Publication Number: FHWA-HRT-07-016
Date: August 2007

Articles in this Issue

A New Focus on Pavements

Working with States and other partners to deliver a national pavement network that is safe, long lasting, cost effective, environmentally sensitive, and effectively maintained remains the goal of the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) pavement and materials program. In order to deliver a more strategically effective program, all of the offices responsible for pavements across FHWA are coordinating their efforts within six focus areas. "These focus areas will drive our entire pavements and materials program," says Peter Stephanos, Director of FHWA's Office of Pavement Technology.

Take a Look at Two-Lift Concrete Paving

Is two-lift concrete construction coming to a pavement near you? Recommended for implementation in the United States following a May 2006 international scanning tour on long-life concrete pavements (see October 2006 Focus), the technique was recently highlighted in a videoconference held by Iowa State University and the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) Highways for LIFE (HfL) program and Office of Pavement Technology.

FHWA Releases Updated Petrographic Manual

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has released an updated resource for transportation practitioners that provides guidance on using hydraulic cement concrete (HCC) petrography. Petrographic Methods of Examining Hardened Concrete: A Petrographic Manual (Pub. No. FHWA-HRT-04-150), complete with procedures, instructions, and photographs, is designed to aid practitioners who lack formal petrographic training. Petrographic analysis uses microscopic techniques to study concrete condition and quality, as well as distress, deterioration, and failure. "The manual highlights methods that have proven to be the most useful in the field and in the laboratory," says Richard Meininger of FHWA's Office of Infrastructure Research and Development.

FHWA Course Offers Intensive Introduction to Highway Materials

An intensive introduction to materials, mix design procedures, and quality assurance is offered by the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) 2008 Highway Materials Engineering Course. Presented through FHWA's National Highway Institute, the curriculum for the 6-week course was developed by national experts in the various materials areas, under the guidance of State department of transportation materials engineers and FHWA materials specialists.

Pavement Preservation Toolbox CD: The Sequel

Now available is the second edition of the Federal Highway Administration's (FHWA) popular Pavement Preservation Toolbox CD. Essentially a one-stop library, the toolbox contains a wealth of information on cutting edge technologies and practices in pavement preservation. The second edition provides the same ease of accessibility, but with a greater volume of documents and resources to help State and local transportation agencies manage their highway assets.

Highway Technology Calendar