Association News

ACPA Weighs Changes to Dowel Alignment Guide Spec

Tuesday, 09 September 2014 18:38

ACPA’s technical staff and the association’s Jointing Task Force are currently evaluating possible revisions to its draft guide specification on dowel alignment. Introduced in August 2013, the guide specification has been a work in progress for two years.

Based on input from several state departments of transportation, the Federal Highway Administration, contractors, and pavement consultants, ACPA engineers and the task force are continuing to advance the guide spec by:

Considering whether revisions are necessary to address subbase type, which in turn, could mean altering the term “maximum allowable locked length” (MALL).
Evaluating whether a “percent within limits approach” should be used for horizontal translation of dowels (evaluation across an entire project).
Considering changes to the section covering trail sections, including possibly changing the nomenclature from “test” or “trial” to “process validation” section.
Looking at measurement equipment to provide guidance on how to address interference.
Considering a change to scaling the joint score, or joint score trigger, to address concerns expressed by several experts.
Looking closely at joint score thresholds, specifically to determine whether original research was translated properly into FHWA summary reports, which were referenced in the thresholds originally recommended.

ACPA has continued to work closely with the Ohio DOT, which was the first agency/owner to use portions of the specification in developing their own provision. ACPA recently issued a technical opinion letter to provide details about the issues cited above, as well as questions and issues specifically raised by the agency.

ACPA Advances Concrete Overlays Plan

Monday, 08 September 2014 21:51

ACPA President & CEO Jerry Voigt had the opportunity to build on the growing recognition and support of the need to invest in development and promotion of concrete overlays with a presentation to the PCA Paving Committee at the group’s fall meeting last week.

The presentation focused on presenting a collaborative plan, as well as addressing funding gaps. Voigt says the leadership of both ACPA and PCA have endorsed the idea of detailing a plan that represents a collaborative effort to increase the use of concrete pavement overlays.

“We’ve been working to develop ideas; build awareness; and encourage input,” Voigt said, adding, “The inclusion of everyone’s role in this plan (members, partners, affiliated chapters and state associations, and the CP Tech Center is critical for both developing and implementing the plan.”

In related news, Voigt will participate in the “CEO Perspective” feature on the next monthly paving advocacy conference call hosted by PCA. The calls focus on best practices and other ways to achieve successful advocacy and promotional results. The next call is September 12 at 11 a.m. (EDT) | noon (CDT). The monthly feature provides a forum for chief executives to provide comments on the paths and goals of the industry’s paving advocacy effort, followed by a question & answer period.

Meganar: Advancements in Dowel Alignment & Location for Concrete Pavements

Friday, 05 September 2014 23:04

Date & Time: October 27, 2014
Time: Noon to 2:30 p.m. (CST) | 1 to 3:30 p.m. (EST) | 11 to 1:30 (MST)

Presenters

An update on the ACPA Dowel Alignment/Location Spec (Mark Snyder, ACPA Pennsylvania Chapter)
Non-contact measurement methods, including GPR, the MIT Scan, and ultrasound, with emphasis on the MIT scan. (Mark Snyder)
Overview of the MIT Scan (Garry Aiken, Kessler Soils Engineering Products, Inc.)
Agency perspective (Craig Landefeld, Ohio DOT)
Industry perspective (Jeff Borden, Cold Spring Construction)
Wrap-up: Outlook for the future (Mark Snyder)

Overview
This comprehensive course provides the latest information on current and emerging technology used for proper alignment and location of dowels in concrete pavements.

The course begins with an overview of dowel location technology and why it is essential to have accurate, efficient ways to align and locate dowels in concrete pavements.

As a part of our program also will feature an agency and a contractor’s perspectives on non-contact technology, and in particular, their experiences with MIT-Scan Technology. Our course will wrap up with an outlook for the future in this very important topic area.

As part of the overview, updates will be presented on the current FHWA-led initiative to facilitate dowel bar alignment testing, as well as ACPA’s draft guide spec for dowel alignment & location.

We also will present an overview of various, non-contact measurement methods, including ground-penetrating radar, ultrasound, and MIT-Scan technology. An overview of MIT-Scan technology for dowel alignment/location also will be presented, as will details about the implementation of this technology throughout the United States.

This is important information for contractors, agencies, consultants, and others with an interest in load transfer technology. Superintendents, construction managers, project managers, inspection personnel, QC/QA personnel, and others involved with dowel bar placement and/or retrofit will find this course particularly useful.

PDH Credits
The American Concrete Pavement Association will award 2.5 professional development hours (PDH’s) to those wishing to complete an optional “evidence of learning exam” following the webinar.

Participants interested in earning PDH’s are responsible for determining the applicability of any training programs toward licensing requirements in their respective state/province. This program is oriented toward jurisdictions that allow self-reporting for licensure purposes. Participants are strongly advised to check the applicability of this training along with other reporting requirements in advance of taking this course.

Registration

Registration is quick and easy. Please click here to register online.

	Government		Member		Non Member
Hours	Individual	Group	Individual	Group	Individual	Group
2.5	30	75	50	125	80	200

Important: Government employees must contact ACPA directly to receive the government discount. Please contact:

(Tuesday-Friday) Debbie Becker (dbecker@acpa.org | 847.423.8710)
(Monday) Andy Gieraltowski (andyg@acpa.org |847.423.8707)

ACPA Encourages Early Hotel Reservations for Annual Meeting

Friday, 05 September 2014 21:28

Information | Hotel Reservations

ACPA is encouraging members, Chapter/State affiliates, and other guests to make hotel reservations now for the Association’s 51^st Annual Meeting. The meeting will be held December 2 through 5 at the Hyatt Regency Scottsdale Resort and Spa at Gainey Ranch, Scottsdale, Ariz. FlyerArt

ACPA offers members and other guests a special group rate of $219/night. To reserve a room online, visit our resort reservation site. Alternatively, call 888-421-1442 to place your reservation by phone.

A general outline of the meeting follows below:

Tuesday, December 2 : Chapter/State Committee & IGGA Membership Meetings.
Wednesday, December 3: Task Force Meetings, golf and other special activities, and a Welcome Reception.
Thursday, December 4: Annual Membership Meeting, Strategic Advisory Committee Meeting, Concrete Pavement University Program.
Friday, December 5: Concrete Pavement University (CPU) Program, Board Meeting & Awards Banquet.

Look for periodic announcements by email; current and future issues of our “ACPA TODAY” newsletter; and online at www.acpa.org.

ACPA Participates in Key Transitions at FHWA

Friday, 05 September 2014 19:43

ACPA’s Jerry Voigt and Leif Wathne last week participated in two events that signaled leadership changes at the Federal Highway Administration.

The first was a retirement ceremony for J.B. “Butch” Wlaschin, P.E., retiring Director of the FHWA’s Office of Asset Management, Pavements & Construction. ACPA worked closely with Wlaschin for many years, including during the term of his most recent position, which he held since August 2007.

Voigt presented formal remarks at a retirement luncheon held in Wlaschin’s honor in late August at the U.S. Department of Transportation headquarters in Washington, D.C. Voigt was one of several speakers at the event, which was well attended by FHWA and AASHTO officials, as well as transportation and construction industry officials.

In other FHWA-related news, Voigt and Wathne also had the opportunity to meet formally with Walter “Butch” Waidelich, the agency’s Associate Administrator for Infrastructure. The meeting concentrated on ways ACPA and the FWHA can continue working together on both technical and policy matters.

On technical area, they discussed the Accelerated Implementation and Deployment of Pavement. Technologies (AID-PT) provision in Moving Ahead for Progress in the 21st Century, or MAP 21. This ACPA-led initiative created both a mechanism and funding for the delivery of pavement technology. The FHWA is now in its second year of implementation of this program, and Voigt commended the agency for its efforts, which also have resulted in programs and funding for the National Concrete Pavement Technology Center. Other technical focal points included concrete overlays and performance engineering mixtures (including the use of recycled concrete aggregate), which both the FHWA and ACPA are working on actively.

They also spoke about major policy issues, including collaboration and competition, as well as other ways highway owners/agencies can expand both their purchasing power and overall effectiveness. A follow-up meeting will provide the opportunity to discuss technical and policy matters in greater detail.

Administrator Waidelich is also scheduled to be a keynote speaker at ACPA’s 51st annual meeting in Scottsdale, Ariz. Waidelich will speak on “Future Directions of Technology Implementation and Performance Measures” during the Concrete Pavement University opening session (CPU1), scheduled for 1:30 p.m. (MST) on Thursday, December 4. Click here to see a preview of the CPU program and here for registration information.