College of Engineering News • Iowa State University

Research could lead to less time spent in roadway construction traffic (text-only)

The expression goes that there are two seasons in Iowa: winter and construction season. Ashley Buss, an assistant professor in Iowa State University’s Civil, Construction and Environmental Engineering Department (ISU CCEE) is hoping to help stretch that time between construction (or rehabilitation) and needed repairs to roadways.

“Our roadway systems are facing challenges of aging infrastructure and shrinking budgets… This research saves money by extending pavement life. Most preservation treatments can be applied and pavements can be restored to traffic after a short time” says Ashley Buss.

Buss has found that roadway users benefit from extended periods between major rehabilitation and that incorporating more scientific measurements in pavement preservation technologies will lead to enhanced reliability and performance.

In her research, Buss is developing in-house capabilities that would introduce scientific preservation mixture designs. In the future, she says that combining measurements and innovative materials will ensure that the right preservation strategies are being applied to each specific kind of pavement.

Loading...