RE: Mr. Kennicutt and pavement markings, In the past I have used the below handbook (IPRF 05-1) which is very comprehensive and well-written, although it is specific to airfields, not highways. My key takeaways are that 1) thermoplastic markings are preferred with asphalt because the its application requires high heat, which also melts the asphalt on the surface, providing a better bond between paint and pavement; 2) distresses caused by markings are due to a variety of factors, namely: thermal coefficient differences, climate harshness, and age and thickness of paint; 3) pavement markings should be included in a QC/QA and PM plan for any pavement asset. I can say that distresses are commonly found at longitudinal asphalt concrete joints because of higher % air voids due to equipment limitations of the paver. Higher %AV allow more moisture, which causes faster and more distresses, primarily raveling. Adding the distresses caused by paint markings atop these joints only amplifies the issues. Preventing further deterioration of these longitudinal cracks is typically done with crack sealant, which can obscure the paint marking, reducing driver safety. For those reasons, I believe it's a best practice to avoid placing paint directly over the longitudinal joints, and to ensure proper QC/QA sampling of the asphalt mat at joint locations.
http://iprf.org/products/Final%20Report%2005-1.pdfRE: Mr. Sanjay Meena, a currently popular topic in pavement materials research is the use and optimization of recycled materials. For example, a research topic could be "how many times can an asphalt road be recycled?" Current practices don't track this information, but it is possible that some RAP used in a road placed this year could include roadway material from the 1980s. Also, I have read some recent papers that have studied the use of plastic waste in asphalt and cement concrete.
------------------------------
Tim Sobieski S.M.ASCE
College Station TX
------------------------------
Original Message:
Sent: 05-10-2020 07:00 AM
From: David Kennicutt
Subject: Regarding Good Research topics in Highway Engineering.
I live in upstate NY and have noticed occasions where asphalt concrete deteriorates badly along lane and edge striping. This has occurred on major state highways and interstates. It appears to have something to do with the interaction of the striping and asphalt concrete materials. I don't believe it has anything to do with jointing of the pavement, because the deterioration occurs only where the stripe is applied, such as at a broken centerline pattern. I found a Utah study from 2010 (https://www.udot.utah.gov/main/uconowner.gf?n=14152412160672582) but I believe further research is warranted.
------------------------------
David Kennicutt P.E., M.ASCE
Senior Project Manager
Binghamton NY
Original Message:
Sent: 05-09-2020 03:25 PM
From: Sanjay Meena
Subject: Regarding Good Research topics in Highway Engineering.
Hlo Everyone
Are you interested in highway engineering then please give best topics for research in highway engineering.
------------------------------
Sanjay Meena M.ASCE
Karauli
------------------------------