Publication Number: FHWA-HRT-07-013
Date: May 2007

Concrete 2007: Conference To Feature Today's Improved Concrete Pavements

Meet today's improved and accelerated concrete pavements at the upcoming International Conference on Optimizing Paving Concrete Mixtures and Accelerated Concrete Pavement Construction and Rehabilitation. Scheduled for November 7-9, 2007, in Atlanta, Georgia, the conference is sponsored by the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) Concrete Pavement Technology Program (CPTP).

CPTP is an integrated, national effort to improve the long-term performance and cost-effectiveness of concrete pavements by implementing improved methods of design, construction, and rehabilitation and the use of new technology. More than 30 CPTP projects are evaluating concrete pavement design features, materials, and best construction practices.

Conference participants will look at U.S. and international experiences with concrete mixture optimization, which involves adapting available concrete production resources to meet the necessary engineering criteria, construction operations requirements, and economic needs. Topics will include best practices, mitigation of materials-related distress, economic factors, and the use of locally available material resources.

"The conference will focus on how to construct concrete pavements faster and smarter," says Jeff Uhlmeyer, Pavement Design Engineer for the Washington State Department of Transportation. "Participants can learn from an international audience and find out what's possible today in concrete paving, as well as how to build partnerships between contractors and agencies."

Participants will also discuss best construction practices for accelerated construction and rehabilitation, including concrete requirements, production rates, and testing needs; congestion mitigation strategies; contractor and equipment issues; and the use of weekend and nighttime versus long-term road closures. "Case studies will feature fast track construction that is being done in heavily trafficked areas, including overnight construction where roads can be opened up the next morning," says Wouter Gulden of the American Concrete Pavement Association's Southeast Chapter. "The conference will also highlight the versatility of concrete."

The event is targeted at pavement engineering, concrete materials, and construction professionals, including Federal, State, and municipal engineers; consulting engineers; contractors; materials suppliers; and representatives from academia.

Conference cosponsors include the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials, Georgia Department of Transportation, International Society for Concrete Pavements, and the American Concrete Pavement Association. Additional sponsors are the Concrete Reinforcing Steel Institute, Transportation Research Board, Portland Cement Association, and the Cement Association of Canada.

For more information, contact Shiraz Tayabji at CTLGroup, 410-997-0400 (fax: 410-997-8480; email: stayabji@CTLGroup.com), or Sam Tyson at FHWA, 202-366-1326 (email: sam.tyson@fhwa.dot.gov). Information and online registration are also available at www.fhwa.dot.gov/pavement/concrete/2007CPTPconf.cfm. To learn more about CPTP and its many initiatives, visit www.fhwa.dot.gov/pavement/concrete/index.cfm.

The versatility of today's concrete pavements will be highlighted at the upcoming International Conference on Optimizing Paving Concrete Mixtures and Accelerated Concrete Pavement Construction and Rehabilitation.

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