Category: Project Reviews

The J-Band Blog

ODOT’s US-6 Displays the Power of VRAM to Seal Longitudinal Joints

Void reducing asphalt membrane centerline joint of a road
Crack sealing is an important practice for agencies to prevent further damage to already emerging cracks in a pavement structure. The longitudinal construction joint is commonly crack-sealed, because it is one of the most vulnerable spots in a road.   Despite crack sealing, the longitudinal joint is often the first location...
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Preserving Rumble Strips: Real-World Reviews of VRAM for Rumble Strip Longevity

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Rumble strips play a critical role in keeping drivers alert and roadways safe. However, they are typically constructed over or near longitudinal joints, the part of the pavement that is already vulnerable to water intrusion and early deterioration. To reinforce rumble strips, their pavement foundation—the longitudinal joint area—needs to be...
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Northern Ohio State Route 168 Exceeds Expectations with VRAM

Large gap above the centerline joint
The most vulnerable part of any new asphalt pavement is typically the longitudinal construction joint. Achieving adequate density at the intersection of pavement lanes is notoriously more difficult than elsewhere on the mat. Lower density translates to more air voids, allowing water and air intrusion to prematurely degrade the pavement.  ...
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I-72 Project Review: Staying Strong After 8 Years

view looking down an interstate highway
Every road manager knows that longitudinal joints are typically the first part of the pavement to fail, but why does this happen and how can it be stopped?   Longitudinal joints are the weakest point of the pavement because they have a higher concentration of air voids than the rest of...
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How Springfield, Illinois’s SR-29 Has Stood the Test of Time

IL-29 Close Up
How often are you repairing major roads? After years of wear and tear and damage from the elements, longitudinal joints are typically the first part of a pavement to fail. Water seeps into air voids at the most permeable part of the road and leads to premature maintenance and repair....
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7 Years Later: VRAM Preserves an Otherwise Cracked Longitudinal Joint 

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For decades, road managers have been plagued by a problem with no effective solution. As sure as death and taxes, longitudinal joints have been the first part of a pavement to fail. This failure inevitably leads to unplanned road maintenance and eventual pre-mature reconstruction.   In 2002, some of the leading...
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