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2024 - Mainline and LVR

The upcoming 2024 construction season at the MnROAD will provide test sections to continue the work related to low carbon concrete materials that was conducted in 2022. This year we are planning to build 8 new test sections with cement alternatives that include reclaimed or harvested fly ash, microspheres, and other sustainable materials yet to be determine in the mainline (ML) plus other possible cement alternatives and hot mix asphalt (HMA) in the low volume road (LVR). In addition, test sections will be constructed in the low volume road (LVR) with the placement of artificial stripping elements to provide us with a proving ground to investigate the capabilities of non-destructive testing (NDT) technologies in detecting moisture-related damages in bituminous pavements.

Weekly updates

Week of 9/30–10/4

  • Diamond Surfacing Inc performed grinding for texture in Cells 2401, 2402, 2406 and 2408
  • Diamond Surfacing Inc performed grinding for ride in Cells 2226, 2225, and 613
  • CS McCrossan restored shoulders and prepared soil bed for seeding
  • Nordby hydromulched and seeded disturbed soil
  • MnDOT District 3 Maintenance crew sealed cracks in Cells 2405, 2406 and shoulders of 613
Look ahead to week 10/7–10/11
  • MnDOT to paint stripes
  • MnROAD to perform regularly scheduled testing and performance monitoring

Week of 9/23–9/27

  • CS McCrossan re-graded aggregate shoulders
  • Diamond Surfacing needed to repair grinding equipment
Look ahead to week 9/30–10/4
  • CS McCrossan to grade aggregate shoulders
  • Diamond Surfacing Inc to perform grinding for texture in Cells 2401, 2402, 2406 and 2408
  • Diamond Surfacing Inc to perform grinding for ride in Cells 2226, 2225, and 613
  • CS McCrossan to begin final restoration of shoulders
  • MnDOT District 3 Maintenance crew to perform crack sealing in Cells 2405, 2406 and shoulders of 613

Week of 9/16–9/20

  • CS McCrossan placed bituminous millings along passing lane shoulder
  • CS McCrossan placed hot mix asphalt (HMA) on driving lane shoulder
  • CS McCrossan performed 2” mill and fill repairs in HMA shoulder of Cell 613
Look ahead to week 9/23 – 9/27
  • CS McCrossan to grade aggregate shoulders
  • Diamond Surfacing Inc to perform grinding for texture in Cells 2401, 2402, 2406 and 2408
  • Diamond Surfacing Inc to perform grinding for ride in Cells 2226, 2225, and 613
  • CS McCrossan to begin final restoration of shoulders

Week of 9/9–9/13

  • PCi placed mixes in 8 new test Cells
    • 2401 - Ash Grove LC3
    • 2402 - Microspheres added to Control Mix
    • 2403 - Slag Cement Association Quaternary Mix
    • 2404 - Microspheres added to Optimized Mix
    • 2405 - 2024 Study Control Mix
    • 2406 - C-Crete
    • 2407 - Ternary Concrete
    • 2408 - Ozinga
  • MnROAD finished placing sensors and started collecting sensor data
  • The Federal Highway Administration test trailer was on site to collect and test concrete samples
  • CPTech and AET collected and tested concrete samples
Look ahead to week 9/16 – 9/20
  • CS McCrossan to place aggregate on shoulders
  • CS McCrossan to place HMA shoulder along driving lane
  • CS McCrossan to perform 2” mill and fill repairs in HMA shoulder of Cell 613
  • MnROAD to begin marking test cells and performing surface testing
  • MnROAD to continue to automate the collection and storage of data from sensors

Week of 8/26–8/30

  • CS McCrossan finished placing 5Q aggregate base in Cell 2407 and 2408
  • Ingios performed e-Compaction mapping of prepared base in Cells 2404 through 2408
  • PCi placed string line and performed trimming of base in Cells 2401 through 2408
  • MnROAD finished placing conduit for sensors
  • MnROAD began pulling sensor wires through conduit
  • Materials and Road Research Geotechnical personnel placed moisture sensors in Cells 2401 and 2408
Look ahead to week 9/3–9/6
  • MnROAD to finish placing sensors and prep for placement on concrete
  • MnROAD to finalize concrete
Look further ahead to week of 9/9
  • PCi to begin placing concrete

Week of 8/19–8/23

  • CS McCrossan finished HMA removal in Cell 162
  • CS McCrossan performed common excavation in Cells 160 and 162
  • MnROAD placed sensor conduit in subgrade for Cells 2404-2408
  • CS McCrossan finished placing 5Q aggregate base in Cell 2404
  • Ingios to performed e-Compaction mapping of prepared base in Cells 2404 through 2408
  • CS McCrossan placed aggregate subbase and base in Cells 2405 through 2408
  • Ingios performed e-Compaction mapping of prepared subgrade and subbase in Cells 2405 through 2408
  • CS McCrossan added weep trenches in Cells 2408
Look ahead to week 8/26–8/30
  • Ingios to perform e-Compaction mapping of prepared subgrade and subbase in Cells 2405 through 2408
  • PCi to place string line and perform trimming of base in Cells 2401 through 2408
  • MnROAD to finish placing sensor conduit
  • MnROAD to begin placing sensors

Week of 8/12–8/16

  • CS McCrossan removed aggregate base from Cells 505 through 1005
  • CS McCrossan prepared subgrade for Cells 2401 through 2403
  • MnROAD installed sensor conduit in subgrade for Cells 2401 through 2403
  • CS McCrossan placed subbase and base aggregate in Cells 2401 through 2403
  • Ingios performed e-Compaction mapping of prepared subgrade and subbase in Cells 2401 through 2403
  • CS McCrossan removed rubblized concrete from Cell 2209
  • CS McCrossan prepared base in Cells 2403 and 2404
  • CS McCrossan removed HMA base and aggregate shoulders in Cells 160 and 162
  • PCi removed shattered panels in Cell 613 and 2 panels with extensive surface defects in Cell 2224
  • PCi placed PCC full depth repair panels in Cell 613 and 2224
  • PCi placed PCC partial depth repairs in Cell 2224
Look ahead to week 8/19-8/23
  • CS McCrossan to finish HMA removal in Cell 162
  • CS McCrossan to perform common excavation in Cells 160 and 162
  • MnROAD to place sensor conduit in subgrade for Cells 2404-2408
  • CS McCrossan to finish placing 5Q aggregate base in Cell 2404
  • Ingios to perform e-Compaction mapping of prepared base in Cells 2404 through 2408
  • CS McCrossan to place aggregate subbase and base in Cells 2405 through 2408
  • Ingios to perform e-Compaction mapping of prepared subgrade and subbase in Cells 2405 through 2408
  • PCi to place string line and perform trimming of Cells 2401 through 2408

Week of 8/5–8/12

  • Rain delay on Monday
  • Antigo to rubblized concrete in Cells 505, 605, 705, 805, 160 and 162
  • True North staked out layout and survey
  • PCi milled asphalt passing lane shoulders
  • CS McCrossan removed concrete and remaining asphalt surface layers
Look ahead to week 8/12–8/16
  • CS McCrossan to begin removal of aggregate base and clay subgrade
  • CS McCrossan to prepare subgrade
  • MnROAD to install sensor conduit in subgrade
  • Ingios to perform e-Compaction mapping of prepared subgrade and base
  • CS McCrossan to place sub-base and base aggregate

Week of 7/29–8/2

  • District 3 provided additional personnel to assist MnROAD with sensor infrastructure.
    • Sensor wires and vaults were removed from Cells 505, 605, 705/905, 805/1005, 160 and 162.
    • Trenches, Conduit, and Handholes were added for 8 new concrete test section sensor arrays.
  • MnROAD, Office of Material and Road Research, PCi, and Holcim continue to work out the complicated schedule of small batch concrete production and delivery.
  • True North conducted initial site survey.
  • PCi made cuts in pavement at limits of construction in preparation for removals.
  • Nordby installed erosion control logs along shoulders of construction area.
  • CAT utilized concrete marked for removal to test milling equipment.
  • PCi milled and removed driving lane asphalt shoulders from Cells 160, 162, 905 and 1005.
  • PCi milled and removed thick lift asphalt from Cells 905 and 1005.
Look ahead to 8/5–8/9
  • Antigo to break concrete Cells 505, 605, 705/905, 805/1005, 160 and 162.
  • True North to provide layout and survey.
  • PCi to mill asphalt patches and passing lane shoulders.
  • CS McCrossan to remove concrete and remaining asphalt.
  • CS McCrossan to begin removal of aggregate base and clay subgrade.

2023 - LVR

The 2023 construction season at MnROAD saw the construction of 6 tests sections in the low volume road (LVR). The focus of this construction effort was to provide much need repair to test sections that had already exceeded their research and design life while using the available space to construct new test sections to evaluate the reflective cracking resistance of a mix and structural design intended for low-volume city and county applications in Minnesota. Furthermore, two test sections were constructed to assess the effectiveness of organo-silane (OS) in enhancing water control, improving subgrade, and overall pavement system performance, while also investigating its potential to mitigate frost heave-thaw settlement and freeze-thaw weakening in frost-susceptible pavement foundation layers. This construction efforts address specific research questions related to pavement materials, performance, drainage and cracking mechanisms, contributing valuable insights to ongoing LRRB and NRRA projects and paving the way for optimized pavement engineering practices.

2022 Construction - Mainline

The 2022 construction season at MnROAD saw the construction of 39 novel pavement test sections and the repair of 6 existing sections in the mainline (ML) to address high-priority research needs from the National Road Research Alliance (NRRA). The focus of this construction effort was on enhancing sustainability and resiliency in our pavement system, as well as studying and promoting intelligent construction technologies. Noteworthy innovations included the use of materials like plastic, rubber, and fibers in asphalt pavements, and alternative cementitious, supplementary cementitious, and carbon injection in concrete pavements. Rehabilitation efforts aimed at extending the life of some sections involved recycling in-situ materials and applying preventive maintenance techniques. Additionally, perpetual pavement and wicking geotextile research projects were undertaken, with a focus on improving drainage and foundation stiffness for long-term benefits. Six repaired sections utilized performance-engineered mixes and diamond grinding for fault elimination.

2021 Construction

MnROAD developed test sections to support two studies from NRRA and Minnesota Local Road Research Board at MnROAD and 15th Street located in the City of St. Michael to study spray rejuvenator products.

  • 2021 Construction Report (in development)

2020 Construction

NRRA develop a research project and test sections near Emily Minnesota that are being utilized to develop a better understanding of HMA rejuvenators and their long-term effects on performance.

  • 2020 Construction Report (in development)

2016 Construction

MnROAD partnered with NCAT to reconstruct 8 mainline HMA test sections. These test sections support a national pooled fund study on cracking group experiment focusing on low temperature cracking.

  • 2016 Construction Report (in development)

2011 Construction

MnROAD 2011 Reconstruction and Repair of PCC Mainline Cells 5, 6, 63, & 96

Four test cells on the MnROAD Mainline were in need of reconstruction or substantial repairs in 2011. This opportunity allowed us to enhance the research program at MnROAD by evaluating and demonstrating the following materials and methods:

  • the performance of three gradations to optimize paste content, workability, and durability;
  • longitudinal tining as a quiet surface;
  • the use of drainable, stable aggregate bases to enhance pavement life; and
  • roller compacted concrete on the shoulders.

Also, a thin (5") unbonded concrete overlay using a non- woven geotextile interlayer was constructed on half a cell, and, repairs were made on a thin whitetopping cell to evaluate best practices to maintain concrete overlays.

Stabilized Full Depth Reclamation on Cell 28

With budgets being stretched and local sources of pavement materials being depleted, reconstruction of low volume roadways is becoming difficult for local agencies to fund. Cheaper methods, such as the use of gravel material, have been adopted to try and alleviate these costs.

The construction on Cell 28 explored alternative methods of paving that are both renewable and relatively inexpensive in overall costs. The plan attempted to utilize in situ materials of the previous Cell 28 construction to repave the cell in a sustainable manner using 100% of the existing materials. The cell consisted of 100% recycled pavement that has no transportation costs, material costs, and relatively inexpensive operating costs providing for a better quality road. This cell has the potential to serve as a model for maintaining thousands of low volume road miles.

2006 Construction Updates

In 2006 Cell 1, 27, and 28 were reconstructed by MnROAD. There were three significant aspects of research behind the test cell reconstruction: field validation of Geocomposite Capillary Barrier Drain (GCBD) for limiting moisture changes in pavements, Intelligent Compaction (IC) research performed on the unbound base and subgrade layers, and accelerated testing of PG 52-34 binder to support a Local Road Research Board (LRRB) project. These reports document the previous pavement condition, pavement structural and mixture designs, instrumentation plan, field construction activities, material sampling, and laboratory test results.

Pervious concrete helps to divert polluted and excess water from local water sources. In 2006 MnROAD and its partners collaborated on a pervious concrete sidewalk project to help study how to effectively use pervious concrete to best limit negative environmental factors.

2005 Construction Updates

In 2005, MnROAD continued to study the effectiveness of pervious concrete in its test cells. MnROAD was researching the pervious concrete's inherent sustainability during the varying environmental factors that come with each season especially safety during the winter seasons.

2004 Construction Updates

2004 marked several different construction and research projects for MnROAD. Cells 60- 63 were constructed using whitetopping technique to replace earlier whitetopping cells constructed in 1997. The report below contains the relevant information about the reconstruction and the data attained through the seven years research.

Mesabi Hard Rock aggregate began to be tested during 2004 resulting in several reports and studies. The purpose of the research was to see the utilization possibility of a new and Minnesota based resource.

Cell 26 was reconstructed to replace a test cell that had failed prematurely.

1999 Construction Updates

This paper's purpose is to provide an update on the pavement condition of MnROAD's three low volume road (LVR) SuperPave test cells constructed in 1999 with different asphalt binders. These cells were built to field validate the current low temperature performance grading (PG) system currently being used at MnDOT and many other agencies around the world.