Feasibility of Cold Central Plant Recycling (CCPR) Asphalt Mixtures for Airports
With the Administration setting the goal that the United States will be carbon neutral by 2050, all industries are being asked to consider how they can contribute to making this goal reality. Recently, Cold Central Plant Recycling (CCPR) has been used by some agencies to reduce energy demands and research has suggested that CCPR mixtures can perform well on highways; however, little research has been conducted to show the feasibility for this type of mixture on airfields. The objective of this project is to assess the feasibility and potential benefits of using CCPR asphalt mixtures at all categories of airports.
Principal Investigator: David Jones, PhD, (University of California, Davis)
Panel: Richard Willis (Co-Chair), Jennifer Ganley (Co-Chair), Injun Song, Will Rogers, David Allain, Scott Quire, Mark Stahl, Wayne Seiler, Jason Wielinski, Nivedya Mk, Priyanka Sarker
Timeline: September 1, 2022 – August 31, 2025
Funding: $500,000
Mitigation of Plastic Flow and Delamination at High-Speed Exits
While high-speed exit taxiways are critical, for decades they have been the source of pavement distress due to the significant stresses placed on flexible pavements as heavy aircraft are turning at high speeds. This project focuses on understanding the mechanisms causing the failures at high-speed exits and finding solutions to prevent them through either construction or materials specifications.
Principal Investigator: Dr. Hao Wang, PhD (Rutgers University)
Panel: Richard Willis (Co-Chair), Navneet Garg (Co-Chair), Jeremiah Stache, David Lee, Ron Corun, Hao Yin, Michael Elwardany, Alex Apeagyei
Timeline: August 15, 2022 – August 14, 2024
Funding: $500,000
Improving Performance of Longitudinal Joints in Airfield Asphalt Pavements
Two of the biggest observed performance issues on airport asphalt pavements are cracking and raveling at longitudinal joints often related to insufficient density of the asphalt mixture in the joints. This project focuses on best practices currently used to maintain longitudinal joint performance and an evaluation of new technologies that could also extend joint life.
Principal Investigator: Randy West, PhD, PE (National Center for Asphalt Technology at Auburn University)
Panel: Ray Brown (Co-Chair), Wesley Mittlestead (Co-Chair), Brett Williams, Jeremy Robinson, Jon Young, Deb Schwerman, Harry Bush, James Anderson, Tim Martin, Chris Unzicker
Timeline: July 1, 2022 – June 30, 2024 (Phase 1)
Funding: $200,000 (Phase 1)
Balanced Mix Design: Evaluation of Rutting Tests for Airfield Pavements
This Balanced Mix Design project will focus on harmonizing the rutting requirements in the current FAA specifications.
Principal Investigator: Elie Y. Hajj, PhD (University of Nevada at Reno)
Panel: Brett Williams (Co-Chair), Navneet Garg (Co-Chair), Sadie Casillas, Chuck Mills, Brandon Brever, Alfredo Castro, Tim Peffer, Kelly Morse
Timeline: July 1, 2022 – June 30, 2024
Funding: $500,000
Balanced Mix Design: Evaluation of Cracking Tests for Airfield Pavements
This Balanced Mix Design project explores which cracking tests should be considered for airfield evaluation.
Principal Investigator: Imad Al-Qadi, PhD, PE (University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign)
Panel: Brett Williams (Co-Chair), Navneet Garg (Co-Chair), Sadie Casillas, Chuck Mills, Brandon Brever, Alfredo Castro, Tim Peffer, Kelly Morse
Timeline: August 15, 2022 – August 14, 2025
Funding: $1,000,000
Asphalt Mixtures Paving Handbook Revision
In 2000, the Transportation Research Board updated the Hot-Mix Asphalt Paving Handbook. In the decades since its publication, new technology has become available that can aid in ensuring high quality asphalt pavements are constructed for highways or airfields. The book revision will include the latest technologies and best practices for highway and airfield paving.
Principal Investigator: Mark Buncher, PhD, PE (Asphalt Institute)
Panel: Ray Brown (Co-Chair), Harold Honey (Co-Chair), Jesse Doyle, Dave Gent, Mike Skinner, Todd Mansell, Jim Scherocman, Dennis Hunt, Richard Duvall
Timeline: July 1, 2022 – June 30, 2024
Funding: $200,000
Guidance on Selection of Asphalt Binder Grade
To aid engineers in selecting the proper binder for asphalt mixtures at airfields, this project will develop guidance and an app to simplify the decision-making process to ensure that individual project requirements comply with current airfield specifications.
Principal Investigator: Raquel Moraes, PhD (National Center for Asphalt Technology at Auburn University)
Panel: Richard Willis (Co-Chair), John Kirkendall (Co-Chair), Ben Cox, Kevin Burke, Ron Corun
Timeline: July 1, 2022 – March 31, 2024
Funding: $210,600
VALIDATION OF GYRATIONS FOR SUPERPAVE GYRATORY COMPACTOR FOR MIX DESIGN OF AIRPORT ASPHALT MIXTURES
While there have been past studies to evaluate the number of Superpave Gyratory Compactor (SGC) gyrations needed for laboratory compaction to produce mixtures with similar voids to the Marshall compactor, some questions remain around the correct compaction level with the SGC. The previous work will aid in this project's objective to determine the number of gyrations needed to compact mixtures to produce the same volumetrics as that produced with the Marshall hammer. The research team will then develop a test plan to modify/validate the number of gyrations based on testing with plant produced mixtures, followed by the phase 2 work to carry out the field study.
Principal Investigator: Randy West, PhD, PE (National Center for Asphalt Technology at Auburn University)
Panel: Ray Brown (Co-Chair), Hillary Maull (Co-Chair), Victor Garcia, John Crane, Andrew Brooks, Ron Corun, Michael Elwardany
Timeline: January 1, 2023 – December 31, 2025
Funding: $75,000 (Phase 1), $225,000 (Phase 2)
P-401 MIXTURES: AGGREGATE GRADATION BANDS
The advancement of mix design methodologies and performance testing in recent years presents opportunities to develop less restrictive gradation requirements while providing equal (or better) mixture performance when compared with mixtures designed under the current P-401 specifications. The objective of this project is to recommend gradation range requirements, including critical sieves and allowable ranges, that provide more flexibility for design mixture aggregate gradations without creating adverse effects on mixture performance.
Principal Investigator: Nam Tran (Auburn University)
Panel: Brett Williams (Co-Chair), Kristen Morris (Co-Chair), Matthew Hoyle, Brian Wood, Jeremy Barron, Jim Scherocman, Hadi Rashidi
Timeline: April 1, 2023 – March 31, 2025
Funding: $1,000,000
SYNTHESIS OF STATE OF PRACTICE AND RESEARCH NEEDS FOR AIRFIELD ASPHALT PAVEMENT RESILIENCE
Extreme weather events and climate strongly influence pavement performance and, without consideration during the design and planning of projects, can lead to disruptions during the pavement's service life. This project will develop a framework and recommended standards for improving the resilience of airfield asphalt pavements to extreme weather events and changing climatic conditions.
Principal Investigator: Ben Bowers (Auburn University)
Panel: Joseph Shacat (Co-Chair), Cindy Hirsch (Co-Chair), Jeremy Robinson, Michael Elwardany, Hao Yin, Heather Dylla, Mary Robbins
Timeline: April 1, 2024 – October 1, 2025
Funding: $1,250,000
Asphalt Airfields Video Series
Objective: Develop a series of videos to pair with the paving handbook for technology transfer
Principal Investigator: Jennifer McCabe (Applied Research Associates)
Timeline: Finalizing
Budget: $500,000
Use of RAP In P-401 Mixtures
Objective: To assess the impact of using RAP in airfield asphalt mixtures and understand the potential impact for carbon reduction
Principal Investigator: Adam Hand (University of Nevada at Reno)
Timeline: October 1, 2025 – March 1, 2025 (Phase 1)
Total Budget: $1,250,000