Pub. 6 2024 Issue 3

Asphalt Delivers Drivability

Pavement preservation is a long-term strategy that involves applying a series of low-cost treatments every few years to an asphalt pavement segment to effectively delay further deterioration and extending the lifespan of our roads. Pavement preservation typically begins within three to four years after new construction and does not increase the structural capacity or remove/replace existing asphalt structure.

As the climate changes, extreme weather events can impact the performance and resiliency of flexible pavement systems. Traditional pavement design relies on historical (stationary) climate data to design and predict future pavement performance, thus changing climate may lead to under-designed pavements and constrained budgets for maintenance and rehabilitation (M&R).

Contractors are continuously searching for the latest technical innovations that will make their plants more efficient and cost-effective to operate. Governments and citizens, especially young people, want transparency and are calling for companies to be greener and develop sustainability goals. With new industry goals centered around carbon neutrality in 2050, it is fortunate that increasing profitability and reducing emissions often go together.

This summer has already been hot, and the heat is here to stay for the foreseeable future. This summer in Utah brought above-average temperatures, with little rain for relief. It’s safe to say we are in the dog days of summer.

Over the past few years, Staker Parson Materials & Construction has had the opportunity to produce and place HiMod asphalt on numerous projects. After completing HiMod asphalt at the Wendover Port of Entry and on the West Davis Corridor projects, we shared our “lessons learned” with UDOT’s State Asphalt Engineer Howard Anderson and Region 2 Materials Engineer Lonnie Merchant with the process of testing and ultimately bringing HiMod asphalt onto Utah roadways.

What if we told you that asphalt and AI go hand-in-hand? Believe it or not, they do. The National Asphalt Pavement Association (NAPA) is providing an innovative service for NAPA members and industry stakeholders called Hey NAPA. This AI tool provides a faster, more efficient way to access NAPA’s valuable content on all aspects of asphalt pavements.