SCAPA Hosts Seminar in Columbia

SCAPA Overlay Design Seminar a Success

Last month, the SC Asphalt Pavement Association hosted another successful educational event: this time the course highlighted SCAPA's recent update of the Pavement Design Guide for asphalt overlays. Over 30 engineers from across the state drove to the Midlands for the sold-out event. The seminar was held at the Palmetto Club, located in downtown Columbia. Building off of the momentum from SCAPA's Pavement Design Guide seminars in 2014 & 2015, the course explained what happens with new pavements after they have been designed and constructed.  

Attendees were able to learn about ways to address pavements that have been in service for several years. Over time, pavements begin to deteriorate and start to form different types of distresses. The class reviewed a number of distress types and what caused them, how they are measured for evaluation purposes and what types of problems they cause. A designer must first assess the condition of the pavement in question before determining a thickness. Next, the function of the overlay can be determined based on the future traffic loading and the existing pavement condition. This information can help determine if the overlay will be for preservation, structural improvement or reconstruction. Finally, the attendees utilized the pavement condition and structural information, along with the current subgrade condition and anticipated future traffic, to design the required overlay thickness.  

SCAPA is currently working to schedule additional overlay design seminars across the state.  Visit www.scasphalt.org to see the upcoming class schedule in the coming weeks.