NCAT Test Track Conference scheduled for May 7-9, 2024

The 2021 Track Conference attracted 218 in-person attendees, including those who inspected the Test Track. 

 

The end-of-cycle NCAT Test Track Conference will take place May 7-9, 2024 on the Auburn University campus. The agenda will focus on providing practical findings and implementation value in three research areas: mix and materials, structural pavement design, and pavement preservation. 

While the conference’s central emphasis will focus on the NCAT Test Track, researchers will also delve into mix performance testing and preservation findings stemming from the collaborative partnership with the Minnesota DOT Road Research Facility (MnROAD).

The nation’s two largest full-scale pavement testing facilities, NCAT and MnROAD, have conducted accelerated pavement testing for more than two decades and have been engaged in a research partnership since 2015. 

Flexible pavement studies are cooperatively funded by state DOTs from all over the country using real construction methods and live trafficking under actual climate conditions. This provides an authentic environment for researchers to study and evaluate the performance of materials used in roadway construction.

The first day of the conference will focus on findings from mix/materials and structural pavement analysis research, and include a tour of the NCAT Test Track. 

Presentations will cover topics such as:
• the impact of fibers and recycled materials additives on pavement life
• balanced mix design with and without additives
• designing mixes for minimum and enhanced friction performance
•  interlayer bond strengths with different tack products and rates
• high performance open-graded friction course mix design
• innovative high polymer using new and innovative methods
• the impact of in-place density on inlay performance
• environmental product declarations. 

Structural pavement analysis  presentations will include the impact of:
• lime modification and cement stabilization on mechanistic-empirical design methodologies
• thick layer paving for rapid rebuilds
• cold recycling structural contribution and fix unneeded return, alignment 
• reflective cracking mitigation strategies

The second day will be dedicated to pavement preservation, featuring a guided walking tour of Lee Road 159. 

Presentations in the technical sessions will include:
• emulsion-based treatments
• thinlays
• cold recycling  
• various treatment combinations from both the southern and northern test sections. 

Presentations will feature an enhanced online tool to highlight the life-extending and condition-improving benefit curves of each treatment as a function of the pretreatment pavement condition. 

The overview will include low- and high-traffic preservation test sections in Alabama and Minnesota. The day will conclude with a reception and working dinner, complemented by an informative and entertaining guest speaker.

On the final day, researchers will delve into the practical implementation of findings and future plans. 

The NCAT Test Track will be rebuilt for the ninth research cycle in the summer of 2024 and is expected to include traffic continuation of surviving Additive Group test sections at NCAT and MnROAD. Conventional and high-performance cold recycling is also expected to play a large role in the 2024 research cycle. 

Data collection will continue on southern and northern preservation test sections through phase three of the preservation group experiment, which can be explored in detail at https://pooledfund.org/Details/Study/754.

The previous track conference in 2021 exceeded expectations in terms of participation. We had a remarkable turnout, with 218 in-person participants and an additional 149 participating remotely. Notably, almost half of the attendees were from highway agencies and research sponsors, underlining the strong interest and commitment from this sector. 

Approximately a quarter of the attendees represented material and equipment suppliers, showcasing the vital role they play in supporting our initiatives. 

The remaining quarter encompassed a diverse mix of participants, including contractors, industry associations, and consultants, highlighting the conference's broad appeal across all sectors of the pavement industry.

 

 

Contact Buzz Powell (left) at buzz@auburn.edu for more information about this project.