The Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century Act (MAP-21) defines pavement preservation as a long-term, network-level strategy designed to enhance pavement performance. It utilizes an integrated, cost-effective set of practices that:
Applying the right treatment at the right time can keep roads in good condition, preventing costly rehabilitation and reconstruction as pavement deteriorates.
This study quantifies the life-extending and condition-improving benefits of different pavement preservation treatments and combinations on:
By evaluating field performance at various pavement ages and decay stages, the study refines broad performance expectations into precise, data-driven insights. The study also focuses on developing specifications and recommended guidelines for quality assurance testing and inspection of pavement preservation treatments.
Treatments applied to various sections of the Test Track.
Low-volume traffic test sections.
High-volume traffic test sections.
2012: The study began during NCAT’s fifth research cycle with 23 pavement preservation treatments applied to test sections on Lee County Road 159, a low-volume, high-truck traffic roadway in Auburn, Alabama.
2014: Pavement preservation treatments were applied to several sections of the NCAT Test Track at predetermined distress levels.
2015: The research expanded to a high-volume roadway on U.S. Route 280, where 34 pavement preservation treatments were placed.
To ensure practical results applicable to both northern and southern U.S. climates, similar preservation treatments are being tested in Minnesota.
The study includes treatment selection, site layout, construction scheduling, performance monitoring, and data collection to quantify the life-extending benefits of pavement preservation using MnDOT materials and construction methods. Find out more about the NCAT/MnROAD partnership here.