Category: Research and Studies

The J-Band Blog

Accelerated VRAM Pavement Testing at the NCAT Test Track

Sign of the Test Cell s-13
The NCAT Test Track  The National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT) Test Track at Auburn University is a proving ground for asphalt pavements. Made up of a 1.7-mile oval, the Test Track is divided into 200-foot test sections to create a real-world laboratory for innovative paving techniques and products. In...
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Discoveries on Low-Noise Rumble Strips 

Sinusoidal rumble strip in the center of a road
In a time when drivers are more distracted than ever, rumble strips are a necessity to save motorists from head-on collisions and road departure crashes. The Federal Highway Administration reports that, “milled centerline rumble strips provide statistically significant reductions in injury crashes of 38-50% on rural two-lane roads and 37-91%...
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J-Band’s Shadow on Road Construction

J-Band Shadow appears on a freshly paved HMA mat
The Shadow Take a close look at a hot mix asphalt (HMA) mat paved over J-Band. In the right circumstances, there is a shadow that appears. Above the band where the J-Band was laid, the HMA mix often appears visibly darker after the rolling operation. Why does this happen and...
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A Safer Way: Eliminating Centerline Density Testing

Worker cut by the core sampler samples of asphalt concrete on the road. Asphalt concrete cores close-up
Road construction can be dangerous. Vehicles zoom past field workers at hazardous speeds. One of the riskiest places to be is near the centerline of a busy road. Quality control technicians have lost their lives when performing density tests at the joint. Unfortunately, density testing of the center longitudinal joint...
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IDOT Extends Infrastructure Dollars with LJS Project in Clay-Richland County, IL

Paving truck drives down the road spraying a thing band of asphalt on the centerline
When roads last longer, infrastructure dollars go further. Successful application of a void reducing asphalt membrane (VRAM), like Asphalt Material, Inc.’s J-Band®, not only extends the life of your pavement; it extends your budget.   VRAM works by filling challenging air voids in the centerline joint from the bottom up. When...
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J-Band Fortifies the Centerline of SR-41 in Adams County, OH

A large truck sprays a thing band of liquid asphalt on the right of a road centerline
Road experts agree that the most vulnerable part of pavement is the center longitudinal joint. When facing natural elements and tension stress, voids in the joint lead to cracking and deterioration. This is why a void reducing asphalt membrane (VRAM) is essential to maintaining roads.   Applied just prior to construction,...
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