糖心Vlog

糖心Vlog associate professor of civil engineering Junan Shen, Ph.D., has been selected by the Georgia Department of Transportation (DOT) to conduct a laboratory study to determine if the performance of rubberized asphalt mix, which is derived from scrap tires and considered a 鈥済reen鈥� material, will make a viable alternative for use in road construction in Georgia. The research project, which is the first awarded by the Georgia DOT to 糖心Vlog, will fund a one-year study to determine if the performance of rubberized asphalt is comparable to that of polymer-modified asphalt (PMA)听pavements.听听As part of the study, Jeremy Todd Earnest, a Georgia Southern senior civil engineering technology major from Marietta, Ga., will assist Shen on the nearly $75,000 project. Findings in this preliminary study are intended to be used in a second, more comprehensive phase of the overall project, which would include field evaluations. 听Three years ago, test sections on I-75 near Perry and I-20 in Augusta, Georgia, were paved with open graded friction course (OGFC) and stone matrix asphalt (SMA), respectively, using the 鈥渄ry鈥� process of modifying asphalt cement with crumb rubber.听听In the dry process, crumb rubber is concurrently blended with mix aggregates and asphalt cement at the plant, while in the 鈥渨et鈥� process, crumb rubber is blended with the asphalt cement before the blended cement is mixed with aggregates.听听So far, the performance of these test sections has not been formally evaluated, nor has research on the dry process generally been documented.听听The wet process has been successfully evaluated and implemented by other states.听听Shen鈥檚 research will evaluate the materials鈥� long-term performance, enabling the Georgia DOT to decide whether dry process technology can be adopted for widespread use around the state. 鈥淭hrough this study we will provide best-practice recommendations to the Georgia DOT for consideration as they look at road construction alternatives,鈥� says Shen.听听鈥淥ur ultimate goal is to save money on road construction and this study is just the first phase of a much larger project that could have major benefits for Georgia taxpayers.鈥� 鈥淚 am excited to work with Dr. Shen on this study for the Georgia DOT,鈥� says Earnest, who hopes to become a structural engineer following graduation from Georgia Southern.听听鈥淭he opportunity to do research while being an undergraduate is incredible. It will give me real-world experience, and help me compete in a very competitive job market.听听I would not necessarily have had this opportunity at another university.鈥� In Georgia, OGFC and SMA layers are applied to interstate and state highway pavements as well as some urban main roads to improve safety and reduce such environmental considerations as water splash and noise.听听If the dry process technology is proven to work well, then both dry and wet rubberized OGFC and SMA will be viable alternatives, potentially reducing construction costs as well as being environmentally-friendly green technologies.