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HOTLINKS to download
PAVE reports, review upcoming NCAT
training courses, query
historical weather data, view
current color radar or preview
local forecast.
8,357,138 ESALs as of 2300 hours on August 9, 2007 (84% of the 10,000,000
ESAL goal !).
RUTTING is
being measured weekly with scanning lasers that are correlated to periodic dipstick
profiles. The average rut depth on 8/11/08
was 5.8 mm.
ROUGHNESS (via inertial profiler) within the middle 150 ft (research) portion
of each section most recently averaged 92 inches per mile.
CONTACT
this project via...
NCAT_Pavement_Test_Track
1600_Lee_Road_151 Opelika,_AL_36804_USA 334.844.6228

GOD BLESS AMERICA !
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This project is as good an example of "partnering" as can be found.
The support of the Alabama DOT and individual
section sponsors provided the financial basis that made everything possible, but many
other groups were also involved in some way. Links to each pavement research sponsor
are provided below.
Section Sponsors
 | The Alabama Department of Transportation funded
the original construction of the facility in 2000 to provide the overall research
infrastructure for future testing cycles, administered past construction contracts, and
formally sponsored 5 structural and 3 RAP performance sections. They have also been
supportive of all the other sponsors by providing equipment and personnel essential for
monthly field performance testing on all 46 test sections. |
 | The Florida Department of Transportation
provided funding to sponsor 2 structural sections. Both sections are the same
thickness; however, HMA in one section is intended to facilitate cracking. |
 | The Georgia Department of Transportation
provided funding to sponsor 3 mix performance sections. Their objective is to
compare the performance of drainable surface mixes produced with different qualities of
coarse aggregate, with one section consisting of 9.5 mm NMA over 12.5 mm NMA placed
simultaneously with a European twin layer paver. |
 | The Indiana Department of Transportation
provided funding to sponsor 2 mix performance sections, in which they are quantifying the
effect of low air voids resulting from high asphalt content and closed gradations. |
 | The Mississippi Department of Transportation
provided funding to sponsor 2 mix performance sections in which they are studying the
performance of lower gyration level Superpave mix and gravel OGFC. |
 | The Missouri Department of Transportation
provided funding for 1 structural section in which they are studying the perpetual
pavement design methodology. |
 | The North Carolina Department of
Transportation provided funding to sponsor 2 curve sections as part of a cooperative
RAP experiment. |
 | The Oklahoma Department of Transportation
provided funding to sponsor 2 structural sections in which they are studying perpetual
pavement design methodology |
 | The South Carolina Department of Transportation
provided funding to continue traffic on 1 mix performance section that was built as part
of the 2003 experiment |
 | The Tennessee Department of Transportation
provided funding to continue traffic on 3 sections built as part of the 2003 experiment
(Superpave, OGFC and SMA) as well as 1 new mix performance section in which they plan to
study the effect of lower gyration levels on performance. |
 | The Texas Department of Transportation
provided funding to sponsor 1 tangent section, where they will study the effectiveness of
a rich bottom layer in preventing reflective cracking over pavement slabs that were sawcut
to the bottom of supporting bound pavement layers. |
 | The Federal Highway Administration provided
funding to sponsor 1 structural section in cooperation with the other state sponsors of
the structural experiment. Their participation is important to the overall project
because they continue to allow us to utilize the 3 surviving Westrack trailer trains to
reduce our trucking costs. |
Material Suppliers
 | Boral Material
Technologies supplied the flyash that was used in the SMA and OGFC sections. |
 | Dravo Lime
provided the hydrated lime that was used in several sponsors' mixes to prevent moisture
damage. |
 | Select unmodified and SBS-modified asphalt binders were purchased from Ergon. |
 | Hi-Tech Asphalt Solutions donated the cellulose fiber used to prevent draindown in OGFC
and SMA mixes. |
 | Martin Marietta Aggregates donated
aggregates for several sections. |
 | Vulcan Materials Company donated aggregates
that were utilized to produce mix for many test sections. |
Equipment Suppliers
 | Equipment supplied by Astec was used to produce
every mix that was placed on the track. |
 | Ignition Furnaces manufactured by Barnstead |
Thermolyne were used to extract aggregate samples and monitor asphalt contents during
construction. |
 | Instrumentation components were purchased from Campbell
Scientific, who also provided a great deal of technical support before, during, and
after construction. |
 | Compaction America provided Bomag equipment and
support that was critical in achieving required pavement densities. |
 | CPN International donated the use of their rotary
loaded wheel tester for post construction performance testing of experimental mixes. |
 | Dynapac donated a European twin-layer paver and a
vibratory steel-wheeled roller that were used during construction. |
 | Ingersoll Rand donated vibratory steel and
rubber-tired rollers that were used during reconstruction. |
 | Roadtec provided the lone paver used to place
experimental mixes, a material transfer device that was used to place every section, and a
milling machine that was used to remove old mixes. |
 | Transtech Systems donated the use of a PQI
Model 301 impedance density gauge that was used in conjunction with a nuclear density
gauge to monitor construction quality then document densification under traffic. |
Technical Support
 | Mr. Tom McEwen was responsible for the planning and installation of all pavement
instrumentation systems. |
 | FHWA made the transverse laser profiler from the
Nevada Automotive Test Center available for use at NCAT. |
Trucking Operations
 | Centramatic donated and supports mechanical
wheel balancers on the entire Track fleet. Additiionally, they provide useful
support to the trucking operation in many other ways. |
 | Cooper Tires has provided tires in support of
the trucking operation in exchange for performance data. |
 | Dana / Eaton donated research axles for the
Track fleet as part of a comprehensive endurance test. |
 | FHWA made the trailers from the Nevada Automotive
Test Center available for use at NCAT. |
 | Wilson Oil supplies the fuel for the onsite fuel
tank. |
 | Marangoni has provided tires in
support of the trucking operation in exchange for performance data. |
Please Notify of Errors and Omissions
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