The idea was to allow asphalt pavement designs that could handle the unique weather and traffic conditions of a given site in any geographic area of the U.S. Rather than a specific process or procedure, Superpave is a performance-based specification for asphalt binder and volumetric mixture design. In response, Congress authorized funds in 1987 for the Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP), a five-year program to evaluate and develop ways to improve the durability and efficiency of asphalt and concrete pavements, concrete structures, safety, and overall performance of America’s highways. The report outlined the need for increased state and federal funds to develop badly needed research for better and longer-lasting highways. Superpave is an asphalt mix design method that has its roots in a report released back in 1984 by the Transportation Research Board (TRB), America's Highways, Accelerating the Search for Innovation. In this blog post, we’ll discuss the impact of Superpave from the perspective of mix design, construction materials testing, and resources for laboratory equipment. As with many large-scale programs at the federal level, its origins came from simple questions and ballooned into complex and numerous offshoots as time passed and funding permitted. The term "Superpave" is an acronym for Superior Performing Asphalt Pavements, which evolved from partnerships created among Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO), TRB, and others in the SHRP community.Ĭongress provided additional funding for this and other transportation-related programs in 1991 through the Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA).
0 kommentar(er)
