MPC Research Helps Road Managers Choose Best Treatments for Extending Road Life
Posted: Feb 5, 2020
Research at the University of Utah will help road managers choose the best road maintenance treatments to extend roadway life and minimize long-term maintenance costs. The researchers studied 14 thin lift treatments (TLTs) over a five-year period to assess their performance. TLTs are the application of a bituminous layer to the pavement surface to prevent water ingress and structural deterioration and are a key component in the Utah Department of Transportation's $20 million maintenance program. The researchers found that environmental factors are the main cause of deterioration of TLTs, which all have a life expectancy of at least seven years. Two treatments. which used a stone matrix asphalt, performed extremely well, even though they supported the most traffic. It was estimated that the average life of these treatments is 11.7 years. Researchers recommended that treatments with a stone mix asphalt should be used on high value roads.
Research at the University of Utah will help road managers choose the best road maintenance treatments to extend roadway life and minimize long-term maintenance costs. The researchers studied 14 thin lift treatments (TLTs) over a five-year period to assess their performance. TLTs are the application of a bituminous layer to the pavement surface to prevent water ingress and structural deterioration and are a key component in the Utah Department of Transportation's $20 million maintenance program. The researchers found that environmental factors are the main cause of deterioration of TLTs, which all have a life expectancy of at least seven years. Two treatments. which used a stone matrix asphalt, performed extremely well, even though they supported the most traffic. It was estimated that the average life of these treatments is 11.7 years. Researchers recommended that treatments with a stone mix asphalt should be used on high value roads.