JANUARY 2022
CREWS FACE “STEEP” CHALLENGES ON
AMS REPAVE
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TABLE OF CONTENTS |
O A
JANUARY 2022
COVER STORY Crews Face “Steep” Challenges on AMS Repave Sunmount Paving customized paving equipment to meet the needs of the new racetrack profile at Atlanta Motor Speedway | 24 TECHNOLOGY MATTERS
PRODUCTION NOTES
PRESERVATION UPDATE
10 How Technology Helps Manage Equipment Maintenance
18 Used Asphalt Plant Gives ESS New Life
32 How to Maintain your Chip Spreader
E.K. Services uses software to manage over 700 pieces of equipment, helping them avoid costly downtime
4
Emery Sapp & Sons avoids supply chain issues with a new plant by purchasing a used CMI plant and making it their own
ASPHALT CONTRACTOR JANUARY 2022
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Chip sealing is a mostly seamless process for both the agency and the contractor. That is of course if the equipment is properly maintained and ready to use.
32
IN EVERY ISSUE 8
Editor’s Perspective
42
The Last Exit
W p p a t y
B
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Blaw
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
With over a century of innovation to its credit, Blaw-Knox pavers have earned a reputation for quality, durability and performance unmatched in the industry. Today, with its new and improved highway-class designs, Blaw-Knox continues to deliver on its promise with all the performance features you’ve come to expect from an industry leader. BLAW-KNOX, THE LEGACY LIVES ON. Blaw-Knox Corporation 1280 Superior Avenue Chambersburg, PA 17201 Tel. 717-400-7900 www.blawknox.com
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DIGITAL CONNECTION www.ForConstructionPros.com/Asphalt
What Happens Now That Infrastructure Bill is Signed Into Law?
[VIDEO] Catch Up on Hops & Highways
The White House says implementing the Infrastructure Investment & Jobs Act will be overseen by experts to ensure the plan creates good jobs, boosts US global competitiveness, strengthens supply chains and acts against inflation. How does it start? Search: 21903175
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Hops & Highways is your weekly newscast dedicated to the road building industry. Join us each week as we share the latest industry news, provide contractors with best practices and share your hard work for Build America Friday. Search: ForConstructionPros.com/Videos/ Hops-Highways
The Ultimate Guide to Asphalt Pavement Compaction A detailed how-to guide full of steps and recommendations to achieve successful asphalt pavement compaction and avoid failure. Search: 21415372
Get social with us! Share pictures of what you’re working with over 29,000 other asphalt contractors on our Facebook page: Facebook.com/ Asphalt.Contractor/
Asphalt Pavements Well-Positioned for Climate Initiatives Asphalt will continue to have a large role in building a low carbon and resilient transportation network Search: 21940578 WWW.FORCONSTRUCTIONPROS.COM/ASPHALT
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CONTRACTOR LATEST INNOVATIONS FOR ASPHALT PROFESSIONALS
LATEST LATEST INNOVATIONS INNOVATIONS FOR FOR ASPHALT ASPHALT PROFESSIONALS PROFESSIONALS
ASPHALT ASPHALT
JANUARY 2022 Vol. 36, No. 1
CONTRACTOR CONTRACTOR LATEST INNOVATIONS FOR ASPHALT PROFESSIONALS
LATEST INNOVATIONS FOR ASPHALT PROFESSIONALS LATEST INNOVATIONS FOR ASPHALT PROFESSIONALS
Published by AC Business Media.
Asphalt
Asphalt CONTRACTOR
201 N. Main Street, Fifth Floor Fort Atkinson, WI 53538 (800) 538-5544 • www.ACBusinessMedia.com www.ForConstructionPros.com/Asphalt LATEST INNOVATIONS FOR ASPHALT PROFESSIONALS
CONTRACTOR LATEST INNOVATIONS INNOVATIONS FOR FOR ASPHALT ASPHALT PROFESSIONALS PROFESSIONALS LATEST
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Published and copyrighted 2022 by AC Business Media. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording or any information storage or retrieval system, without written permission from the publisher. Asphalt Contractor (ISSN 1055-9205, USPS 0020-688): is published ten times per year: January, February, March/April, May, June/July, August, September, October, November, December, with an additional Buyer’s Guide issue published in August by AC Business Media, 201 N. Main Street, Fifth Floor, Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin 53538. Periodicals postage paid at Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin and additional entry offices. POSTMASTER: Please send change of address to ASPHALT CONTRACTOR, PO Box 3605, Northbrook, Illinois 600653605. Printed in the U.S.A. SUBSCRIPTION POLICY: Individual subscriptions are available without charge only in the USA. The Publisher reserves the right to reject nonqualifying subscribers. One-year subscription to nonqualifying individuals: U.S. $45.00, Canada & Mexico $65.00, and $95.00 all other countries (payable in U.S. funds, drawn on U.S. bank). Single copies available (prepaid only) $10.00 each (U.S., Canada & Mexico), $15.00 each (International).
ASPHALT CONTRACTOR JANUARY 2022
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CONTRACTOR
EDITOR’S PERSPECTIVE
LATEST INNOVATIONS FOR ASPHALT PROFESSIONALS PROFESSIONALS LATEST LATEST INNOVATIONS INNOVATIONS FOR ASPHALT PROFESSIONALS
JANUARY 2022 • Vol. 36, No. 1
ASPHALT
Jessica Lombardo, Editor-In-Chief
CONTRACTOR
jLombardo@ACBusinessMedia.com 920.542.1247
LATEST PROFESSIONALS LATEST INNOVATIONS FOR ASPHALTPROFESSIONALS LATEST INNOVATIONS FOR ASPHALT
Equipment Maintenance Matters
Published by AC Business Media
Wirtgen America
Equipment must be properly maintained and operated to ensure peak performance on the jobsite
T
he familiar saying goes "if you don't schedule time for maintenance, your equipment will schedule it for you." Fixing equipment when it goes down unexpectedly will always be more expensive, and more intrusive to your workflow, than preventive or planned maintenance. The cost of the repairs is only part of the story though, and it may not even be the most significant part. Here are three threats to construction profitability if equipment goes down on the jobsite.
1. COLLATERAL DAMAGE Picture this. It's a beautiful summer day. Your crew is dialed in after working together all spring, the paver is running smoothly with the roller right behind it, the plant is pumping out the most homogenous mix you have ever seen and you have a line of three dumps waiting to feed that paver the mix to meet your deadline by end of day. The way this is going, you might even make it home for dinner. Suddenly, the auger on the paver stops pushing the mix through the machine to the screed, halting your entire operation. Meanwhile, you have mix cooling, an asphalt plant full of material and a crew without the equipment they need to re-open the road. Disruptions to production on the jobsite like this, idle operators and rental costs incurred to make up for the equipment that is down are all seen as costly collateral damage which in this case may have been prevented by a properly greased auger bearing.
Asphalt CONTRACTOR
201 N. Main Street | Fort Atkinson, WI 53538 800.538-5544 • www.ACBusinessMedia.com LATEST INNOVATIONS FOR FOR ASPHALT LATEST PROFESSIONALS LATEST INNOVATIONS ASPHALT PROFESSIONALS PROFESSIONALS www.ForConstructionPros.com/Asphalt
Publication Staff Publisher
Amy Schwandt aschwandt@ACBusinessMedia.com
to take the time to learn how to operate a rented piece of equipment, slowing productivity. For this reason alone, downtime must be built in to allow for scheduled maintenance. The threat to profitability comes from this unplanned downtime, the hours lost to unexpected or emergency repairs.
Editor In-Chief
Jessica Lombardo jlombardo@ACBusinessMedia.com
Associate Editor
Dormie Roberts droberts@ACBusinessMedia.com
3. DISRUPTIVE COSTS The third threat to profitability on jobsites when it comes to equipment breakdowns, are the costs related to disruptions on jobsites when equipment must be pulled out of production unexpectedly. This can be harder to pinpoint, but the impact on production schedules and crews can be substantial. Unplanned downtime where your company is being forced to rent equipment to fulfill your booked work can cost thousands annually. How to prevent all of this? Preventative and planned equipment maintenance of course. There is now telematics software on most equipment to help automate the preventive maintenance process and make it more proactive. Also inspect every machine this off-season and make sure you repair or replace any component that is questionable to make it through the 2022 season. Be diligent with daily walkarounds and keep up on equipment maintenance or pay the price. When paving begins, there's no time for downtime.
Kris Flitcroft
kflitcroft@ACBusinessMedia.com
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sdunphy@ACBusinessMedia.com
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tsoma@ACBusinessMedia.com
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2. UNPLANNED DOWNTIME On top of this collateral damage, your crew now either doesn't have equipment to complete the work you have on the books, or has
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TECHNOLOGY MATTERS E.K. Services has more than 700 pieces of equipment to manage, including about 200 pieces of off-road yellow iron. They use technology to track and manage asphalt rollers, pavers, milling machines, crushing equipment, excavators, backhoes, wheel loaders, skid loaders, lowboys, a fleet of sweeper trucks and tri-axles.
How Technology Helps Manage Equipment Maintenance E.K. Services uses software to manage over 700 pieces of equipment, helping them avoid costly downtime
E
.K. Services, Inc. is a womanowned, full-service utility, excavating and paving construction contractor offering commercial and residential services throughout central Pennsylvania and beyond. From the beginning, the Beinhower family has never wavered from their vision of how they want to conduct business by treating both their customers and their employees with the utmost respect and honoring their commitment to performing quality work.
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In 1976, Elaine and Ken Beinhower Sr. took a leap of faith to start their own business from their house with a handful of dedicated employees. Elaine and Ken’s passion for the construction industry guided the business through difficult economic times in the late 1980’s to the successful company E.K. is today. In 1991, E.K. Services was born as a result of the hard work of the employees and with the leadership of Elaine and Ken. The name E.K. was chosen to represent both Elaine and Ken’s first names. As the majority owner, Elaine was determined to make E.K. a success, for not just her family, but the employees too. As a woman in business, Elaine did what often seemed impossible; she built, maintained and cultivated a strong leadership role within a traditionally male-dominated industry. Elaine and Ken’s ultimate vision and the end
goal was to develop a business their three sons, Ken Jr., David and Shawn would grow up in and one day run as part of their family legacy. Together Elaine and Ken bring over 80 years of professional experience necessary to run a successful, well-established construction business. E.K. Services is proud to be a second-generation family business with each of their three sons presently working to help craft culture and drive aggressive growth. All with the hope of a third- generation who will follow in their dad’s footsteps. EQUIPMENT MANAGEMENT AND MAINTENANCE With their growth over the years, E.K. Services has lots of equipment to manage. “We have more than 700 pieces of equipment—including about 200 pieces of off-road yellow iron,” Beinhower says. “We have to track and manage asphalt
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Fro for win are
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Engineered I nnov ation. From innovative designs to Caterpillar dealer service and support, Weiler is paving the way to success for contractors across North America. Weiler’s material transfer vehicles, commercial pavers, road wideners, windrow elevators, static split-drum compactors, soil stabilizers, rock drills, tack distributors and front mount screeds are engineered with innovative features to increase productivity while reducing operating costs. Weiler equipment is sold and serviced exclusively at Caterpillar dealers throughout North America.
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TECHNOLOGY MATTERS
rollers, pavers, milling machines, crushing equipment, excavators, backhoes, wheel loaders, skid loaders, lowboys, a fleet of sweeper trucks and tri-axles.” All E.K. Services’ more than 700 pieces of equipment are managed through software called HCSS Equipment360. The company uses Equipment360 across two shops and for its road mechanics working in the field. Beinhower also uses the data collected by Equipment360 for costing and other reporting and analytics. GREATER EFFICIENCY FOR MECHANICS Mechanics in the shop and in the field are enjoying greater efficiency because all the information they need about a piece of equipment can be found on the Equipment360 mobile application on their iPad. “When we buy a piece of equipment, we put all the specs into Equipment360, load all the warranty information in, insurance data, and set up alerts for all preventive maintenance and servicing,” Beinhower says. “We even set up our depreciation for it.” This means that as a mechanic prepares to work on a piece of equipment, they have immediate access to part numbers, diagrams and technical specifications.
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“Knowing the warranty information in the field can save you a lot of money when a mechanic identifies a problem that is covered,” Beinhower says. “They have all of the information at their fingertips, including contact information.” Beinhower notes that repair data is complete and accurate, because mechanics are entering it themselves as they work, rather than submitting a handwritten paper form later, which would have to be deciphered by someone else to enter into the record. “Our mechanics can also be more efficient, as they can see all of the work orders in advance before heading out to a site,” Beinhower says. “This means the mechanic addresses several problems while on site, instead of just the one that they were called about.” MAINTENANCE SOFTWARE HELPS ENSURE UPTIME BY AVOIDING BREAKDOWNS IN THE FIELD E.K. Services is also seeing increased uptime since deploying their shop management solution. Beinhower attributes the configurable alerts for preventive maintenance and the ease and efficiency in which maintenance issues get reported.
“The software makes it easy to submit a maintenance request from our teams in the field,” Beinhower says. “This helps make sure that small problems don’t get overlooked and then become big problems. This also makes it more efficient for scheduling work in the shop. When a piece of equipment is coming in for an oil change, for example, we can schedule time in advance to handle any other issues that have been identified through the reports from the field.” Using Equipment360 alerts for preventive maintenance has also proven its value. “Prior to Equipment360, I know there were times when preventive maintenance on a piece of machinery might have been missed—especially during our busy season,” Beinhower says. “If you miss more than one of those in a row, you can end up with a problem. With Equipment360, that would never happen.” The cost of downtime can be expensive. “When a piece goes down, there’s downtime in just figuring out what is wrong, and then more downtime on the repair,” Beinhower says. “If it's an excavator on a pipe crew, then your whole crew's just sitting there waiting to be fixed. And if it can't be fixed, then,
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TECHNOLOGY MATTERS you incur the cost of getting a rental piece in, as well as the lost time waiting for it to be delivered. So, we value the way Equipment360 helps us do all that we can to avoid such situations.” ENHANCED OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY THROUGH INTEGRATION OF APPLICATIONS Equipment360 integrates with the other HCSS software that E.K. Services has deployed, like HeavyJob, which means that a foreman in the field has the option of entering maintenance requests directly from HeavyJob. From HeavyJob the request goes to the manager’s Equipment360 dashboard, where the job can be prioritized or combined with existing work orders for the piece of equipment. Sara Hanes, dispatcher at the company, likes the fact that whatever equipment updates she makes while working in HCSS Dispatcher are updated to Equipment360. “If I’m dealing with a backhoe, for example, I enter all the information into Dispatcher, as far as the make, model, year, the serial number, a description, the status of the machine, what job site
“This data also provides great costing information to use when building bids. We can do our equipment costing with the click of a button.” it’s located at, what foreman it’s assigned to, and also the backhoe’s history,” she says. “All of that information will also be displayed in Equipment360. It’s critically important that the information I use while working in HCSS Dispatcher is the same information that someone else sees while working in Equipment360.” Hanes also values the fact that HCSS Telematics integrates with the other applications, sending hours and odometer readings to Equipment360, for example, and equipment location to HCSS Dispatcher.
For Beinhower, application integration was one of the top selling points when looking at Equipment360. “Integration with other applications was one of the main reasons we went with Equipment360, the way it ties into all the other HCSS products we have,” Beinhower says. “Our previous application lacked integration. It was kind of a stand-alone, which reduced its value.” ASSET MANAGEMENT AND VISIBILITY INTO EQUIPMENT COSTS Beinhower especially likes the Asset Management report within Equipment360. “Asset Management is one of my go-to reports,” she says. “I like to use Asset Management when making business decisions.” Equipment360 reporting makes it easy to analyze the work codes, which mechanics use when documenting the maintenance and repair tasks they perform. “Equipment360 reporting allows you to see exactly what a piece of equipment is costing you an hour to run,” Beinhower says. “All of the item codes are there. You can look at all your
Software allows the mechanics at E.K. Services to be more efficient, as they can see all of the work orders in advance before heading out to a site. This means the mechanic addresses several problems while on site, instead of just the one that they were called about.
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TECHNOLOGY MATTERS excavators, for example, and see which pieces are costing more than the others to operate; which ones are requiring more maintenance or burning more fuel. You can do the same with any of your fleet—get an overall view, and a
Maintenance tracking software helps ensure that small problems don’t get overlooked and go on to become big problems. This also makes it more efficient for scheduling work in the shop. When a piece of equipment is coming in for an oil change, for example, E.K. Services can schedule time in advance to handle any other issues that have been identified through the reports from the field.
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per-unit view. We can do our equipment costing with the click of a button.” Beinhower adds: “In addition to helping make decisions on when to retire a piece of equipment, this data on a fleet level provides great costing information to use in building our bids. We can do our equipment costing with the click of a button.” EXACT EQUIPMENT TRACKING WITH HCSS TELEMATICS & GEOFENCING In addition to automatically reporting hours and mileage, HCSS Telematics provides exact location data helpful to the company’s dispatcher, as well as to its field mechanics. “We really value the way Equipment360 integrates with HCSS Telematics,” Beinhower says. “When our field mechanic is preparing to go out for a job, he can not only see what other pieces of equipment are on the jobsite, but also check out equipment on other sites within the area. This really helps him plan his day with the greatest efficiency. He can load up all the parts he needs and take care of maybe five issues, instead of just one and having to be sent back out to the field.” HCSS Telematics reduces lost time and frustrations of trying to locate a specific piece of equipment on a site. “Some of our sites are pretty big, especially when working in a town where we might be working a pavement project along a three-mile strip, with equipment parked on different streets,” Beinhower says. “Whether it’s the fuel truck driver, the lowboy driver, or the mechanic, they can pinpoint where the
equipment is that needs attention.” HCSS Telematics also helps the dispatcher when double-checking on equipment locations. “Being in charge of dispatch, it’s my job to know where all equipment is at all times,” Hanes says. “And with so many pieces of equipment and so many employees and getting so many phone calls a day, I know that I have already assigned a piece of equipment in Dispatcher, but will sometimes check myself, just to make sure that it is where it is supposed to be.” It also helps the check on driver location. Hanes notes: “If I’ve got drivers out there on the same project and one is doing six trips, and the other just two, I can check with HCSS Telematics to see what caused the delays.” ADMINISTRATIVE BENEFITS OF EQUIPMENT360 While the shop foreman assigns work orders to the mechanics, Hanes uses Equipment360 to set up scheduled preventive maintenance, including alerts to ensure an item isn’t missed. In addition, Hanes uses Equipment360 to move a rented piece of equipment into inventory, complete with ID number, and meter readings, and then removes it from inventory when it is returned. Hanes also uses Equipment360 to issue alerts for vehicle registrations and to track inventory. “The alerts mean that I don’t have to look at equipment one at a time checking for when preventive maintenance is due,” Hanes says. “And alerts also let me know when we are getting low on any of our tracked supplies, which has freed me from having to do spot checks.” Tom Webb is VP of Strategic Initiatives & Customer Relations at HCSS
For more information on equipment telematics, visit ForConstructionPros. com/21771746
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8J WIRTGEN
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PRODUCTION NOTES |
JESSICA LOMBARDO, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Used Asphalt Plant Gives ESS New
LIFE
The lead time for a new asphalt plant in 2021 was 9-12 months. ESS found a used CMI ready to install for their customers in the Springfield, MO market.
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Emery Sapp & Sons avoids supply chain issues with a new plant by purchasing a used CMI plant and making it their own
I
f there was one word to sum up 2021, it would be "delay." No industry has been immune to supply chain disruptions and the construction industry certainly had their fair share of setbacks due to material shortages. From steel to electrical components to rock, we've had to adapt in order to make sure the work could continue. Missouri-based asphalt producer and contractor Emery Sapp & Sons (ESS), owns and operates 12 asphalt plants throughout the state. They also self-perform excavation, grading, underground utilities, bridge construction, asphalt paving, concrete paving and pavement preservation for their markets. They knew they were ready to expand their asphalt services within the Springfield, MO market and needed the asphalt plant to do so. "We wanted to be the one-stop shop for the Springfield market," Tyson Collins, assistant vice president at ESS says. "With the purchase of an asphalt plant, we would be able to perform all the site development and construction work for our customers in that area." When ESS was ready to purchase however, the equipment was not. "When we looked into it, a new plant was going to have a 9-12 month lead time, and we wanted to get something going earlier than that," Collins
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says. "A used option presented itself and was ready to go and available for access immediately." MOVE, INSTALL, PERMIT, PRODUCE It may seem like an easy process to move an existing plant from one location to another, but those of us in the industry know that is not the case. It takes several months of planning and site development just to make an area ready to set up an asphalt plant. Before a single ton of mix can be produced, there are the moving logistics, installation challenges, permitting requirements and finally the training of a new staff. ESS made the commitment to do all of this for the future success of their business. ESS surveyed and took photos of the future site of the plant before purchasing a production facility to verify the site would be acceptable. Once that was done, ESS realized they would need to power the plant somehow. They had 3,000 linear ft. of 3-phase power installed to the site. They also gained easements and permits and installed 1200 ft. of natural gas lines. In March of 2021, ESS officially purchased the old CMI plant from the Chicago-area. Then the process of moving the plant to Missouri began. "It took 34 loads to get the plant from Chicago to Springfield," Collins says. "We had to coordinate scheduling with subcontractors that were
dismantling the plant and loading loads to get everything moving in a timely manner." On top of the logistics of moving 34 trucks across two states, all loads were overweight or over sized and required special permitting. Once the plant pieces made it to Missouri, ESS obtained factory drawings of the plant in order to properly assemble the old plant in it's new home. The team also encountered some wet weather which caused challenges with footings. Luckily, the ESS heavy highway division was on hand to complete new footings for the plant. Then came the process of making the plant operational. The team set up and installed: • 500 ton per hour counterflow drum • Six cold feed bins • Three recycle bins • One baghouse
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PRODUCTION NOTES
Two new plant operators were trained for this new location and the first load of mix went out in August.
• • • •
The first bit of mix being sent out of the used plant Emery Sapp & Sons purchased in March and installed in their new Springfield, MO location.
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Three A/C tanks Three 260-ton silos Mineral silo All CMI controls/parts Two new plant operators were trained by veteran operators for this new location and the plant was fully operational in August. "We had many challenges getting this plant moved and installed but our ESS team did a great job of conquering these challenges and we were up and operational just five months after purchase," Collins says. "This CMI plant was in excellent condition for a used plant. With it having three, 260-ton silos, we can hold 780 tons of mix. That is going to allow us to also produce mix for other paving companies to purchase mix from us." The new plant will also provide ESS the opportunity to work on several municipal and DOT work, as well as produce mix for several large private jobs in the pipeline.
For more information on ESS, visit ForConstructionPros. com/21220082
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JOBSITE INNOVATIONS |
JESSICA LOMBARDO, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Crews Face "Steep" Challenges on
AMS REPAVE Sunmount Paving customized equipment to meet the needs of the new racetrack profile at Atlanta Motor Speedway
R
acetrack paving can be some of the most challenging and rewarding projects
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an asphalt contractor ever works on. Yes, the days are long and the job is tough, but it's worth it to see your hard work on TV as racecars speed around the asphalt you helped put down. These jobs always come with their own set of tight timelines and tighter tolerances, but Sunmount Paving Company faced an all new level of obstacles on the repave of Atlanta Motor Speedway (AMS) last summer. "The track was last paved in 1997 and the track surface was severely worn and the paving seams were starting to cause large failures prior to events and even during events," Steve Swift, senior vice president of
operations and development at Atlanta Motor Speedway says. "The surface was beginning to fail at the paving seams causing large delaminated sections to pull out because of severe wear of the paving seams and water infiltration. We knew it was time for a repave." Before any work could begin, AMS wanted a clear picture of what their new track
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E
could look like. They worked with a research company, iRacing, for 10 months before deciding on the final profile of the course. "We worked with iRacing to simulate what the new design would produce in racing," Swift says. "In past repaves, we didn’t have the luxury of knowing if the idea we had on track design would produce the racing that we were looking for. Thankfully, in the world today, simulations are as realistic as they have ever been, and iRacing has a huge following and members that race the simulations daily. With their experience and membership, we were able to take advantage of seeing what we were designing prior to the placement of the design. Through the process, we
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were able to recognize areas that needed to be smoothed out and make for the smoothest ride on the race track. Our initial design did create what we were hoping for in competition on the track and they helped us make some minor changes that took it to the next level." While the new design, which changed the banking on the turns from 24° to 28°, is sure to thrill racing enthusiasts, it was quite the undertaking for the reconstruction team.
THE RACE IS ON Sunday, July 11, was the final race on the 24° banked quad-oval configuration of the speedway. Just a few days later, the steel portions of the barriers wrapped around the entire 1.54-mile outer wall had been removed and reconstruction of the track began. Baker’s Construction Services from Bristol, TN was contracted to remove and construct the new profile of the subgrade for the new surface. On Monday, July 19, the first chunks of asphalt were removed from turn 1 of the speedway. Then they began carving into the embankment in turns 1 and 2 to yield the steeper 28° banking.
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JOBSITE INNOVATIONS Atlanta Motor Speedway
"The new banking on the course will create a more group racing experience for the fans, the cars will not be able to get away from each other and will require drafting to get advantages, thus keeping the cars closer for great competition," Swift says. "This will be the only 28° 1.5 mile race track on the current schedule, or for that matter in the entire United States." In the process of increasing the banking to 28°, the width of the racing surface in the corners was decreased from 55 feet wide to 40 feet wide. AMS also took the reconstruction opportunity to improve drainage at the course. To extend the life of Atlanta’s old racing surface, the speedway’s operations department had to work vigorously to limit the amount of moisture below the surface. They installed a new drainage system all around the track and an Open Drainage Layer, or ODL, during the reconstruction. The ODL is a porous layer of asphalt designed to better absorb ground water and lead it to the drainage system, away from the racing surface. Going forward, AMS has a partner hidden beneath the racing surface removing excess water day after day.
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Crews worked to carve into the embankment in turns 1 and 2 to yield the steeper 28° banking.
Gi de sy pe sim of co
Atlanta Motor Speedway
“It’s a large investment for a company to put this (asphalt) in. We want to make sure it lasts as long as it possibly can," Swift says. PAVING THE BANK Asphalt paving equipment is designed to be operated on a flat surface. Obviously if you're going to have the equipment work in less than ideal situations, you want to be sure you have experienced partners to help. "Eurovia Atlantic Coast LLC – dba
Sunmount Paving Company was, contracted to complete the asphalt paving portion of the project," Swift says. "They were selected to pave the track in February of 2021. There are only two companies in the country that attempt to pave high bank race tracks and Sunmount is the only company that has paved higher than 21°. They are the experts in this difficult paving process and have the want and knowledge to produce a great product and racing surface."
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JOBSITE INNOVATIONS Atlanta Motor Speedway
Mix Design Matters About 20 miles away from Atlanta Motor Speedway, ER Snell’s asphalt plant sits in Stockbridge, GA. After years of prep and tons of material, the company was ready to create the mix for the project. “Six years ago, we put up some designs for the project, then some of (the speedway’s) engineers came in and pointed out that they wanted a bit of a coarser mix,” Nick Murphy, senior vice president at ER Snell says. “A lot of that stemmed from the desires of the tire manufacturers and there was a lot of talk about the wear on the tires and what they’d expect at race time.” The mix created was specific to the AMS project. It used a polymer asphalt, 82-22 oil with gradations that are unique to the track. “This is a high performance paving mix that holds up to the sheer forces exerted by the racing activities that it is subject to,” Steve Swift, senior vice president of operations and development at Atlanta Motor Speedway says. “With the NASCAR cars, you have tires that create a lot of friction on the wearing surface. This product is a little stiffer; it’s going to be little more durable than your typical highway asphalt. There’s a lot behind the scenes research and development that goes into making this product.” While the stone aggregate for the AMS project comes to ER Snell from a nearby quarry, the liquid asphalt was hauled in from Associated Asphalt’s facility in Savannah, GA. It was all mixed together at the Stockbridge location and transported to AMS. “They were looking for some things that we don’t encounter on a day-to-day basis so it kind of threw us a curveball, Murphy says. “We were able to make the adjustments they wanted and provide those properties that they were looking for.”
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AMS took the reconstruction opportunity to improve drainage at the course. To extend the life of Atlanta’s old racing surface, the speedway’s operations department had to work vigorously to limit the amount of moisture below the surface. They installed a new drainage system all around the track and an Open Drainage Layer, or ODL. The ODL is a porous layer of asphalt is designed to better absorb ground water and lead it to the drainage system, away from the racing surface. Atlanta Motor Speedway
Paving on the track began in the beginning of October and Sunmount had to custom fabricate solutions that would keep the equipment in place on the high banks. "Typically on this style banking, Sunmount has held the equipment from the top of the race track," Swift says. "Due to the unique structures in the turns of AMS, they were required to hold the machinery from the bottom of the track. With their great engineering and some trial and error, they developed a system to place asphalt on 28° bank." How do you keep equipment in place when you're at a 28° bank? That required some innovative engineering. “We fabricated something almost every week to help us and came up with new ways to make it better, make it
easier,” John Rauer, division manager for Sunmount Paving Company says. Over the last 25 years, Rauer has helped pave several racetracks across the country and has experience with the trial and error, quick thinking and adjustments needed on these type of projects. “For one example, with the hook point on the paver it totally didn’t work,” Rauer says. They used a cranestyle machine with a hook bar to keep the equipment in place and adjustments had to be made for each piece of equipment to keep it steady. “We had to make some modifications to the equipment because it wasn’t holding the paver up there,” Swift says. “The paver wanted to keep coming down the slope.”
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JOBSITE INNOVATIONS
Top photo: Sunday, July 11, was the final race on the 24° banked quad-oval configuration of the speedway. Just a few days later, the steel portions of the barriers wrapped around the entire 1.54-mile outer wall had been removed and reconstruction of the track began. Baker’s Construction Services from Bristol, TN was contracted to remove and construct the new profile of the subgrade for the new surface. On Monday, July 19, the first chunks of asphalt were removed from turn 1 of the speedway. Bottom photo: In total, about 17,000 tons of material was used to bring the all-new Atlanta Motor Speedway to life. The ODL at 2-in., 1.5-in. leveling course and 2-in. surface mix for a total of 5.5-in. It was a race to the finish to make sure the work was done on time. Atlanta Motor Speedway
Asphalt Continues to Be Pavement of Choice for Racetracks We all know the many advantages of asphalt for our roadways, but racetracks have also historically chosen asphalt over concrete for their surfaces. Of the 88 race tracks listed for the NASCAR Short Track series, 64 are asphalt, 21 are dirt or clay, and only three are concrete. Atlanta Motor Speedway chose asphalt for their first resurface in almost 25 years for several reasons. “Asphalt is easier to maintain on a 1.5 mile racing surface,” Steve Swift, senior vice president of operations and development at Atlanta Motor Speedway says. “The track is traditionally asphalt and we didn’t want to change that. The cost difference between asphalt and concrete paving played a key part as well.” Asphalt pavements provide smooth driving surfaces combined with the excellent traction demanded by professional stock car racing.
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“We moved (the hook point) nine inches and that fixed it,” Rauer added. “So it was just a small nine inches that made the difference.” Segregation on the project was controlled with a feeder belt that kept the paver fed, another proprietary piece of equipment Sunmount developed to pave the high banks. In total, about 17,000 tons of material was used to bring the all-new Atlanta Motor Speedway to life. The ODL at 2-in., 1.5-in. leveling course and 2-in. surface mix for a total of 5.5in. It was a race to the finish to make sure the work was done on time. "Work had to be completed for a test by end of November 2021," Swift says. "This will allow Goodyear to construct a tire for the Spring 2022 race." We can't wait to see all the hard work come to life on the course in March,
For more information on racetrack paving, visit ForConstructionPros. com/21119164
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PRESERVATION UPDATE |
JESSICA LOMBARDO, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF To successfully complete a chip seal, tack is first put down, followed by a chip spreader that disperses aggregate in a uniform manner, making the process mostly seamless for both the agency and the contractor. That is of course if the equipment is properly maintained and ready to use.
How to Maintain your
CHIP SPREADER Chip sealing is a mostly seamless process for both the agency and the contractor. That is of course if the equipment is properly maintained and ready to use
C
hip seals are a popular preservation tool to help maintain roadways at a lower price point. A mile of chip seal costs about $36,000, compared to $86,000 + per mile for an asphalt overlay, making it a very cost effective preservation treatment. For this reason, municipalities turn to this option to extend the life of their pavements in a quick and cost-efficient manner. The seal acts as a wearing course that helps to waterproof the surface, seal small surface cracks and improve surface friction. Materials are put down using a tack distributor, followed by a chip
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spreader that disperses aggregate in an uniform manner making the process mostly seamless for both the agency and the contractor. That is of course if the equipment is properly maintained and ready to use. "A machine that is properly maintained will perform as designed," Wayne Burgess, rapid response technician at VT LeeBoy says. "Keeping up to date on the machines normal maintenance schedule will help keep the spreader in efficient operating condition. Routine maintenance and observation will help with little to no downtime." MACHINE CALIBRATION & DAILY USE Chip spreaders are designed to put down a specified amount of material over a certain area. Aggregate coverage needs to be uniform and complete. Piles of aggregates or areas missing coverage will lead to premature failure of the treatment.
Newer machines have processorcontrolled systems to get the chip application rate correct. The amount of aggregate being put down will be determined by the design specification and inspectors will be on site to make sure crews are meeting those specs. "If you can’t apply the proper PSY (pounds square yard) to the road, it can lead to the machine being removed from the job site," Burgess says. Making sure your machine is properly calibrated on a regular basis will help ensure you meet those project goals. "How you check the calibration is determined by the type of spreader you are operating," Burgess says. "LeeBoy/ Rosco spreaders are calibrated by using a one square yard mat and spreading an application over the mat. Once achieved, the inspector will weigh all material on the one square yard mat. That weight will be the machines application. This setting then can be adjusted up or down by using the PSY
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PRESERVATION UPDATE
Chip spreaders are designed to put down a specified amount of material over a certain area. Aggregate coverage needs to be uniform and complete. Piles of aggregates or areas missing coverage will lead to premature failure of the treatment.
No matter what kind of chip spreader you use, the aggregate is delivered to a receiving hopper. From there, the material is conveyed to the spreading hopper. Some machines use augers, some flow gates, to move and spread the aggregate out along the spreading hopper so it will fall in a uniform veil from this final hopper onto the tacked surface. These are all wear parts that will need to be monitored on a daily, weekly and monthly basis.
On SealMaster machines, contractors should watch the feedgate opening. The first few minutes of operation will tell the best opening distance for the size of aggregate being used.
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application in the computers setting." Machine calibration should be checked monthly to ensure proper application and checked with each new material you put through it. "For every different material that you want to put through a chip spreader you should calibrate it," Brian Horner, director of sales at Etnyre International says. "You want to use the computer and make sure the opening of the gate equals the aggregate type so that the rock is fully at your specified application rate. There are five memories on a chip spreader for each aggregate size and you calibrate the machine based on aggregate type for each job." For machines that are mechanically driven, this includes watching your machine on the jobsite to make sure aggregates are dispersing properly. "On SealMaster machines, contractors should watch the feedgate opening," Cody Hale, national business development manager at SealMaster says. "The first few minutes of operation will tell the best opening distance for the size of aggregate being used." No matter what kind of chip spreader you use, the aggregate is delivered to a receiving hopper. From there, the material is conveyed to the spreading hopper. Some machines use augers, some flow gates, to move and spread the aggregate out along the spreading hopper so it will fall in a uniform veil from this final hopper onto the tacked surface. These are all wear parts that will need to be monitored on a daily, weekly and monthly basis Belt tracking and augers should be a focus of attention for operators. "Belts don't wear out until they rip so the biggest thing to do with the belts on these machines is keep them adjusted properly each day," Horner says. "You don't want to over tighten them and you don't want them so loose that they slip when they kick on. Over tightening will ruin the laces as the lacing connects the belt and if you over tighten those, you'll eventually pull the lacings apart and then you will have to replace the lacings or at some point you'll have to replace the belt." Hale adds that daily maintenance on your machine should also include properly greasing the equipment. "Daily greasing of fittings is recommended under heavy use," he says. "Keeping the tires properly inflated and keeping the unit greased for proper wear and a long life are most important. Weekly inspections should be done to make sure no parts are out of alignment or broken. If not maintained properly, the unit could potentially unevenly disperse the aggregate. This will cause an uneven finish on the surface of the roadway."
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PRESERVATION UPDATE
DEEP DIVE DURING REBUILD SEASON Like any other piece of equipment you own, the chip spreader features wear parts that will need to be inspected at regular intervals and replaced during rebuild season if necessary. One of the main wear parts mentioned above is the auger that moves the
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they won't be able to travel as fast when they're spreading," Horner says. "When augers get smaller, they can't drag the rock out to the end, so operators will notice the wear on them because they can't deliver the material they want at a certain speed and they will need to be replaced." Most spreaders have rubber or poly lagging that surrounds the belt and receiving hopper that is also a major wear part on these machines. "Leeboy/Rosco CSH & CSV models have metal wear seals on each of the application hopper gates," Burgess says. "These will wear over time and can be adjusted to 1/2-in. of thickness until they are eventually replaced. The life of all wear items is commonly dependent upon the amount of material put through machine over time." Another commonly overlooked item is a gate "reset" on these machines during the off-season. "In order to maintain good calibration, every winter, somebody should go through and adjust all the wear points on the gates and adjust what we call the null and the scale," Horner says. "This is the open and the close of the gate so the machine's computer knows when that gate is fully closed and fully open. To do this, equipment owners should go through the procedure of not only mechanically setting the gates down, but then you have to tell the computer where that zero is and where that full open is. "If this isn't done, the operator may think that the gate is at position is zero but they are actually opened a quarter inch so you're really getting more rock than what you want because we're already starting at a quarter inch open," Horner continues. "A lot of people just don't do that and it's something that should be done every year to ensure the machine knows where actual zero is."
2
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PAY ATTENTION & BE ALERT While routine maintenance will help keep the machine out on the job instead of in the shop unexpectedly, if
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PRESERVATION UPDATE
One of the main wear parts on a chip spreader is the auger that moves the material through the machine. Over time, the metal begins to wear from the aggregate passing through the auger to be dispersed on the road. Make sure to check this during rebuild season. If it is passed it's usable life, it needs to be replaced before the next season begins.
your crew notices something is not right with the machine, it's their responsibility to have it checked out before it heads out to another project. "The operator and crew should always be aware of any issues that the spreader may be experiencing," Burgess says. "If something on the spreader is not performing as designed, then it needs to be addressed by a technician." Be sure to always refer to your manufacturer recommended maintenance schedule for guidance on your equipment.
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PAGE
ALMix
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Asphalt Drum Mixers Inc. (ADM)
22-23
Astec
7, 43, 44
Clarence Richard Company
41
E. T. Clancy Co. Inc.
41
Etnyre International
36
Eager Beaver General Engines
37
Gencor Industries Inc.
3, 5
Homestead Valve
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LeeBoy, Inc.
13
Meeker Equipment Co. Inc.
15
Minds, Inc.
27
National Pavement Expo
39
Pegasus Vans & Trailers, Inc.
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Reliable Asphalt Products
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SealMaster
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Superior Tire & Rubber Corp.
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Systems Equipment
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Tarmac International, Inc.
35
TransTech Systems, Inc.
29
Weiler Products
11
Wirtgen America Inc.
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· Astec 6’X33’ Double Barrel drum only · Gencor 500 tph 38” X 102’ slat conveyor · Barber Greene 10,000# Asphalt Batch Plant · Gencor 88” X 32’ aggregate dryer with Hauck burner · Astec 400 tph Double Barrel only · Astec 75 ton self-erect silo · ADM 42,000 CFM portable baghouse · Terex 95 ton self-erect silo & slat conveyor · Astec pugmill coater · Dillman mixing drum · 15,000 gallon asphalt tank with hot oil heater
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THE LAST EXIT
Three Ways Technology Can Ease the Construction Labor Shortage
AI CAN MAKE INDUSTRY MORE ATTRACTIVE A smaller labor pool means it’s likely that each individual worker will have more work. But overwork can drive up injury and turnover rates, further diminishing the available workforce. New AI applications can cut down on project planning time and optimize construction scheduling through preplanning and management algorithms. For example, the algorithm designed by ALICE Technologies generates alternative schedule possibilities to advise contractors on the optimal construction path. It helps contractors gauge how large a team they need and how long a workday should
ACBM staff
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resident Joe Biden’s $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act aims to revitalize America’s roads, bridges and railways, in addition to increasing broadband internet access nationwide. With this, contractors can expect to see a major uptick in demand for new projects. However, there’s one major roadblock: the construction industry is short on skilled workers. A report from the US Chamber of Commerce found that over 88% of contractors are having moderate to high difficulty hiring skilled labor. These hiring problems are contributing to a construction labor shortage of at least 2.2 million workers through 2025. To keep up with demand using a shrinking and less skilled workforce, contractors need ways to retain the workers they have and work more efficiently with less labor. Here are three ways they can do so.
be to maximize efficiency without overworking people. With AI technology managing workloads, construction workers should be overscheduled and injured less from overwork. And with less on-the-job strain, construction as an industry will be more attractive for potential hires. TELEMATICS CAN PREVENT DOWNTIME During a labor shortage, contractors need to be able to constantly monitor their equipment health. Equipment breakdowns require more labor to repair, and slow down existing projects. Too much equipment downtime can create backlogs, further straining capacity to meet increased demand. Telematics solutions can track equipment health by collecting data from cameras, cloud-connected keypads, bluetooth nodes and vehicle trackers. These tracking elements tell contractors when their equipment needs preventive maintenance so they can get on top of problems before they happen. As an added benefit, telematics can reduce the amount of office work needed so that contractors can refocus their workforce on important site tasks. REMOTE INSPECTIONS CAN DELAY RETIREMENT AND FACILITATE TRAINING An aging workforce is a major contributor to the construction labor shortage.
Within the construction inspection force specifically, the median age is 53. How can contractors retain these experienced inspectors? Remote inspection technology can help. Remote inspections involve an on-site person streaming video of the object to be inspected to a skilled inspector off site. Part-time remote work might be attractive to more senior inspectors for three reasons: • It’s safer: There aren’t any on-site construction hazards • It’s flexible: Part-time work lets inspectors work when it’s best for them. • It’s more efficient: Because they’re not driving from site to site, inspectors can complete (and get paid for) more inspections in less time. Having experienced inspectors guide less-experienced employees can also contribute to training efforts, meaning remote video inspections can provide an essential bridge between today’s workforce and tomorrow’s. Technology alone might not solve the labor shortage, but it’s necessary to make construction a safer and more efficient industry. Rama Sreenivasan is the co-founder and CEO at Blitzz, a live, remote video support and inspection platform.
For more information on construction technology, visit ForConstructionPros. com/21928293
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BUILT TO CONNECT
Efficiency and Productivity Designed with safety and operator comfort in mind, the Shuttle Buggy® SB-3000 material transfer vehicle features adaptive cruise control, bright LED lighting, four-wheel steering for easy transport and groundlevel maintenance access for added convenience. Operators can rely on clear sightlines and the ground operator is safely protected inside the structure of the machine. The Roadtec SB-3000 is the perfect blend of traditional craftsmanship and modern technology.
astecindustries.com
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BUILT TO CONNECT
Connection is at the heart of everything we do The primary use for asphalt is creating pavement for building the roads that connect goods and services to their markets, people to their communities and families to each other. ASTEC asphalt plants are essential to building and maintaining these vital connections. That’s what drives us to design, manufacture, and sell innovative, efficient, and reliable equipment. And that’s what inspires us to connect to our customers through knowledgeable sales, receptive engineering and responsive parts and service.
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