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PRI research featured at pavement conference

April 2007
From the CTS Report

“Pavement engineering touches everybody’s lives, whether they drive or not,” said Mike Darter, director of the University’s Pavement Research Institute (PRI), in the plenary session of the 11th Annual Minnesota Pavement Conference. He was one of several University presenters at the conference, held February 15 in St. Paul.

Pavement conditions affect more than ride comfort and safety—they also influence economic development, timely movement of products, and public safety and defense, he said.

Darter used his time at the podium to share some background about the institute and its plans for the future. “Our job is to grow pavement research,” he said. The institute was established in 2003 by the University’s Department of Civil Engineering (CE) and CTS, along with Mn/DOT and the Minnesota Local Road Research Board (LRRB).

“Budgets are far less than required to maintain the pavement network at current conditions,” Darter said. “Improved design, materials, equipment, and construction are greatly needed to reverse the trend.”

The conference began with welcoming remarks from Lisa Freese, the new deputy director at Mn/DOT. Next was the presentation of the Gerald Rohrbach Annual Pavement Conference Award to Duane Blanck, county engineer of Crow Wing County.

Also in the plenary session, Gene Skok, a retired CE researcher, shared design features and trends from 50 years of the interstate in the North Central region. In addition, Ben Worel of Mn/DOT presented current benefits and future directions for the MnROAD pavement research facility. Minnesota is estimated to save $33 million annually from the first phase of MnROAD, Worel said. Phase 2 will include reconstruction of some of the facility’s test sections and pooled-fund research under the umbrella of TERRA, the Transportation Engineering Road Research Alliance.

Concurrent sessions included presentations by CE faculty Mihai Marasteanu, “Low-Temperature Cracking,” and Lev Khazanovich, “Dowel Bars.”

The conference was sponsored by Mn/DOT, the Minnesota Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP), PRI, TERRA, and a number of other organizations.

Representing the University on the planning committee were Jim Grothaus, Minnesota LTAP director; Lori Graven and Teresa Washington, College of Continuing Education; and Darter, Khazanovich, Marasteanu, and Skok.