Category: Specialty Products

The J-Band Blog

In Research and Studies , RPE , Rumble Strips , Safety , Specialty Products

NRRA: Materials-Based Methods to Improve Rumble Strip Durability

Installation of Sinusoidal Rumble Strips (”Mumble Strips”) in Wood County, WI
In 2023, the National Road Research Alliance (NRRA) issued a call for innovation for preventative roadway maintenance and this project answered: Materials-Based Methods to Improve Rumble Strip Durability.   The team of researchers behind this study began with the following questions: Does the installation of milled rumble strips in new pavement...
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March 31, 2025 by Olivia Kortepeter
In Case Studies , RPE , Specialty Products

A Solution to Joint Density Failure: J-Band + Rapid Penetrating Emulsion (RPE)

J-Band
Achieving adequate density at the longitudinal joint of a road is challenging. Well-constructed joints typically have 1-2% lower density than the mat, while poorly constructed joints can be 5-10% lower. When the density at the joint is considerably less than that of the mat, the joint area has more air...
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March 4, 2025 by Olivia Kortepeter
In Infrastructure , Specialty Products

Sealing Joints Between Asphalt-Concrete Interfaces

VRAM is placed along the edge shoulder of a concrete lane so the asphalt-concrete interface can be sealed
Whenever asphalt pavement is laid along a concrete surface, such as a concrete lane, shoulder or curb, it is crucial to obtain a good bond. Bonding hot mix asphalt (HMA) to concrete is challenging as the HMA can pull away from the concrete creating an opening at the interface. These...
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December 20, 2024 by Olivia Kortepeter
In Case Studies , Specialty Products

Preserving Longitudinal Joints: Kalamazoo Gets VRAM Too

truck paved VRAM
Longitudinal joint deterioration has posed a continual issue for engineers, applicators, and the communities we live in. When longitudinal joints fail, the rest of the pavement is soon to follow, leading to unplanned road maintenance at significant cost and risk to agencies and the public.   Void Reducing Asphalt Membrane (VRAM) was...
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December 16, 2024 by Olivia Kortepeter
In Research and Studies , Specialty Products

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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September 18, 2024 by Olivia Kortepeter
In Infrastructure , Research and Studies , Safety , Specialty Products

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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August 29, 2024 by Olivia Kortepeter