Pavement engineers are constantly seeking proven innovative concepts to advance pavement performance, and the pressure to offer longer-lasting pavements at lower costs in the down construction economy has them struggling to offer more progressive, creative designs. Nonwoven Geotextile Interlayers are now being implemented in U.S. roadway construction to do just that — cutting costs and getting motorists back on the road as quickly as possible.

AUSTIN, TX, October 21, 2010—Last week, a paper contributed to by Dr. Robert Rasmussen, Vice President and Chief Engineer, and Sabrina Garber, Project Manager, for The Transtec Group, Inc. (Transtec), was presented at the 11th International Symposium on Concrete Roads in Seville, Spain. The presentation, entitled, “Nonwoven Geotextile Interlayers (NGI) for Separating Cementitious Pavement Layers: Use in Germany Leads to Better Practice in the US,” explains how NGIs have now been tested in the US, thus demonstrating the method internationally.

NGIs, used in some pavements to prevent a bond from forming between cementitious layers, have been absent from U.S.concrete pavement design. Typically, hot-mix asphalt (HMA) has been used as an interlayer in the states, but NGIs have been proven by German engineers to be an effective alternative.

In recent field trials in Missouri and Oklahoma, the method proved to reduce the bottom line, expedite construction, and require minimal training and equipment during roadway construction. The paper outlines lessons learned from these trials.

“One of the most important things we’ve learned from the field trials here in the US,” Rasmussen said, “is that by testing foreign methods on our own soil, we can offer a new perspective on them. The key to innovative progress for any idea is the sharing of knowledge. That holds true for NGIs as well.”

In order to introduce the concept to the US, Transtec has built a website and forum where engineers and the pavement community can discuss how nonwoven geotextiles function within cementitious layers and how to implement them on their own projects. Transtec’s www.ConcreteOnTop.com invites engineers and the pavement community to learn more about the developing technology and participate in the conversation, in order that the sharing of knowledge may lead to even more innovation.

About the 11th International Symposium on Concrete Roads: From its first assembly held in Paris in 1969 the symposium has taken the lead in improving and promoting concrete pavement technologies on an international scale.  The 11th meeting focused on climate change, economical constraints, skills shortages, rising oil prices, careful planning, cost efficient designs, sustainable construction and a review of past experiences to promote innovation. This year’s event was cooperatively organized by EUPAVE, Oficemen (Spanish Cement Association), IECA (Spanish Institute of Cement and its Applications) and AFCA (Andalusian Cement Association). To learn more about the 11th International Symposium on Concrete Roads, please refer to EUPAVE’s summary of the symposium.

About The Transtec Group: The Transtec Group is a pavement engineering firm that provides expertise in pavement design, research, construction, rehabilitation, software development, Public-Private Partnership (P3) projects and technology transfer for the transportation industry. A DBE and MBE firm, Transtec is a leader in Design-Build transportation projects worldwide. Transtec is based in Austin, Texas and serves clients throughout the world. For more information, please visit www.TheTranstecGroup.com.