Development of an Automated and Rapid Conditioning and Testing Device for Cracking and Rutting

This project will develop an Automated and Rapid Conditioning and Testing (Auto-RCT) device for cracking and rutting for use in designing durable mixes and ensuring high quality mixes during plant production. Work in Stage 1 will focus on developing the Auto-RCT device and validating through laboratory and field trials. The device will have five critical units: (i) Rapid specimen cooling/air void measurement/conditioning unit, (ii) Automation arm unit to perform all necessary operations, (iii) Automated inter-changing unit between cracking and rutting tests, (iv) Intelligent data processing and reporting unit, and (v) Automated specimen disposal. A prototype will be built and laboratory evaluated. The evaluation will focus on: (i) unit functions, (ii) cooling/conditioning time, and (iii) test results. A minimum of 10 different asphalt mixes will be used in laboratory evaluation. The Auto-RCT prototype will be tried at an asphalt plant, and, based on trial results, will be refined and its design finalized. Work in Stage 2 will focus on developing a draft test procedure, standardizing hardware and software of the device, and establishing an implementation plan. Final drawings of the device will be completed, and data analysis algorithms developed to calculate cracking and rutting parameters. An implementation plan will be developed working with Texas, Maine, Ohio, and Virginia DOTs.

• Record URL:
  http://apps.trb.org/cmsfeed/TRBNetProjectDisplay.asp?ProjectID=5058

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Active
• Funding: $135000
• Contract Numbers:

  Project 20-30, IDEA 224

• Sponsor Organizations:

  National Cooperative Highway Research Program

  Transportation Research Board
  500 Fifth Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590

  American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO)

  444 North Capitol Street, NW
  Washington, DC  United States  20001
• Project Managers:

  Jawed, Inam

• Performing Organizations:

  Texas Transportation Institute

  ,    
• Principal Investigators:

  Zhou, Fujie

• Start Date: 20210101
• Expected Completion Date: 0
• Actual Completion Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Cracking; Durability; Field tests; Laboratory tests; Mix design; Plant mix; Prototypes; Rutting; Testing equipment
• Subject Areas: Design; Highways; Pavements;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01757157
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Transportation Research Board
• Contract Numbers: Project 20-30, IDEA 224
• Files: TRB, RIP
• Created Date: Nov 2 2020 3:11PM