J-Band®, Asphalt Material Inc.’s (AMI) void reducing asphalt membrane (VRAM), has been successfully used in states across the Midwest to optimize tax dollars, reduce maintenance, and save lives. By investing in J-Band you can have longer-lasting roads that in turn reduce the amount of time your workers are exposed to dangerous work zones. J-Band is a treatment used to extend the life of longitudinal joints by covering an area 12-18 inches wide on top of existing pavement and under the joint’s eventual location.
J-Band is setting the standard as a high performing VRAM treatment. Unlike other treatments, J-Band significantly reduces air voids from the bottom up – literally. One of our support engineers recently reviewed a four-year-old project that utilized J-Band to protect the longevity of their road.
Project Details
- Owner: Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT)
- Prime Paving Contractor: Kokosing
- Applicator: Road Fabrics Inc. (RFI)
- Location: Crawford County, Bucyrus, Ohio | US-30
- Date Constructed: April 11, 2019 & October 2, 2019
- Date Reviewed: November 14, 2023
- Weather Conditions Day of Review: Sunny and cool, 43 degrees
AMI’s Support Engineer Chad Crosby reviewed U.S. Route 30 in Crawford County, Ohio, on November 14, 2023. This highway is an east-west main route and considered to be the third-longest U.S. highway, after US 20 and US 6.
Project Observation
This project was reviewed four years after the initial construction date. This project alone is in great shape, with minimal cracking. The cracking that has occurred, was noted to be between ¼” to ½” at the centerline.
There was no control section on this project to test the performance between a VRAM and no VRAM on the longitudinal joint section. There were also no rumble strips installed on this project.
In the four years since initial construction, the project received minimal maintenance work. A crack was sealed between MP- 8.0 to MP – 9.50. Our team will be closely monitoring the longitudinal joint sections for cracking moving forward.
Conclusion
To conclude, this project was in great shape because J-Band was applied to the centerline prior to construction, therefore, seeing minimal cracking in the four years prior. J-Band is continuing to protect the road’s centerline joint without any further maintenance work having to be done. By investing in J-Band, agencies can save time, money and lives!
For a closer look at projects that have incorporated a VRAM during construction and to discover the benefits of longer-lasting roads in terms of cost savings, time efficiency, and safety, you can explore our interactive map here.
Editor’s Notes:
J-Band®, CCAP® and T-Bond® are registered trademarks of Asphalt Materials, Inc.
AMIBIND™, AMIBOND™, AMICYCLE™, AMIGUARD™ and AMISEAL™ are trademarks of Asphalt Materials, Inc.
J-Band® was created in the labs of the Heritage Research Group (HRG) and is a product of Asphalt Materials, Inc. (AMI).
