Concrete Pavement Reporter E-News Archive
January-March 2006
About the Center
This is the first e-newsletter from the National Concrete Pavement Technology Center (CP Tech Center). The center was initially founded as the Center for Portland Cement Concrete Pavement Technology (PCC Center) at Iowa State University in 2000. In 2005, with the support of the American Concrete Pavement Association and others, the center was formally renamed to indicate its new national focus. The CP Tech Center's mission is to unite key transportation stakeholders around the central goal of advancing concrete pavement technology. Commitment to partnering with federal and state agencies, private industry, and the research community across the country is the center's guiding principle. For more information, please visit www.cptechcenter.org.
Advisory Board
The first meeting of the CP Tech Centers Advisory Board took place in Washington, DC, on January 23, in conjunction with the TRB Annual Meeting. The Board provided much appreciated input on the centers future research priority areas. The Advisory Board is composed of over 30 individuals representing stakeholders from federal and state agencies, private industry, and academia. The next meeting will take place in Chicago on April 6.
Project Updates
The Integrated Materials and Construction Practices (IMCP) Manual is undergoing final technical review. A plan for national training using the manual is currently being developed.
Concrete Pavement Surface Characteristics: The project team is updating the final strategic plan, including plan for porous concrete, and refining the problem statement for Phase III, a pooled fund study.
New Projects
Advancing Implementation of the Air Void Analyzer: The AVA has the potential to make quality control improvements to the concrete air void system possible in real time. The objective of this project is to improve the variability and precision of AVA test results and to develop rational specification limits for controlling concrete freeze-thaw damage.
Self-Consolidating Concrete Applications for Slip-Form Paving (Phase II) will include mix design, field testing, performance monitoring, and technology transfer of a new slip-form SCC. To join the pooled fund study, please contact Sharon Prochnow (prochnow@iastate.edu, 515-294-3781).
Simple and Rapid Test for Monitoring Heat Evolution (Phase II): This project will develop a standard test procedure for characterization and quality control of concrete mixtures using a calorimetry technique.
Lessons Learned from MnROAD is a series of publications to be developed through the center in cooperation with the Concrete Paving Association of Minnesota. The documents will present various findings from the MnROAD PCC performance data.
Outreach
Since the beginning of the year, representatives from the center have presented at over 20 meetings, including many state concrete paving association workshops and several national/regional conferences. If you are interested in scheduling a presentation about the center or any of its projects, please contact Sharon Prochnow (prochnow@iastate.edu, 515-294-3781).
The centers Mobile Concrete Research Lab has visited Louisiana, the 12th of 17 states participating in the Material and Construction Optimization for Prevention of Premature Pavement Distress in PCC Pavements (MCO) project. More information: www.cptechcenter.org/mco/
