NRRA: Reducing Embodied Carbon with Mineral-Blended Polymeric Microspheres
This project will evaluate the performance of a mineral-blended polymeric microsphere powder used to construct concrete pavement test sections at MnRoad. The microsphere concrete mixtures will be compared with a reference mixture that contains conventional air entrainment and existing mixtures evaluated at MnRoad. Performance will be monitored over a 3-year period. The three-fold objectives for evaluating the microsphere mixtures are as follows: (1) Determine the reductions in cement content that can be achieved with typical pavement concrete mixtures in which air-entraining agents are replaced with the microsphere-powder blend. (2) Develop test data on strength and freeze-thaw durability for selected concrete mixtures to support application of the microsphere concrete mixtures in pavement construction. (3) Quantify the sustainability benefits of use of microsphere concrete in lieu of conventional air-entrained concrete mixtures.
Language
- English
Project
- Status: Active
- Funding: $137,500.00
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Contract Numbers:
1036334 WO#14
- Sponsor Organizations: St. Paul, MN United States 55155
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Managing Organizations:
Minnesota Department of Transportation
395 John Ireland Boulevard
St Paul, MN United States 55155 -
Project Managers:
Munir, Hafiz
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Performing Organizations:
Iowa State University, Ames
Institute for Transportation Studies
2711 S. Loop Drive, Suite 4700, Program for Sustainable Pavement Engineering and Research (PROSPER)
Ames, IA United States 50010-8864 -
Principal Investigators:
Taylor, Peter
- Start Date: 20231227
- Expected Completion Date: 20270131
- Actual Completion Date: 0
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Admixtures; Air entrained concrete; Freeze thaw durability; Pavement components; Polymers; Powders; Sustainable transportation
- Subject Areas: Environment; Highways; Materials; Pavements;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 02004395
- Record Type: Research project
- Source Agency: Minnesota Department of Transportation
- Contract Numbers: 1036334 WO#14
- Files: RIP, STATEDOT
- Created Date: Sep 29 2026 10:24AM