Samuel Ginn College of Engineering
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THIS IS AUBURN.

THIS IS TRANSPORTATION.

 

Road



The National Center for Asphalt Technology’s Pavement test track at Auburn University is a 1.7-mile oval facility where research is conducted on experimental asphalt pavements. The track is comprised of 46 test sections sponsored by numerous state departments of transportation on three-year cycles. Currently in its fifth cycle of accelerated performance testing, the track uses a five-truck fleet to apply more than a decade of typical interstate traffic in only two years. This method of accelerated trafficking allows researchers to deliver cutting-edge test results to state highway departments at an extraordinary speed.

One of the most exciting studies currently in progress at the test track is known as the Green Group experiment, which focuses on sustainability by optimizing the use of recycled materials in asphalt pavements. In this study, one test section was designed using as much recycled tire rubber as possible. This provides a win-win situation in terms of waste disposal and long lasting roadways. The objective is to lower roadway construction costs by increasing the amount of recycled tire content while also extending pavement life.

The test track is a unique real-world laboratory which allows for pavement experimentation while in a protected environment free from normal road traffic. “We can conduct high-risk tests here that department of transportations would never initiate on an interstate, such as using high levels of recycled and reclaimed tires,” explains Test Track Manager Buzz Powell. “We believe our research into green construction methods will lead to a significant change in paving practices.”

Sponsored by four state departments of transportation as well as the Alabama Department of Environmental Management, the Green Group experiment is the result of a unique partnership which aims to reduce waste and maximize taxpayer dollars.

To learn more about the National Center for Asphalt Technology and Pavement Test Track, visit NCAT