Quality Testing of Wisconsin Aggregates

At a minimum, WisDOT requires sodium sulfate soundness testing (AASHTO T104) and Los Angeles wear (AASHTO T96) aggregate quality testing be completed once every three years for quarried aggregate sources and once every five years for pit aggregate sources. Aggregate sources located in the Sinnippee geological group, generally in the southwest part of Wisconsin, require an additional freeze-thaw test (AASHTO T103) on a three-year or five-year testing cycle. An internal audit of WisDOT specifications concluded that the frequency of testing for quality is lacking relative to surrounding states. Reduced testing frequencies is due, in part, to the higher level of aggregate quality available to paving contractors in Wisconsin. Despite the inventory of high-quality construction aggregates, localized pavement performance issues have raised concerns about the effectiveness of the current quality testing program. Recent changes to the standard specifications have partially addressed concerns regarding the minimal quality testing frequencies, but there is a need to revisit quality thresholds and accuracy of current testing methods to represent aggregate durability. Wisconsin Department of Transportation (WisDOT) engineers have been tasked with improving specifications for aggregate quality. Based on internal research, WisDOT representatives have concluded that AASHTO T103 may be a more accurate representation of aggregate soundness and could replace AASHTO T104 entirely. Before statewide implementation of AASHTO T103, new limitations need to be selected for each aggregate application: base course, Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) pavement and Portland Cement Concrete (PCC) pavement. The objective of this research is to: • Investigate the feasibility of implementing statewide freeze-thaw testing. • Understand the accuracy of the existing soundness procedures (AASHTO T103/T104). • Recommend thresholds for Wisconsin aggregates used in base course, HMA pavement and PCC pavement regarding freeze-thaw durability. The research team is expected to use historical data and pavement condition surveys in conjunction with a laboratory testing program to recommend new testing protocols and quality thresholds.

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Funding: $175000
• Contract Numbers:

  0092-20-05

• Sponsor Organizations:

  Wisconsin Department of Transportation

  4802 Sheboygan Avenue
  Madison, WI  United States  53707
• Project Managers:

  Lyngdal, Erik

• Performing Organizations:

  University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee

  Milwaukee, WI  United States  53201
• Principal Investigators:

  Titi, Hani

• Start Date: 20191001
• Expected Completion Date: 20211001
• Actual Completion Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Aggregate tests; Aggregates; Freeze thaw durability; Geotechnical engineering; Quality control
• Subject Areas: Geotechnology; Highways; Materials; Pavements;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01722043
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Wisconsin Department of Transportation
• Contract Numbers: 0092-20-05
• Files: RIP, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Nov 12 2019 12:03PM