Publication Number: HRT-11-014
Date: June 2011
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FOCUS on Training-Training Offers Guide to Superpave 101

One of the latest courses added to the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) National Highway Institute (NHI) training catalog is Superpave Mix Design Process and Analysis (Course No. FHWA-NHI-131131). The 2-hour online training session, prepared in partnership with the Transportation Curriculum Coordination Council (TCCC), is designed to give hot-mix asphalt (HMA) materials engineers and technicians a better understanding of the Superpave mix design process and analysis. The course is available for scheduling at any time.

Aimed at those who are responsible for the laboratory testing and evaluation of Superpave mix designs, Module One of the new course covers the design of an asphalt concrete mix and how a Superpave mix design is analyzed. Module Two covers asphalt mixture volumetrics and how to use phase diagrams to calculate volumetric properties.

Upon completion of the course, participants will have learned the procedures involved in Superpave mix design, how to select proper materials for a Superpave mix, and how a Superpave mix is compacted. They will also be able to define HMA volumetric terms and understand factors that can influence key mass-volume relationships and calculations.

Launched in 2000, the TCCC is a partnership that includes representatives from FHWA, NHI, regional State training and certification groups, several American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials subcommittees, and industry associations.

To register for this free course or to find details on other NHI training opportunities, visit the NHI online course catalog at www.nhi.fhwa.dot.gov. For more information on the Superpave Mix Design Process and Analysis training, contact Christopher Newman at FHWA, 202-366-2023 (email: christopher.newman@fhwa.dot.gov).