At the California Asphalt Pavement Association (CalAPA) Spring Asphalt Pavement Conference & Equipment Expo held on March 23-24, 2023 in Ontario, Calif., Featured Speaker Michael Huner, P.E., Huner Consulting Consultant, Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), delivered a presentation titled, "FHWA Mobile Asphalt Technology Center (MATC)." Hear from a Subject Matter Expert (SME) from the Federal Highway Administration on the FHWA’s Mobile Asphalt Technology Center and its deployment in California to help further knowledge-sharing and innovation in asphalt pavements performance and testing. Mr. Huner will share information on the various technologies showcased in the MATC and how agencies and contractors can deploy these technologies today.

1. CalAPA’s Spring
Asphalt Pavement
Conference & Equipment Expo
March 23, 2023
FHWA is the source for all images in this presentation, unless otherwise noted
FHWA MOBILE ASPHALT TECHNOLOGY CENTER
VISIT TO CALIFORNIA & EMERGING INITIATIVES IN
PAVEMENTS AND MATERIALS
Michael Huner, PE
Consultant to FHWA Mobile Asphalt Technology Center

2. FHWA Disclaimers
▸Contents of this presentation do not have the force and effect of law and are not meant
to bind the public in any way.
⁃ This presentation is intended only to provide clarity to the public regarding existing
requirements under the law or agency policies.
⁃ Compliance with applicable statutes or regulations cited in this document is required.
▸All AASHTO and ASTM standards mentioned in this presentation content are non-
governmental, voluntary standards and are not required under Federal law.
▸The approaches and methods discussed in the presentations are not Federal
requirements unless otherwise stated. Some items may be required by state policy or
specification.
▸Unless otherwise noted, FHWA is the source of all images in this presentation.
▸The U.S. Government does not endorse products or manufacturers. Trademarks or
manufacturers’ names appear in this presentation only because they are considered
essential to the objective of the presentation. They are included for informational
purposes only and are not intended to reflect a preference, approval, or endorsement of
any one product or entity.
2

3. Acronyms
▸AASHTO: American Association of State Highway
and Transportation Officials
▸ABML-ID: Asphalt Binder and Mixture Laboratory
–Implementation Division
▸ABT: Asphalt Binder Tester
▸AIMS: Aggregate Imaging Measurement System
▸AMPT: Asphalt Mixture Performance Tester
▸ASTM: American Society for Testing and
Materials
▸BMD: Balanced Mix Design
▸DO: FHWA Division Office
▸DPS: Density Profiling System
▸FTIR: Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy
▸HICP: FHWA Office of Preconstruction,
Construction, and Pavements
▸ICT: IDEAL Cracking Test
▸I-FIT: Illinois Fatigue Test
▸MATC: Mobile Asphalt Technology Center
▸ MTV: Material Transfer Vehicle
▸ NCHRP: National Cooperative Highway Research
Program
▸ NDE: Nondestructive Evaluation
▸ PEM: Performance Engineered Mixtures
▸ PEP: Performance Engineered Pavements
▸ PMS: Pavement Management System
▸ PRS: Performance-Related Specifications
▸ QA: Quality Assurance
▸ R&D: Research & Development
▸ RC: FHWA Resource Center
▸ Sapp: Apparent Damage Capacity
▸ SCB: Semi-circular Bend
▸ SSR: Stress Sweep Rutting
▸ TFHRC: Turner-Fairbank Highway Research
Center
▸ TxOT: Texas Overlay Text
▸ XRF: X-Ray Florescence
3

4. 4
Innovative technologies and practices are implemented by
agencies and industry to provide durable, safe, and sustainable
asphalt pavements on our nation’s highways.
Program Goal & Focus Areas
▸On-site field evaluations &
training + 2-day QA
workshop
▸Asphalt materials & field
testing
▸Post-construction evaluation
▸Innovation implementation
▸Equipment loans
▸Hands-on and virtual
demos
▸Specification review
▸Asphalt Binder and
Mixture Laboratory-
Implementation Division
(ABML-ID)
4

5. FHWA Asphalt Technology Deployment
▸ Project Site Visits: provide agencies and industry with
first-hand exposure to new technologies (currently, 8
mixture tests, 4 materials tests, and 5 field tests)
▸ Customized Training Workshops: classroom and online
training based on field test results and observations
▸ Equipment Loan Program: gain hands-on experience
before making a resource commitment
▸ Technical Guidance: based on identified national trends
to encourage agencies and industry to evaluate and
improve their specifications and practices Image Source: FHWA
5

6. Technologies Offered by FHWA MATC
Mixture
▸ AMPT suite of tests
(cyclic fatigue, E*)
▸ Overlay test for
reflective cracking
▸ Flexibility index test
(I-FIT) for fracture
resistance
▸ ITC (IDEAL-CT) for crack
resistance
▸ IDEAL-RT for rutting
resistance
▸ Hamburg wheel tracker
Materials
▸ X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF)
Spectrometer
▸ ABT (true grade binder)
▸ FTIR for binder
molecular analysis
▸ Binder characterization
testing
Field
▸ Paver-mounted thermal
profiler (PMTP)
▸ Pulse induction
technology for in-place
pavement thickness
▸ Pavement macrotexture
measurements (3
methods)
▸ Dielectric profiling
systems (DPS)
6

7. While On-Site in California…
7

8. MATC
Site Visits
Since 1988
▸Interactive Map
▸Searchable
8

9. MATC
On-site
Project
Visit
Logistics
9

10. MATC Test Plan for CA
Site Visit (Proposed)
10

11. Project Background (proposed)
▸MATC setup at Caltrans District 8 Southern Regional Lab in Fontana
(March 10th – April 7th)
▸Open House Event (March 14th)
⁃ Morning session held in conference room of Caltrans District 8 Southern Regional Lab
⁃ MATC tours and field technology demonstrations held onsite in the afternoon
▸Mixture/Asphalt Binder sampling and testing from test project as per test plan
⁃ Standard Caltrans mix & PG binder
▸Field Testing Demonstrations
⁃ Paver-Mounted Thermal Profiler
⁃ Dielectric Profiling System
⁃ Pulse Induction Technology
⁃ Laser Texture Scanner
11

12. Test Plan for California Site Visit (proposed)
12
Mixture Testing Asphalt Binder
Testing
Field Technology
Demonstrations
Volumetrics Performance Testing
Asphalt Content
by Ignition
IDEAL-CT
(CTIndex)
Performance Grading
AASHTO M 320
AASHTO M 332
Paver-Mounted Thermal Profiler
(PMTP)
Gradation
20-hr PAV Aging
40-hr Ext. Aging
Dielectric Profiling System
(DPS)
IDEAL-RT
(RTIndex)
Mixture Gravities
(Gmb & Gmm)
X-Ray Fluorescence
Spectroscopy (XRF)
Pulse Induction Technology
(thickness)
Hamburg Wheel Track Test
(HWTT)
VTM, VMA, VFA, and D/A
Fourier Transform Infrared
Spectroscopy (FTIR)
Laser Texture Scanner
(MPD)

13. Mixture Testing Plan (proposed)
13

14. Mixture Testing Details (proposed)
14
Requirement
Asphalt Content,
Gradation, and
Volumetrics
Cracking
Performance
Rutting
Performance
IDEAL-CT IDEAL-RT HWTT
Test Method
AASHTO T30, T166,
T209, T308, T312
ASTM D8225 N/A AASHTO T324
Number of
Specimens
3+ 5+ 5+ 4+
Specimen Geometry
150mm diameter
~115mm height
150mm diameter
62mm height
150mm diameter
62mm height
150mm diameter
62mm height
Specimen Air Voids Ndesign 7.0 ± 0.5% 7.0 ± 0.5% 7.0 ± 0.5%
Test Temperature
(°C)
- 25 50 50
Mass Required
(per sample)
60lbs+ 60lbs+ 60lbs+ 30lbs+

15. Asphalt Binder Testing (Proposed)
▸Determination of AASHTO M 320 performance grade
⁃ PG Continuous or true grade of asphalt binder
▸Determination of AASHTO M 332 performance grade
⁃ Multiple Stress Creep & Recovery (MSCR) test
▸Determination of durability properties
⁃ Delta Tc (ΔTc)
⁃ Delta Tf (ΔTf)
▸Elemental Analysis
⁃ X-Ray Fluorescence Spectroscopy (XRF) testing to determine the elemental composition and presence
of modifiers
▸Chemical Analysis
⁃ Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR) to detect any additives or contaminants
15

16. Asphalt Binder Testing (Proposed)
▸Asphalt Binder utilized with standard Caltrans mixture to
be sampled by either Producer or Caltrans
16
Sample
Size
Performance Grading
(AASHTO M320 & M332)
20-hr
PAV
Aging
40-hr
Extended
Aging
X-Ray
Fluorescence
Spectroscopy
(XRF)
Fourier-Transform
Infrared
Spectroscopy
(FTIR)
1 Gallon
+
1 Quart
3 replicates 3 replicates 3 replicates 3 replicates 3 replicates

17. Field Technology
Demonstrations
17

18. Paver-Mounted Thermal Profiler (PMTP)
▸High precision real time thermal
profiler to detect pavement mat
defects before compaction
▸Used for identifying segregation
and low-density issues
▸Infrared sensors for measuring
temperature uniformity of new
asphalt surfaces
▸Thermal profile imaging of mat
surface done at 2 to 3 meters
behind screed
Images: SHRP2 (R06 C)
18

19. Dielectric Profiling System (DPS)
▸Testing equipment that uses high frequency
ground penetrating radar (GPR) to
nondestructively assess asphalt pavement
density
▸Reduce turnaround times
▸Perform continuous density measurements over
larger areas
▸Dielectric profiling systems (DPS) address
many of the issues with traditional density
measurement techniques
Left
Sensor
Center
Sensor
Right
Sensor
19

20. Pulse Induction Technology
▸Nondestructive device to measure
pavement thickness on either asphalt or
concrete pavements
▸Eliminates the need for taking cores
▸Pulse Induction device requires
preplacing a thin metal ‘target’ (plate) on
the base before paving
▸Distance between the plate and surface
of the pavement is measured
20

21. Asphalt Pavement Macrotexture
Three methods of measuring macrotexture:
Circular Track Meter (CTM)
Sand Patch Method
Laser Texture Scanner (LTS)
Sand Patch Method
CTM
LTS LTS
21

22. Pavement Macrotexture
▸Macrotexture provides space for water to
escape between the tire and the pavement
and allows better tire contact with
aggregate for frictional resistance and to
prevent hydroplaning
▸Changes in macrotexture have been used to
identify pavement segregation
▸Macrotexture is also believed to be related
to pavement noise, particularly for dense
graded mixtures
22
Microtexture Macrotexture
What is texture?
Aggregate
Pavement
Cross Section

23. Laser Texture Scanner (LTS)
▸Portable 3D Rapid Laser Texture Scanner
- Rapid Measurements – within 90 seconds
- 100 mm x 100 mm scan area
- Laboratory and field applications
- Mean Profile Depth (MPD)
▸Materials
- In-Place (Project Site)
- Field Cores (Project Site)
- Gyratory specimens (Laboratory)
23

24. Lunch and Learn Webinars During Site Visit
▸Virtual training and learning sessions offered by the MATC during the visit
⁃ Zoom / Teams meeting open to CalTrans and any others in CA (contractors, suppliers,
academia, local agencies, etc.)
Potential Topics
▸Sustainability in Asphalt Pavements
▸Resilience for Asphalt Pavements
▸Implementation Tasks for Balanced Mix Design
▸Lab Look In: Live Training for 2-3 BMD Tests from the MATC
▸Responsible Use of RAP and RAS in Asphalt Mixtures
▸Ways to Strengthen Your Asphalt Quality Assurance Systems
▸Pavement Friction and Macrotexture for Pavement Safety
24

25. Quality in the
Asphalt Paving
Process Workshop
▸Two-day workshop on asphalt
materials and construction
▸Builds off observations from field
visit, specification review, and
test results for each State
▸Scheduled within year after
conclusion of MATC site visit
▸Agency and industry
participation (50/50)
▸Goal: Action plan
25

26. Equipment Loan Program
Request form submitted via FHWA P&M
Engineer in Division Office
• Dielectric profiling systems units
• Paver-mounted thermal profiler unit
• Circular track meter
• Laser-based texture scanner
• AIMS device for aggregate scans
• Handheld XRF binder device
• SmartJig for IDEAL-CT and IDEAL-RT
testing
26
26

27. ▸Use MATC as a communication vehicle to
stakeholders
▸Use short communication bursts (1-pagers, social
media, etc.) to raise awareness on FHWA efforts
▸Current Topics:
⁃ Enhancing in-place density
⁃ Dielectric profiling systems: North Dakota DOT
experience
⁃ Thermal profilers: Minnesota DOT experience
⁃ Thermal profilers: Maine DOT experience
Technology Transfer

28. Leslie Myers, Ph.D., PE
MATC Program Manager – FHWA HQ
leslie.myers@dot.gov
Derek Nener-Plante, PE
Pavement and Materials Engineer – Tech Transfer
derek.nenerplante@dot.gov
Brendan Morris
MATC Project Manager
brendan.morris.ctr@dot.gov
Michael Huner, PE
MATC Subject Matter Expert
michael.huner.ctr@dot.gov
SPREADING ASPHALT PAVEMENT
TECHNOLOGY INNOVATION
https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/matc
THANK YOU!