business support. Not only does the iPhone have the ability to increase the speed of receiving information and improving productivity, it gives technicians an outlet to express their thoughts on my products and services. I no longer have to wait for survey feedback. I get instant feedback from facebook, LinkedIn, e-mail and Twitter tweets alerting me to what I don’t know. So, I say thank you to my colleague for the strong product foundation and a special thanks to a teen daughter to help me see a piece of the technological future. Don R. Sullivan is a senior product manager with Emerson Electric’s Industrial Automation division representing browning brand belt drives, Florence, Ky. For more information, contact him at (606) 564-2056 or visit www. emerson-ept.com.

Funding Needed at by Sandy Lender

hen it comes to transportation’s future, investment opportunities come at us from all angles. At Colorado State University’s College of Applied Human Services, the Department of Construction Management has developed an endowment to train tomorrow’s asphalt laborers and leaders. The Heavy Chair Endowment Fund gives today’s laborers and leaders a chance to be involved in growing the asphalt industry, and the construction industry in general. In fact, phase one of the endowment continues through Dec. 31 of this year. The head of the department, Mostafa Khattab, wrote, “In 2003, when we initiated our heavy CM program, industry leaders teamed with us to establish a fund to create the Heavy Construction Management Endowed Chair, a permanent faculty position. At that time, the goal was to raise $3 million for a University level Chair in five years. While that is still the goal, a two-phase plan has been developed by recommendation by the Heavy Chair task force industry members. Once the endowment reaches $1.5 million, the Department will hire a professor and supplement the position. In addition, the Department will add an additional Asphalt Materials course in the fall semester. “The endowment will provide a permanent emphasis in Heavy Construction Management. In addition, the named chair holder will: • serve as a liaison between the industry and the CM department; • inspire and lead students to choose heavy construction as a career choice; and • build a partnership with the College of Engineering.” A spokesperson for the department stated that the $1.5-million goal was within reach as of press time, and she credited members of the asphalt industry for the endowment’s brush with success.

34 November 2010

“With gifts and pledges, we are about $7,500 from the first-phase goal of $1,500,000.00,” she said. “The credit is with people like Tom Peterson, Tony Milo, and the Colorado Asphalt Pavement Association industry group. They never left the momentum behind.” Rest assured, even if the department meets its first-phase goal before Dec. 31, phase two gives industry members a chance to get a tax deduction for helping create long-lasting education opportunities. “The next adventure is another dedicated effort for phase two—another $1.5 million,” the spokesperson explained. As the heavy construction department stands, its curriculum includes three courses developed by professor Scott Shuler. 1) Introduction to Road Construction 2) Construction Equipment and Methods (Heavy Emphasis) 3) Asphalt Pavement Materials and Construction The department’s website states that these classes provide students with classroom and field experience in the processes, complexities, and materials associated with planning and developing roadways. In November 2007, staff opened the Colorado Asphalt Pavement Association Laboratory, which supports heavy construction management lectures as well as sponsored research for graduate students. Right now, the department’s highest priority is to strengthen the faculty base from 11 to 18 members so the staff can achieve a student-to-faculty ratio of 45:1 during this academic year.

To make a gift to the Heavy Chair Endowment Fund at Colorado State University’s Construction Management program, please contact Mostafa Khattab at (970) 491-7355 or mostafa.khattab@ colostate.edu. You can also mail a gift to: Colorado State University Foundation Heavy Chair Endowment Fund Box 1870 Fort Collins, CO 80522-1870

Equipment gallery

B&S Light Teams with Nighthawk to Offer EZ Automation

The plant operator has all his controls within arm’s reach and a clear view of plant operations with the Nighthawk control house and the B&S Light controls.

36 November 2010

n today’s continuous mix world, getting the hot mix asphalt (HMA) design on spec means watching every aspect of production. Richard Young, president of B&S Light Industries, Claremore, Okla., reminds readers that everything’s happening in real time with a drum plant and an operator doesn’t dare turn his back on it when it’s running. Selecting materials, watching feed bins, taking constant silo measurements, etc., makes it difficult for the fellow to take care of ticketing, safety issues and any maintenance spots that might pop up. Add to that the fact that most DOTs and agencies won’t let you win a bid without automation to perfect your mix and you’ve got a good argument for getting a system to help with control. B&S manufacturers controls; David and Jody Carr of Nighthawk Technical Services, Oklahoma City, have one of the companies that distributes and installs the controls. Together, the team provides an arsenal of automation systems that are designed to take a plant to the next level. First, Nighthawk’s control houses come in six sizes from 8 by 18 feet to 12 by 35 feet, providing plenty of options within a producer’s footprint. What goes in next is even more customizable, and folks can see a 360-degree virtual tour of one example on the Nighthawk home page at http:// nighthawkcontrols.com.

EZ-Blend™ provides simultaneous control for up to two liquid asphalts, two recycled materials, 12 cold feed bins, multiple mineral fillers, bag house fines, anti-strip, lime, rejuvenator, and other materials as required. It performs fully coordinated “on the fly” sequential mix formula and/or ton-per-hour (TPH) changes, including starts and stops. The B&S Light website states the control can handle 500 raw materials and 500 mix formulas, but Young explained that further. “EZ-Blend could store 5,000 materials, but that’s not necessary,” he said. “It stores up to 500 mix designs, too. When the operator selects a mix, EZ-Blend looks to see that all the materials needed for that design are in the plant. Then it starts up and makes the mix with those materials. If anything starts to run low, it stops the plant.” Just like it sounds, the EZ-Blend Start/Stop Control provides the start/ stop control of the plant. A mouse-driven display assures quick-andeasy operation that mimics a conventional panel. This is the control that allows the operator to automatically start and stop all systems in the plant including conveyor belts, augers, drags, air locks and screens. It also provides sequential (cold) and loaded (hot) starts and stops. Young discussed trucking and ticketing needs also. The EZ-Loader™ is designed to handle—as its name implies—loadout functions, and it does so intelligently. We all know that the best way to load a haul truck is in three dumps from the silo, and the EZ-Loader measures that. “EZ-Loader literally keeps track of the drops into the truck and prints the ticket,” Young said. EZ-Loader is a computerized system that supports truck scale, weigh batcher and reverse weigh methods for loadout. The software is specifically designed to simplify and speed up truck loading. The system can accommodate up to 500 customers, 500 trucks, 500 job orders, 99 materials and the last 5,000 tickets. It can recall the information to the screen and reprint any of the 5,000 tickets at any time. A menu-driven method enables the operator to access data. EZ-Ticket™ is a computerized truck ticketing system with automatic bookkeeping. The system provides complete single screen ticketing, including logging all required new information, as well as “automatic data match and fill in” of previously recorded customer names, customer numbers, jobs, trucks and more. As Young explained, the type of ticket printing for the EZ-Loader and EZ-Ticket systems depends on how the customer’s plant is set up. Some folks may want a ticket printer at the office where the driver can pick it up on his way off site. Some states require the driver’s signature on the ticket, so a stop at the control house where the ticket’s torn off a printer is in order. Some systems have a pneumatic tube that sends the ticket out to the driver at a designated drop-off where he can sign it and send it back to the control house. Whatever the customer needs, B&S Light has it in their configuration. For liquid materials, the Digi-Flow™ is a heavy-duty metering assembly designed specifically for temperature-corrected measurement of heavy petroleum liquids. It measures and displays the flow rate and total use of three major types of liquid asphalt. Digi-Flow has built-in diagnostic and problem-isolation features. B&S Light offers a variety of other controls for batch and drum plants, and both B&S Light and Nighthawk Technology Services stand ready to introduce them to producers looking to update their technology and automation at the plant.

To contact B&S Light, call (918) 342-1160, e-mail sales@bslight.com or visit www.bslight.com. To contact Nighthawk, call (405) 670-6788, e-mail info@nighthawkcontrols.com or visit http://nighthawkcontrols.com.

Tramac’s V4500 Breaker

Tramac, Statesville, N.C., announced its newest addition to its line of heavy breakers in mid-October: the V4500, with distribution of the breaker to dealers throughout the United States and Canada already under way. Joe Forth, the manager of Tramac, said the new breaker “was specifically engineered to provide a higher energy per blow…” With a striking rate of 500 to 700 blows per minute and operating pressure of 2,683 psi (185 bar), the tool fits in the 13,000 foot-pound impact class. The breaker’s operating weight is 9,921 pounds (4,500 kg), tool diameter is 7.5 inches (190 mm) and working length is 29.7 inches (754 mm). The V4500 boasts the same platform found in the V1800 and the V2500, and shares some of the unique features of Tramac’s heavy breakers such as: • blank-firing protection to prevent metal on metal contact, • a pressure regulator valve to prevent overpressure and accidental overflow, • reinforced suspension to absorb vibration that leads to premature wear to the boom, • an automatic pressure regulator to ensure constant operation despite variations in flow or temperature, • an automatic frequency adaptation system, • increased striking from an energy recovery feature that captures rebound energy and delivers it in the next blow, and • an automatic greasing system to prevent heat damage with no work stoppage to apply grease. For more information, visit www.TramacUS.com.

ADM’s Portable Control House

Asphalt Drum Mixers, Inc., (ADM), Huntertown, Ind., has improved the design and availability of its control vans (portable control houses) for its full line of asphalt plants by shifting production of the components

ASPHALT PRO 37

Equipment gallery completely in-house and making some modifications. The new control vans boast heavier-duty tubing construction and high-tempered tinted safety glass and theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re full insulated for any climate. They feature the same state-of-the-art controls found in previous models. For more information, contact Mark Simmons at (260) 637-5729 or visit www.admasphaltplants.com.

PTIâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s foam tester

The Foamer from Pavement Technology, Inc., Covington, Ga., is a lab testing device designed and manufactured to provide repeatable foamed asphalt samples that are used for warm mix

asphalt (WMA) mix designs in the lab. The unit is mobile with adjustable height. It features a fully automated PLC control system (digital graphic interface) to assures correct timing and control of the foamed asphalt with touchscreen controls for all operations. The operator can validate and adjust all proportions, flowrates, timing, pressures, and volume of both water and up to 14 pounds of asphalt cement (AC). The reservoir is lined with a special hightemperature, disposable polymer bag, which can be discarded upon completion of the test. The foamer has a width of 35 inches, a length of 36 inches, a height of 85 inches and weighs 300 pounds with extruded aluminum framing. Operators can use standard tap water for tests. The heated and pressurized aluminum chamber with reservoir accepts standard 1-quart and 1-gallon containers of AC. The high-temperature polymer bag and tube are located inside the reservoir. For more information, contact PTI at (770) 388-0909 or visit www.pavementtechnology.com. 38 November 2010

ASPHALT PRO 41

here's how it works

PHCo’s All-in-One Heater Kit

he All-in-One heater kit from Process Heating Co., Seattle, replaces existing coil or direct-fired systems or comes in new installations to control liquid asphalt cement (AC) temperatures in horizontal or vertical tanks, and supply hot oil. Here’s how it works. First, the operator cuts a rectangular opening in the head or sidewall of the tank and slides the unit in place. He welds a liquid tight seal and reinstalls insulation and weatherproof jacketing. To start the unit, the operator turns on the tank heat at the control panel, which is mounted on the side of the tank, and sets the desired temperature. Low density immersion tank heaters rest near the bottom of the tank, supplying heat for the AC.

44 November 2010

The hot oil circulating pump pumps heated oil into the heat transfer coils, which also scavenge excess heat from the tank when it’s available and put the heat to work. Next, the hot oil travels through the coils and to the booster elements, which are low density circulating oil heaters located directly above the coils. Once there, the hot oil flows between the heating element and its jacket, through an outlet pipe and to the plant for use heating jacketed lines, pumps, valves, etc. To help with electrical demand charges, the kit’s tank heating elements are interlocked with equivalent or larger electric parts on the plant. First, when a larger motor starts somewhere on the plant, the

immersion heaters in the kit shut off. The circulating pump still delivers hot oil to the transfer coils and booster elements, which can still scavenge heat out of the AC as needed and still send the hot oil through the outlet to the rest of the plant. When the larger motor shuts off, the immersion heaters start back up and return the liquid asphalt to its desired temperature. Because the kit uses low-density heat, the possibility of coking asphalt on the heating elements is reduced, according to the manufacturer. For more information about the All-in-One heater kit or any of PHCo’s heating products, contact Rick Jay at (206) 682-3414 or visit www.processheating.com.

here's how it works

Gilsonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s AP-1B Asphalt Permeameter

o make sure the paving crew achieves adequate compaction and in-place air voids within the normally accepted range of 3 and 8 percent, field testing during construction is vital. The team at Gilson Company, Inc., Lewis Center, Ohio, now offers the four-tiered, AP-1B clear plastic Asphalt Permeameter for non-destructive field testing. With the AP-1B, a technician measures the rate of fall of water level in the permeameter over a defined period of time. Hereâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s how it works. To begin, a technician selects an area of about one square foot of unsealed asphalt mat of known thickness and brushes it clean of any debris. The technician applies a moldable sealant to the underside of the permeameter base. He places the bottom section on the asphalt 46 November 2010

mat and uses gentle foot pressure to temporarily attach and seal the permeameter to the asphalt pavement. He then affixes the top section to the bottom section with the same sealant. He places four 5-pound (2.3-kg) weights on the base section to counteract the head pressure developed when the permeameter is filled with water. To fill, the technician inserts a funnel in the top section of the assembled permeameter and slowly adds water, attempting to minimize the introduction of air bubbles. Once the permeameter is filled, he checks for leaks; assuming there are none, he proceeds with testing, recording the initial water level (h1, in centimeters) and start time at the beginning of the test. Coarse or open graded asphalt mixes will take less time and will normally require

the technician use the larger diameter tiers to determine volume of flow through the pavement, while fine graded mixes will take more time and require the top, smaller diameter tiers. Ultimately, the testing time should be long enough that there is a measurable and steady rate of water-level-drop in the permeameter. The technician records the final water level (h2, in cm) and elapsed time (t) at the conclusion of the test. The elapsed time and total water volume (ln(h1/h2)) are used to calculate and report the coefficient of permeability (K), as seen in this equation.

K = (aL / At) ln(h1 / h2) For more information, contact Gilson at (740) 548-7298 or sales@gilsonco.com.

the last cut

More Safety Replaces Moratorium by AsphaltPro Staff

ith arguments for and against, deep-water drilling resumes in the Gulf of Mexico as of Oct. 12 when the Obama administration lifted the drilling moratorium. In place of the moratorium, operators find stricter safety standards and new measures to impose on employees in light of the summer’s tragedy. While there will always be a hint of danger when man plumbs the depths in search of the fossil fuels we rely on, new rules and regulations strive to take a little more risk out of the deep-water drilling equation. Liquid Asphalt Cement Prices

Diesel Fuel Retail Price (per gallon)

Company, State

Aug 1, ’10 Avg/ton

Sep 1, ’10 Avg/ton

Oct 1, ’10 Avg/ton

Aug 2

2.928

Aug 9

2.991

ConocoPhillips, Tenn.

$450.00

$442.50

$437.50

Aug 16

2.979

NuStar Energy, Ga.

460.00

455.00

Aug 23

2.957

NuStar Energy, N.C.

460.00

455.00

Aug 30

2.938 2.931

NuStar Energy, S.C.

465.00

455.00

Sept 6

NuStar Energy, Va.

460.00

Sept 13

2.943

Associated Asphalt Inman, N.C.

465.00

460.00

Sept 20

2.960

Associated Asphalt Inman, S.C.

465.00

460.00

Associated Asphalt Inman, Va.

465.00

460.00

Marathon Petroleum, Tenn.

450.00

440.00

Marathon Petroleum, N.C.

445.00

450.00

445.00

Valero Petroleum, Va.

485.00

465.00

Massachusetts Average

495.00

470.00

California Average

417.20

376.50

424.10

Missouri Average

461.25

440.00

n/a

Source: Energy Information Administration

Data for Southeast region, Source: ncdot.org; Data for Massachusetts, Source: mass.gov; Data for California, Source: dot.ca.gov; Data for Missouri, Source: modot.mo.gov

Oil Price Report—August, September 2010 Aug 27, ’10

Late Aug ’09

Sep 3, ’10

Early Sep ’09

Sep 17, ’10

Mid Sep ’09

Crude Oil (WTI)

$75.96/bbl

$84.76/bbl

$78.85/bbl

$69.26/bbl

$75.39/bbl

$71.95/bbl

Spot Price Gasoline (NY)

1.972/gal

1.720/gal

2.061/gal

1.967/gal

1.877/gal

1.849/gal

Spot Price Diesel Fuel (NY)

2.040/gal

1.661/gal

2.098/gal

1.838/gal

1.999/gal

1.819/gal

Spot Price Heating Oil (NY)

1.983/gal

1.619/gal

2.038/gal

1.793/gal

1.961/gal

1.792/gal

Spot Price Propane (GC)

0.990/gal

0.760/gal

1.083/gal

0.815/gal

103.9/gal

0.985/gal

Data for Oil Price Report August and September 2010 and 2009, Source: Energy Information Administration ASPHALT PRO 49

resource directory ACE Group.......................... 31, 37 Contact: Carl McKenzie Tel: 888 878 0898 sales.enquiries@ashaltacesales.com www.asphaltace.com

Bullis Fabrication…................. 11 Contact: Greg Bullis Tel: 321-439-0349 gregbullis@bullisfabrication.com www.bullisfabrication.com

AquaFoam LLC......................... 13 Contact: Paul Schwan Tel: 513-874-0201 www.aquafoamllc.com

CEI............................................... 4 Contact: Andy Guth Tel: 800-545-4034 info@ceienterprises.com www.ceienterprises.com

Asphalt Drum Mixers....23, 26-27 Contact: Steve Shawd or Jeff Dunne Tel: 260-637-5729 sales@admasphaltplants.com www.admasphaltplants.com B & S Light...........................16-17 Contact: Mike Young Tel: 918-342-1160 Sales@bslight.com www.bslight.com Brookfield Engineering........... 11 Contact: sales@brookfieldengineering.com

Tel: 800-628-8139/508-946-6200 www.brookfieldengineering.com

ConExpo................................... 42 Tel: (800) 867-6060 www.Retoolandwin/asphalt.com Eagle Crusher........................... 39 Tel: 800-25-EAGLE Sales@eaglecrusher.com www.eaglecrusher.com EZ Street................................... 45 Tel: 800-734-1476 Info@ezstreet-miami.com www.ezstreetasphalt.com

Heatec, Inc. ................................... ....................... Inside Front Cover Contact: Sharlene Burney Tel: 800-235-5200 sburney@heatec.com www.heatec.com

Reliable Asphalt Products............ ....................................Back Cover Contact: Charles Grote Tel: 502-647-1782 cgrote@reliableasphalt.com www.reliableasphalt.com

Hotmix Parts/Stansteel............. 7 Contact: Dawn Kochert Tel: 800-826-0223 dkochert@hotmixparts.com www.hotmixparts.com

RMACES.................................... 35 Contact: Sue Wagner-Renner Tel: 970-222-4459 Sue@RMACES.org www.RMACES.org

Libra Systems........................... 38 Contact: Ken Cardy Tel: 216-256-1700 Sales@librasystems.com www.hotmixparts.com

Rotochopper, Inc.......................... ........................ Inside Back Cover Tel: 320-548-3586 Info@rotochopper.com www.rotochopper.com

Maxam Equipment............ 33, 41 Contact: Lonnie Greene Tel: 800-292-6070 lgreene@maxamequipment.com www.maxamequipment.com

Stansteel Asphalt Plant Products......................... 48 Contact: Tom McCune Tel: 800-826-0223 tmccune@stansteel.com www.stansteel.com

NAPA......................................... 43 2011 Annual Meeting www.hotmix.org

Systems Equipment................. 50 Contact: Dave Enyart Sr.

Tel: 563-568-6387 Dlenyart@systemsequipment.com www.systemsequipment.com Tarmac International, Inc.............. 21, 47 Contact: Ron Heap Tel 816-220-0700 info@tarmacinc.com www.tarmacinc.com Wirtgen America........................ 9 Tel 615-501-0600 Info@wirtgenamerica.com www.wirtgenamerica.com AsphaltPro’s Resource Directory is designed for you to have quick access to the manufacturers that can get you the information you need to run your business efficiently.aPlease support the advertisers that support this magazine and tell them you saw them in AsphaltPro magazine.

Dryers & Drum Mixers

Heaters

In-Stock USED EQUIPMENT Reliable Asphalt is the Hot Mix industry’s most comprehensive asphalt plant equipment supplier. By providing every part, component, and service, Reliable Asphalt Products can address all your plant needs. From cold feeds bins to silos, and baghouses to drum mixers, Reliable Asphalt Products stocks more on-hand inventory than anyone in the industry.

Cold Feeds

Screens & Conveyors

Control Houses

If you’re looking for QUALITY used equipment to keep your asphalt plant running at peak performance, call us. We can help. Reliable Asphalt Products - Everything for an Asphalt Plant!

Inc.

PO Box 519 • Shelbyville KY 40066 Call Us Toll Free 866.647.1782 Fax 502.647.1786 Check out our other used equipment listings at www.reliableasphalt.com

Drag Slats & Silos