MnROAD Calendar of Events
MnROAD Operations
Upcoming Conference and Training Events
No upcoming conferences or training events are currently scheduled. Please check back soon for updated information.
Recent Conferences, Training, and Presentations
FHWA/MnROAD Workshop
June 06, 2012
MnROAD Facility
The Federal Highway Administration and MnROAD Research Facility held a workshop at MnROAD to demonstrate the different equipment used and developed by the two organizations specifically for measuring various aspects of pavement surface characteristics.
Pavement Club Visit
June 05, 2012
MnROAD Facility
The MnDOT and CTS Partnership, the "Pavement Club", gathered at the MnROAD facility for presentations, equipment demonstrations, and a tour. Over 30 people attended, ranging from students at the University of Minnesota's Center for Transportation Studies and Civil Engineering to employees of the MnDOT Central Office Maintenance Research, Research Services, and the Maplewood Lab.
2012 TRB Conference
Here are a couple presentations from the recent TRB conference. More to follow soon.
Mechanistic Empirical Design in Minnesota
Low Temperature Cracking Mixture Specifications
Sustainable Cities Network's Solar & Energy Efficiency Workgroup:
Specialty Remote Web Presentation - Sustainability & Transportation by Tim Clyne, P.E. of MnROAD
January 19th, 2012
ASU Tempe Campus - Wrigley Hall
Guest Speaker, Tim Clyne, P.E., of the Minnesota Department of Transportation’s Office of Materials & Road Research, will remotely discuss the role of sustainability in transportation; important sustainable transportation best practices; progressive pavements, asphalt and related construction materials; and important lessons learned in the transportation arena. MnROAD is a state-of-the art, cold-weather pavement test facility that provides researchers an opportunity to study the effects of live traffic and weather conditions on pavement performance. This presentation will discuss how our various partners in industry, government, and academia work together to bring innovations into real-world implementation, especially in the areas of sustainable transportation materials and practices.
Sustainability & Transportation Webinar
MnROAD Research Conference
October 4th, 2011- Minneapolis
Northland Inn Conference Center
Speakers at the 2011 MnRoad Research Conference presented information regarding pavement materials, design, construction, and rehabilitation ready for implementation within Minnesota and nationally. The sessions focused on recycled materials, pavement rehabilitation, preventative maintenance, long- life performance, surface characteristics, and other research information. The conference also featured a tour of the MnROAD research facility which included visits to selected test sections and demonstrations of various equipment.
Below are the Power Point presentations presented by the speakers at the conference:
- MnROAD Lessons Learned and Future Initiatives
Ben Worel, Tim Clyne, Tom Burnham, MnDOT
Introduction to the conference and presentation of MnROAD research.
- Pervious PCC
Ally Akkari, MnDOT
An overview of permeability, freeze thaw durability, and maintenance activities at MnROAD and on city streets.
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HMA Aging and Preventative Maintenance
Mike Anderson, Asphalt Institute
A fresh approach to characterizing binder aging and its impact on the time of surface treatments.
- Unbonded PCC Overlay, Thin Concrete, and 60- year Concrete
Tom Burnham, MnDOT
An investigation of several concrete innovations for new and rehabilitated pavements.
- Asphalt Modifiers: Warm Mix, Polyphosphoric Acid, and Polymers
Tim Clyne, MnDOT
The effects of binder modification on laboratory and field performance of asphalt mixtures.
- Design and Performance of Full Depth Reclamation
Shongtao Dai, MnDOT
Overview of structural design and field performance of stabilized full-depth reclamation layers.
- Intelligent Compaction and Mechanistic- Empirical Design
Andrew Graettinger, University of Alabama
IC mapping of unbound layers for material characterization and construction uniformity.
- Effects of Implements of Husbandry 'Farm Equipment' on Pavement Performance
- Presentation 1- Lev Khazanovich, University of Minnesota
- Presentation 2- Kevin Erb, University of Wisconsin- Extension Service
- Presentation 3- Halil Ceylan, Iowa State University
- New PCC Surface Characteristics
- Recycled Asphalt Pavement and Shingles Use in HMA
Ed Johnson, MnDOT
Discuss the incorporation of RAP and RAS into asphalt mixtures and their effect on pavement durability.
- Design and Construction Guidelines for Thermally Insulated Concrete Pavements
Lev Khazanovich, University of Minnesota
Thermal insulation of a concrete slab and its ensuing fatigue cracking and life- cycle costs.
- Porous HMA
Matt Lebens, MnDOT
A presentation focusing on snow melt, permeability, layer stiffness, and other differences between porous and conventional HMA.
- Low- Temperature Cracking
Mihai Marasteanu, University of Minnesota
How to predict and control low- temperature cracking based on laboratory fracture tests, mixture specification and modeling.
- Latest Technologies in Pavement Testing and Instrumentation
Len Palek, MnDOT
An introduction to tools developed at MnROAD and their uses in measuring pavement performance.
- Composite Pavement Systems: SHRP II R21 Study
Shreenath Rao, Applied Research Associates
Incorporation of sustainable technologies in long- lasting, low maintenance pavements.
- Pervious PCC Overlay
- Recycled Unbound Materials
Jim Tinjum, University of Wisconsin
An overview of the strength, deformation, and material performance in recycled aggregate base applications.
- HMA Surface Characteristics Study
Mark Watson, MnDOT
The effect of various asphalt mixture types on noise, texture, friction, ride, and durability.
- Rehabilitated PCC Surface Characteristics
James Wilde, Minnesota State University & Elliot Dick, HDR
Research identifying grinding characteristics effects on quietness, safety, and ride comfort.
Bernard Izevbekhai, MnDOT
How surface characteristics of various textures on new concrete effect noise, friction, ride, and other performance characteristics.
Vern Schaefer, Iowa State University
A discussion of cracking, permeability, and ride performance of pervious concrete overlays.
Larry Zanko, University of Minnesota- Duluth
A presentation of the suitability of waste rock from Minnesota's Iron Range for use in pavement applications.
Pavement Rolling Resistance
Sept. 14th, 2011
Prof. Jerzy A. Ejsmont, Dr. Grzegrz Ronowski, Technical University of Gdansk Poland
MnROAD Research Facility
As part of pooled fund study TPF 5-(134) with the participation of Minnesota and Texas departments of transportation and Federal Highway (FHWA), a strategy to measure rolling resistance of all the pavement surfaces at the MnROAD test facility is discussed. Rolling resistance is a pavement surface characteristic that is indicative of fuel efficiency based on tire pavement interaction.
On September 14th, 2011 Professor Jerzy(Jurek) Ejsmont presented at the MnROAD research facility at 10:00AM. This presentation introduced new technology that has never previously been used within the United States.
Step Frequency Ground Penetrating Radar
Sept. 14th, 2011
MnROAD Research Facility
Step Frequency Ground Penetrating Radar is a non-destructive testing technology that FHWA has been evaluating and developing for use in the U.S. This technology has the ability to provide 3-D imaging, continuous calibration, and more detailed assessment of in-situ conditions such as AC stripping, layer debonding and moisture detection, in addition to pavement layer thickness.
Tom Yu of FHWA gave a brief, informal presentation on results from testing in Minnesota followed by demonstration of the technology.
Warm Mix Asphalt
This Webinar covers current research into Warm Mix Asphalt presented by Luke Arnold, a graduate of Michigan Tech University.
15th Annual Minnesota Pavement Conference
February 10th, 2011- St. Paul Minnesota
Continuing Education and Conference Center
Speakers at the 2011 TERRA Pavement Conference highlighted sustainability, innovative construction practices for better pavement performance, alternatives to paving, best practices for in- place recycling and PCC pavement rehabilitation. The link below provides further information:
2011 Annual Minnesota Pavement Conference
Composite Pavement Webinar
January 13th, 2011 - Webinar
This webinar discussed composite pavement technology being investigated through two research projects at the Minnesota Road Research Facility (MnROAD), a real-life accelerated pavement test facility near St. Paul, MN. Topics covered included test section construction and instrumentation activities, early laboratory and field performance, non-destructive testing evaluation techniques, performance predictions using the Mechanistic Empirical Pavement Design Guide (MEPDG), and a contractor's theoretical cost-estimating scenario.
MnROAD Open House
In August of 2010, MnROAD staff hosted an Open House featuring presentations and demonstrations developed from over 15 years of research at the MnROAD facility. Below are documents presented during this open house:
- MnROAD Overview contains information on the MnROAD facility.
- Asphalt Lessons Learned contains information learned from MnROAD asphalt research.
- Concrete Lessons Learned contains information acquired from MnROAD concrete research.
- Composite Pavement Project Overview contains information about composite pavement systems.
- Design and Construction of Composite Materials contains information about the challenges and lessons learned during construction and design research.
- Constructing Composite Pavements compares and contrasts Composite and Conventional paving costs and processes.
- Evaluation of Test Sections - instrumentation, material properties and performance
- Performance Predictions using MEPDG contains a summary of test sections performance and future capabilities based off of research .
14th Annual Minnesota Pavement Conference
February 11th, 2010- St. Paul Minnesota
Continuing Education and Conference Center
Speakers at the 2010 TERRA Pavement Conference addressed several topics, including innovative low- volume road construction practices, environmentally sensitive road construction and maintenance techniques, and the issue of heavy traffic and loads.For more information follow the link presented below:
2010 Annual Minnesota Pavement Conference
Swedish- Minnesota Workshop
November 17th, 2009
Representatives from the Swedish Road Administration, Sweden's Royal Institute of Technology, Swedish Road and Transport Research Institute and MnDOT met to discuss topics in research, pavement design and construction. The following link provides further information:
Swedish- Minnesota Workshop Information
14th ASCE Conference on Cold Regions Engineering
August 30 - September 2, 2009 - Duluth, MN
The Technical Council on Cold Regions Engineering of the American Society of Civil Engineers, with participation of the Duluth Section of ASCE, sponsored the Fourteenth Conference on Cold Regions Engineering in Duluth, Minnesota at the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center. Several MnDOT employees presented the results of their research. More Information
Midwestern States In-Place Recycling Conference
August 11-13, 2009 - Bloomington, MN
The Asphalt Recycling and Reclaiming Association (ARRA) and FHWA have joined together to develop a series of regional In-Place Recycling Conferences & Workshops. Each conference provided a forum to share and publicize information describing improvements in research, design, specifications, materials and construction practices, and promoted the cost benefits of In-Place Recycling through education and application.
Aggregate & Ready Mix Association of Minnesota Pervious Concrete Open House
June 11, 2009 - Monticello, MN
MnROAD
ARM hosted a tour of the MnROAD facility and provided details about the ongoing pervious concrete research that’s taking place in Minnesota.This event attracted ARM members, contractors, owners, specifiers, engineers, city, state and county officials, and all others who have an interest in pervious concrete.
National Workshop on Polyphosphoric Acid Modification of Asphalt Binders
April 7 & 8, 2009
This workshop pulled together facts about PPA modified asphalt and performance. Researchers and practitioners from FHWA, state and other agencies, along with industry personnel, presented the latest information on the PPA modification and performance. The workshop format promoted interactive discussion between presenters and participants and included a site visit to MnROAD test sections.
13th Annual Minnesota Pavement Conference
February 12, 2009 - St. Paul, MN
Continuing Education Center
This conference provided practical information to practitioners about the latest innovations in pavement construction, preservation, rehabilitation, and management.
Pavement Conference: Session Summaries
Technology Transfer Concrete Consortium (TTCC) and National Concrete Consortium (NCC)
September 23-24, 2008
TERRA Innovation Series: MnROAD Phase Two research program
July 30, 2008
Information and a tour of the many new projects at MnROAD
12th Annual Minnesota Pavement Conference
February 14, 2008