MnDOT Road Research
Update
Maureen Jensen
January 17, 2014
TERRA Vision
“A dynamic partnership of government,
industry, and academia that
continuously advances innovations in
road engineering and construction.”
Board Members
Industry
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State and Local
Aggregate & Ready Mix Association of MN • Minnesota DOT
American Concrete Pavement Association • Minnesota Local Road Research
Board
Associated General Contractors of MN
• Iowa DOT
Concrete Paving Association of MN
• Michigan DOT
MN Asphalt Pavement Association
• New York State DOT
American Engineering Testing
• North Dakota DOT
Caterpillar Global Paving
• Wisconsin DOT
Mathy Technology and Engineering
Services
University
RMC Research and Education
• Iowa State University
Foundation
• Michigan Tech University
Road Science
• University of Minnesota
Braun Intertec
• National Center for Pavement
Flint Hills
Preservation
Midstate Reclamation
National
• Norwegian Public Roads Administration
• United States Federal Highway Association
Benefits of the TERRA Alliance
 Improved collaboration between public, private,
industry, and academic stakeholders
 Capacity to anticipate future needs and trends
 Research and Implementation partnership expansion
 Leverage funds to meet common goals
 Quicker adoption of innovations
Initiatives
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Annual Pavement Conference being held in
conjunction with National Dust Control Conference
 MnROAD 2016
 Priorities, Partnerships
 SHRP 2 Pavement Preservation Workshop
 State Transportation Innovation Council
 Funding to be managed by TERRA
 Focus on Implementation
MnROAD
Office of Materials and Road Research
A long-term accelerated pavement
testing facility that gives researchers a
unique, real-life laboratory to study
and evaluate the performance of
materials used in roadway
construction.
Interstate 94
Low Volume Road
Mainline
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Whitetopping Design Tool
Warm Mix Asphalt
Stabilized Full Depth Reclamation
Quiet Diamond Grind
Low Temperature Cracking Performance Test
Thin Concrete Overlays
Pervious Pavements for cold climates
Effect of Farm Vehicles on low volume roads
Recycled Unbound Bases
◦ Thinner, no dowels
◦ Larger Panels (6X6)
◦ UBOL: Use of fabric as the bond breaker
 Thickness (thin vs thick) - Anchoring Method
 Water Transport
◦ Whitetopping: Seal vs. No Seal
UBOL – Low Vol Road
Whitetopping – Mainline
3” PCC Overlay
Fabric
7” PCC
7” PCC
4” and 5” PCC
4” and 5” PCC
5” CL 5
5” CL 5
7” HMA
7” HMA
Clay
Clay
Clay
Clay
Existing Cell
Proposed Cell
Existing Cell
Proposed Cell
◦ Recycled concrete back into PCC mix (75% CA)
◦ Use of a Geotextile drain under joints (Tensar
Partnership)
◦ Thin neoprene joint sealants (DS Brown Partnership)
PCC Design
6.0” PCC
7.5” PCC
Fabric/Grid
4” CL 1
4” RCA
3.5” CL 5
3.5” CL 5
Clay
Clay
Existing Cell
Proposed Cell
 Mainline (I-94)
 DOT Trial Mixing
Started
 Longitudinal Tined
Surface
 13ft x 15ft Panels
 1” Round Dowels
 Sealed Joints
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How does pavement texture, stiffness and
roughness effect fuel economy?
Measured RR in 2011 (MIRIAM device)
◦ over 20 concrete and asphalt surfaces
◦ Poor correlation to MPD
Working with FuelMiner on instrumented vehicle
for fuel use measurements
UC Davis (John Harvey) on model comparison,
validation, including Swedish VETO
Ground Penetrating Radar
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Existing Equipment (single frequency)
◦ Asphalt Density
◦ Tie Bars
◦ Layer Thickness, consistency
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New Step Frequency-GPR
◦ FHWA transferring to us
◦ Advantages
 Wide detection range
 Full coverage of a traffic lane in 2 passes at higher
speed
 2-D and 3-D imaging capability
 Continuous calibration
Norwegian Exchange
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Anne Lelague – PhD. Student, spent 9 months in
Minnesota
Comparison of GPR tools and interpretations
Detection of ice lenses, frost heave
Tunnel Maintenance
Residual Salt Measurements
Benefits to MnDOT:
◦ Experience with 3D GPR
◦ Exposure to new potential uses
Whitetopping –final version delivered for
testing yesterday
 Unbonded Overlays – pooled fund will
deliver tool by 2015
 Concrete pavements- tool based on
MEPDG by end of the year
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Optimal Timing of PM (pooled fund)
◦ Test to measure aging as it impacts performance
◦ Best to seal first year
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Bio-Oils for fog seal, additive
◦ Field trial of product (TERRA – Bit Roadways)
◦ Research to determine how to evaluate and approve
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National Workshop on Pavement Preservation
for high volume roads this September
◦ SHPR 2 funded
◦ September 2014 at MnROAD
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6” HMA+ 33” CL 4, 1993
Severe transverse & Longitudinal wheel path
2006 Right lane:1½ inch mill & fill PG 52 – 34
IRI 126, 190
Goal:
Find a better “cheap
fix” for worn out
pavements
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◦ Tack coat – Scratch Coat - Final surface
◦ Granite Type II
◦ 6 % Kraton polymer modified base asphalt
◦ Base PG 49-34 instead of PG 64-22
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Immediately after construction
◦ Right lane 95 in/mi
◦ Left lane 96 in/mi
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September 2012
◦ Right lane 100 in/mi
 21% improvement in ride
◦ Left lane 99 in/mi
 48% improvement in ride
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September 2013
◦ Some Reflective Cracking
 Disc-shaped
Compact Tension Test
◦ Fracture Energy Performance test –
low temperature cracking, fatigue
 Impact
of binder grade, aggregate
and recycled asphalt
 Testing samples
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Became aware through these meetings, trip to
Norway
Public complaints about centerline, edgeline
rumble strip noise in certain locations
Installed at MnROAD, county and state roads for
testing
Local Road Research Board evaluating
Beginning to Plan for 2016
 Working with Research Partners &
Customers
 Interested in your input
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WWW.Pooledfund.org