WVDOH Receives Three Perpetual Pavement Awards
In 2000, the Asphalt Pavement Alliance (a coalition of America’s most influential organizations: the Asphalt Institute, NAPA, and all the State Asphalt Pavement Associations) undertook an initiative to promote the idea of building deep-strength asphalt pavements designed to resist structural fatigue distress for at least 50 years. This concept, coined Perpetual Pavements, allows a pavements structural integrity to remains intact indefinitely. While its driving surface may require periodic economical maintenance to address near surface distresses, these pavements do not need significant rehabilitation or reconstruction. While the Perpetual Pavement concept was only first articulated in 2000, many asphalt pavements across the country were constructed long ago and are functioning as Perpetual Pavements. To recognize such pavement performance the Alliance, in 2001, initiated the Perpetual Pavement Award program. Since then, they have recognized nearly 200 long-life pavements, with its eldest roadway serving its community for over 90-years. There are now three award categories, Performance (original one), New Pavement Design, and Conversion Pavement Design.
To qualify for the prestigious Performance based Award a roadway must be a minimum of 35 years old, have had no major maintenance over the preceding 35 years resulting in increases to the total pavement thickness by more than four (4) inches, and have resurfacing intervals of no less than 13 years on the average. To accomplish such a task speaks volumes about the cooperation between the Department and its industry partners; Design standards, specification, construction practices, oversight and inspection all must be of exceptional quality, well developed, and well adhered to.
The West Virginia Department of Highways received a Perpetual Pavement Award by Performance for the section of US Route 250 in Barbour County from MP 9.89 to MP 12.53(near Phillipi). This 2.64-mile section was originally constructed as a Macadam Asphalt and open to traffic back in 1921. While the original roadway was reconstructed in the mid century since 1984 there have been three structural overlays, totaling 4-inchs, to the pavement. The average time between these overlays is 19-years. The latest resurfacing project was completed in 2022 and was primarily to widen the roadway for safety reasons. During this project an overlay was placed across the entire pavement however the roadway did not show signs of structural distress.
The WVDOH also received the Perpetual Pavement by Design for the US 35 section completed in Fall 2021. This award recognizes newly constructed asphalt roadways built over a new subgrade and meet the Perpetual Pavement structural design criteria which should produce a Perpetual Pavement. The final 4-lane expansion section of US 35 remains WVDOH largest Asphalt paving project to-date, the 14.6-mile section of US 35 consisted of a 6” stone base, a 4” of open grade free draining base, and finally topped with 12.75” of dense graded asphalt. Not only was the section designed by WVDOH to be perpetual, West Virginia Paving, Inc., who constructed this section, used paving practices to enhance its life. To lay the surface course of the pavement, WV Paving retrofitted one of their pavers to be able to lay both travel lanes and the inside shoulder with a single pull for a total width of 28 feet. This single lift eliminated the center longitudinal joint which is traditionally a weak spot that plagues pavements with early failures.
To complete the trio, WVDOH was awarded the Perpetual Pavement by Conversion Award for the design and work on Interstate I-64 MP179.2-181.6 in Greenbrier County near White Sulphur Springs. The Conversion award is for newly constructed asphalt roadways built over an existing roadway which meet the Perpetual Pavement structural design criteria. This section of I-64 was originally constructed as a concrete pavement and has had multiple overlays over the years as the concrete pavement beneath deteriorated. In 2019, this section was completely reconstructed utilized WVDOH's 9-year warranty specification. Through the project the asphalt overlays were removed, and the deteriorated concrete rubblized, which create a excellent base for a new asphalt pavement. Like other interstate reconstruction projects over the years, this section has 8.5-inches of new asphalt over roughly 9-inches of rubblized concrete. WVDOH's 9-year warranty specification has bonuses built into the specification for maintaining a certain threshold of performance each year and this section has received bonuses in all categories every year.
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