Publication Number: FHWA-SA-98-027
Date: November 1998

Articles in this Issue

SHRP Technology Exchange Conference Highlights Winning Mix of Products and Partnerships

From the spray-injection pothole patcher to the Superpave asphalt mix design system, the more than 500 participants at the recent Mid-Atlantic States SHRP Technology Exchange Conference got first-hand exposure to the products of the Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP).

Email Discussion Group Keeps LTPP Data Users in Touch and Up to Date

Engineers and researchers throughout North America and in several other countries are using data from the thousands of long-term pavement performance (LTPP) experiment sites to improve the durability of asphalt and portland cement concrete pavements. To make it easy for them to share information and learn from each other's experiences, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has established the LTPP ListServ in cooperation with the University of Mississippi. The email-based discussion group provides subscribers with an easy way to post and reply to questions about LTPP data and the DataPave software (see sidebar).

HWYCON To Be Included in AASHTO Line of Software

When we last reported (November 1996 Focus) on the HWYCON software program developed under the Strategic Highway Research Program (SHRP), the American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Subcommittee on Materials had recommended that HWYCON be evaluated for possible inclusion in its AASHTOWare software collection. HWYCON is an expert system that helps diagnose the cause of distress in concrete pavements and structures, determine appropriate repair and rehabilitation strategies, and select optimum construction materials.

In Brief

A new brochure on high-performance concrete (HPC), High-Performance Concrete Bridges: Building Bridges for the 21st Century (Publication No. FHWA-SA-98-084), is now available from the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). The brochure provides, in a handy question and answer format, an introduction to HPC and its many uses and benefits, as well as a list of resources for States that want to learn more about HPC. To obtain a copy, contact the FHWA R&T Product Distribution Center, HRTM-03 by email: report.center@dot.gov

RWIS + ESS = Safer Travel

First came road weather information systems (RWIS), which monitor air and pavement temperatures and predict whether precipitation will freeze on the pavement. An increasing number of States rely on these systems to optimize the deployment of maintenance crews to keep roads clear and safe for winter travel. The RWIS data and predictions are transmitted to a computer at highway agencies' maintenance centers, allowing maintenance managers to make more informed decisions about dispatching road crews and advising motorists.

States Show Strong Support for Continued Funding of SHRP Implementation and LTPP Programs

When the Transportation Equity Act for the 21st Century (known as TEA-21) was signed by President Clinton in June, a collective sigh of relief could be heard from State departments of transportation (DOTs), contractors, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), and others responsible for building, maintaining, and operating the Nation's transportation system. TEA-21 not only provided much-needed funds for highway construction and maintenance, but also significantly upped the amount of funds allocated to State Planning and Research (SP&R) programs.

SHRP Implementation Calendar