National Center for Asphalt Technology celebrates 25 years of Test Track research innovation
By Dustin Duncan
The National Center for Asphalt Technology, or NCAT, at Auburn Engineering is celebrating 25 years of its world-renowned Test Track and laboratory facilities — resources that have transformed asphalt pavement research.
Opened in 2000, the 1.7-mile Test Track and NCAT’s lab and administrative facilities in Auburn’s South Technology Park have provided the foundation for sponsor-driven research that continues to shape how roads are designed, built and maintained across the country.
Developed in partnership with the Alabama Department of Transportation, the Test Track offers a full-scale, controlled environment where public agencies and private companies can evaluate materials and pavement designs under accelerated loading.
Since trucks first rolled onto the track in September 2000, nine research cycles have examined major topics including Superpave mix validation, open-graded friction courses, pavement structural design, cold recycling, cracking resistance and pavement preservation.
Each sponsor funds one or more test sections, which are subjected to more than 10 million equivalent single-axle loads over a three-year cycle. The resulting performance data provides agencies with a reliable basis for updating specifications, selecting materials and improving long-term pavement performance.
“The NCAT Test Track has provided the Tennessee Department of Transportation with a powerful tool for making informed, data-driven decisions in our pavement program,” said Heather Purdy, director of TDOT’s Materials and Tests Division. “The research investments TDOT has made at the Track have delivered a substantial return, positively shaping our program.”
TDOT has participated in every research cycle since the track opened, supporting efforts such as balanced mix design evaluations and thick-thin lift studies.
The Virginia Department of Transportation has similarly applied findings from its test sections to advance pavement recycling techniques and inform reconstruction and widening projects across its interstate system.
Beyond individual studies, the track has helped reduce risk across the asphalt industry. By generating real-world performance data, NCAT enables agencies and contractors to adopt new materials and technologies with greater confidence, accelerating implementation and improving outcomes nationwide.
The Test Track’s impact is reinforced by NCAT’s 40,000-square-foot AASHTO-accredited laboratory, which supports performance testing under realistic aging and loading conditions.
The facility, developed through a partnership involving Auburn, the National Asphalt Pavement Association’s Research and Education Foundation and the city of Auburn, expanded access to advanced testing capabilities and technical expertise.
Together, the Test Track and laboratory have established NCAT as a national hub for applied pavement research, supported by more than 30 sponsoring organizations and a team of more than 60 researchers, engineers, staff and drivers.
This collaborative model has produced a quarter-century of practical, implementable research that has directly improved roadway performance across the United States.
“The Test Track and our labs have shown what’s possible when research and real-world needs come together,” said NCAT Director Randy West. “For 25 years, our sponsors and staff have helped turn innovation into practice, and we are confident the next 25 will bring even greater advances for the asphalt community and the traveling public.”