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Resources
Minnesota's tradition of leadership in pavement research has provided
the Pavement Research Institute with a number of powerful resources
to support its research mission. These include specially instrumented
real-world highway sections to in-laboratory simulation equipment
and dedicated research facilities. The PRI also enjoys privileged
access to facilities and expert staff in both the Minnesota DOT's
road research laboratory and the University of Minnesota's civil
engineering department. |
MnROAD | top
MnROAD, operated by Mn/DOT's Road Research Section, is a unique
resource: the world's largest and most comprehensive outdoor
laboratory, with an electronic sensor network embedded in six
miles of test pavements. The Mainline road segment is a 3.5 mile
section of Interstate 94 that carries over 26,000 vehicles every
day. The Low Volume road segment is a 2.5 mile closed loop where
controlled vehicle weights and traffic volumes are used to simulate
rural road conditions.
More information on MnROAD and pavement research is available
on the Minnesota Department of Transportation's Road
Research Section Web pages. |
Minnesota Accelerated Loading Facility
(Minne-ALF) | top
A computer-controlled, full-scale linear loading pavement test
stand that simulates the passage of heavy traffic loads moving
at speeds up to 40 mph (65 kph) over pavement test slabs. A rocker-beam
loading mechanism accurately simulates the directional nature
of highway traffic; the system can also be loaded equally in
both directions for structural evaluations. Minne-ALF is capable
of simulating over 170,000 40-kN wheel-load passages per day,
and can be modified to produce full-axle simulated loading.
More information on the design
and implementation of the Minne-ALF. |
Mn/DOT Office of Materials | top
The Mn/DOT Office of Materials is available to partner on research
projects, allowing access to their materials laboratory and pavement
monitoring capabilities, including friction, deflection, and
profile measurements.
More information on
the Mn/DOT Office of Materials is available on their Web site. |
Additional resources and facilities | top
PRI researchers operate a variety of laboratories and research
facilities on the University of Minnesota campus, including:
- Soils testing laboratory
- Asphalt lab
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People
The Pavement Research Institute brings together researchers with a wide
range of expertise in pavement engineering, including pavement
construction, geomechanics, laboratory and non-destructive testing,
and computational modeling. In addition, the PRI's position within
the University of Minnesota, and its close relationship with Mn/DOT,
facilitates collaboration with researchers in a diverse set of
transportation-related disciplines, including economic analysis
and materials engineering.
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