Webinar series
The Asphalt | Innovate | Enlighten | Implement (AIEI) webinar series (formerly DAPT webinar series) shares current information and implementation aspects on topics including ground tire rubber, quality assurance, reclaimed asphalt shingles and more. The webinars are moderated by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and hosted by the 性爱五色天, Reno with open access. Participants are encouraged to participate in Q&A sessions and are eligible for professional development hours/continuing education units (PDH/CEU). The webinars are developed under the FHWA-性爱五色天, Reno cooperative agreement, “Development and Deployment of Innovative Asphalt Pavement Technologies.”
Asphalt | Innovate | Enlighten | Implement (AIEI) webinars
Below find upcoming webinars and webinars on-demand.
Upcoming webinars
Balanced mix design (BMD): insights for success webinar series
Below please find information and registration links for the webinars running from Feb. 4, 2025 to June 3, 2025.
Tim Aschenbrener and Derek Nener-Plante will discuss the importance of and how to create an effective implementation plan for balanced mix design (BMD). Topics will cover essential actions, from gaining internal and external support to mapping tasks and timelines, with insights from lead states and actionable examples for positive practices.
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Tim Aschenbrener and Derek Nener-Plante will discuss the importance of validation to the responsible implementation of balanced mix design (BMD). Validation is key to establishing proper criteria. The reasons for conducting validation will be presented as well as examples of approaches used successfully by agencies.
Derek Nener-Plante, Tim Aschenbrener and Elie Hajj will discuss key items learned across the country on the topic of specimen fabrication for balanced mix design (BMD). Specimen fabrication is an important consideration for laboratories conducting BMD testing to reduce variability. Topics shall include considerations for lab operations to reduce variability and the latest on efforts to quantify effects of lag and Dell time on BMD results.
Derek Nener-Plante, Tim Aschenbrener and Elie Hajj will discuss two important considerations for balanced mix design (BMD) testing: mixture aging and testing temperature. Both aging and testing temperature are parameters that can be changed by agencies to make BMD tests more reflective of their environment and materials. Topics shall include the need for aging for cracking evaluation, the different aging methods and the impact of test temperature on rutting evaluations.
Derek Nener-Plante and Tim Aschenbrener will discuss important considerations for incorporating balanced mix design (BMD) tests into production and quality assurance. Many agencies implement BMD into mix design specifications but also are considering the use of BMD in quality assurance. The important challenges and considerations that should be incorporated into plans for using BMD in quality assurance will be presented.
Past webinars (available on-demand)
Expected Outcomes
- Understanding how mixture composition affects mix performance as measured by a variety of laboratory tests.
- Learn how binder properties, including PG grade and polymer modification, enhance mixture rut resistance and fatigue and fracture performance.
- Predict how increases in binder content will affect rut resistance and fatigue life as measured in laboratory tests.
- How to adjust binder gradation and air void content to reduce mixture permeability.
- Understanding potential limitations of some laboratory fracture tests.
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Expected Outcomes
- Learn to identify potential quality assurance engineering and acceptance risks.
- Gain knowledge in identifying techniques to mitigate quality assurance risks.
- Understand the principles based on a State DOT example.
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Expected Outcomes
- Gain limited perspective of how GTR is used to modify asphalt binders.
- Gain overview knowledge of the primary types of GTR modified asphalt binders used in asphalt mixtures.
- Receive a historical perspective of use of GTR modified asphalt binders used in asphalt mixtures.
- Practical knowledge/considerations in mix design of asphalt mixtures containing GTR modified asphalt binders.
- Balanced mix design (BMD) considerations for mixtures containing GTR modified asphalt binders.
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Expected outcomes:
- Recognize techniques and common practices to reduce asphalt pavement carbon footprint
- Awareness of short-term or long-term strategies to reduce carbon footprint
- Recognize stakeholders’ priorities and opportunities to reduce asphalt pavement carbon footprint
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Expected outcomes:
- Recognizing the different available asphalt pavement recycling techniques
- Recognizing the benefits of using recycling techniques
- Understanding how to quantify cost, performance and sustainable benefits of recycling techniques
- Understanding methodologies for using asphalt pavement recycling techniques
- Awareness of successful practices and lessons learned by select agencies
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Expected outcomes:
- Understanding state motivations for considering BMD approaches
- Understanding role of sustainability in BMD practice
- Awareness of critical challenges faced by state DOTs in implementing BMD procedure
- Identifying key takeaways and needs for advancing the implementation of BMD
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Expected outcomes:
- Recognizing the various products from the FHWA-UNR cooperative agreement
- Understanding the link between the DDIAPT products and FHWA/USDOT strategic plans
- Recognizing the impact of DDIAPT products on key performance indicators, strategic objectives and strategic goals
- Recognizing the number of agencies and stakeholders benefitting from the DDIAPT products
Related publications: In press
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Expected Outcomes
- Understanding the role of ΔTc as an indicator of the effect of aging and additives on the asphalt rheology
- Awareness for responsible deployment of the ΔTc as a specification parameter
- Learning about possible implementation barriers and implementation steps
Related publication: Webinar link:
Expected Outcomes
- Understanding of the impact of in-place density on asphalt pavement performance and life cycle cost.
- Awareness of density demonstration projects conducted across the U.S. to identify techniques and tools for improving density.
- Awareness of example State DOT in-place density specifications.
- Understanding of how average density and variability of density impact percent within limits (PWL).
- Awareness of changes related to density that State DOTs made to specifications and acceptance plans based on observations from demonstration projects.
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Expected Outcomes
- Understand the why and overall benefits of BMD.
- Recognize the overall planning and coordination effort associated with the implementation process of BMD.
- Identify the tasks that need to be completed for the development and implementation of BMD.
- Recognize successful key state DOTs practices and experiences related to BMD.
- Recognize available external technical information and support.
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Expected Outcomes
- Learn about general considerations for adjusting asphalt mixtures.
- Gain knowledge about industry practices for improving rutting and fatigue resistance of asphalt mixtures.
- Make informed decisions on how to adjust asphalt mixtures to satisfy different mechanical test criterion.
- Recognize potential emission reductions from use of balanced asphalt mix design.
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Expected Outcomes
- Explain the use of the paver-mounted thermal profiler (PMTP) for quality control of an asphalt mat within a (quality assurance) QA program.
- Identify the advantages and limitations of the PMTP for use in QA.
- Describe the challenges in deploying the PMTP for QA.
- Explain the use of the dielectric profiling system (DPS) for quality control or acceptance of an asphalt mat within a QA program.
- Identify the advantages and limitations of the DPS for use in QA.
- Describe the challenges in deploying the DPS for QA.
- Explain the use of IC for quality control or acceptance of an asphalt mat within a QA program.
- Identify the advantages and limitations of the IC for use in QA.
- Describe the challenges in deploying the DPS for QA.
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Expected Outcomes
- Learn history and rationale behind AASHTO M 320 and AASHTO M 332.
- Learn differences, nomenclature differences, and improvements between AASHTO specifications.
- Consider possible implementation barriers and implementation steps
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Expected Outcomes
- Recognizing that obstacles to achieving in-place mat density can occur.
- Awareness of potential obstacles to achieving in-place mat density associated with materials, pavement structure and construction operations.
- Recognition of practices for planning, design and mixture selection for improved joint performance.
- Identification of positive longitudinal joint construction practices and specifying and testing joint density.
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Expected Outcomes
- Gain knowledge on pneumatic tire composition and get an overview of the waste tire issue and common recycle or reuse opportunities to include asphalt modification.
- Gain knowledge on the historical use of GTR in asphalt paving applications.
- Learn the different processing technologies used to modify asphalt binders and asphalt mixtures with GTR.
- Learn potentials for specification and testing of GTR modified asphalt binders and mixtures.
- Learn potential issues with use of GTR in modified asphalt binders and mixtures.
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Expected outcomes:
- Awareness of available qualitative and quantitative methods to detect presence of phosphorus in asphalt binders
- Awareness of available qualitative and quantitative methods to detect presence of calcium, copper, molybdenum, phosphorus and zinc in asphalt binders
- Understanding of how phosphorus might indicate the presence and amount of PPA in asphalt binders
- Understanding of what elements might indicate the presence and amount of REOB in asphalt binders
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Expected outcomes:
- Familiarity with techniques employed by State DOTs for using high RAP in asphalt mixtures.
- An understanding of the benefits State DOTs have observed with the high RAP use.
- Exposure to the criteria State DOTs use when allowing high RAP mixtures.
- Exposure to methods State DOTs use to get additional virgin asphalt binder in mixtures with high RAP contents.
- Awareness of what participating State DOTs identified as important implementation considerations for high RAP use.
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Expected Outcomes
- List some of the advances made in the design and construction of SMA mixtures and their impact on performance and cost.
- Explain and demonstrate use of the Balanced Mix Design process and tests applied to SMA mixtures.
- Discuss use and application of SMA mixtures simulated in mechanistic-empirical pavement design procedures.
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Expected Outcomes
- Familiarity with techniques employed by state DOTs for using RAS in asphalt mixtures.
- An understanding criteria state DOTs use when allowing RAS mixtures.
- Exposure to methods state DOTs use to get additional virgin asphalt binder in mixtures with RAS contents.
- Awareness of what participating state DOTs identified as important implementation considerations for RAS use.
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Expected outcomes:
- Understand what the proposed revisions are from national research and how they are related
- Understand how the proposed revisions relate to current specification parameters and expected distresses
- Understand how specification testing may be impacted (time, complexity, variability) when considering implementation of new procedures and requirements
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Related publications:
- NCHRP REPORT 982:
- NCHRP Report 967:
- NCHRP 20-44(19) Final Report:
- “Proposed Changes to Asphalt Binder Specifications to Address Binder Quality-Related Thermally Induced Surface Damage”: