ACPA Quarter 3 2018

www.acpa.org Quarter 3, 2018 15 RCC is the Right Choice for Busy Interstate Exchange Structural Strength of RCC Stands Up to Heavy Truck Traffic EXIT 104 ON INTERSTATE 59/20 IN JEFFERSON COUNTY near Birmingham, Ala., is a busy inter- change. Not only is there an active truck stop at the exit, but the road also carries traffic from a large rail to truck intermodal facility and a large distribution warehouse. “This is a typical diamond interchange, but the high truck counts have contributed to the dete- rioration of the asphalt pavement on both sides of the concrete bridge,” says KenCouch, P.E., county transportation engineer for the Birmingham area for ALDOT. “The City of Bessemer, Jeffer- son County, ALDOT and the Federal Highway Administration worked together to fund the project,” he explains. “The goal was to restore the pavement to the point that it could weather the heavy truck traffic.” The initial design called for building up the as- phalt road to provide the pavement strength needed, but that meant raising the bridge cross- ing the interstate. Rather than raising the bridge, the decision was made to remove the existing pavement and dig deeper to place the extra material. To minimize the amount of digging and remain on grade with the bridge, ALDOT explored Roller Compacted Concrete (RCC) as a solution. Although RCC is commonly used in industrial areas, this was the first road pavement project for the Birmingham area. ALDOT was looking for a location to test RCC in a real-world situation, explains Terry W. Robinson, acting bureau chief of the Innovative Programs Bureau of ALDOT. “Although the concrete is not as deep as traditional asphalt pavement, it provides the structural strength needed in areas of heavy truck traffic.” Because RCC does not rut or shove as large trucks stop, start and turn, the length of life for continues on page 16 » A L A B A M A By Sheryl S. Jackson

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