While having a quality control plan in your paving construction processes is important, ensuring you're getting the most out of your asphalt density readings in a safe and sustainable way is key for forward-thinking companies.
Density gauges have been available for years to help improve the quality and longevity of roadways, but you may not be getting the most out of this process if you’re still using a nuclear device.
The TransTech Systems non-nuclear density gauge, the PQI 380, was designed to eliminate the safety, transport, storage and operation issues associated with nuclear technology. Introducing the PQI 380 non-nuclear density gauge into your asphalt paving quality control process can not only save you money but also help to produce longer-lasting, more sustainable pavements.
To reinforce this message, January 2023 saw some important modifications to the Illinois Tollway Asphalt Pavement Construction specifications.
Over the course of 2022, STATE Testing, as part of the MEC Team, carried out several on-site comparison trials on different projects with the TransTech Systems PQI 380 non-nuclear asphalt density gauge to determine its suitability for use as a measure of in-place asphalt density acceptance.
The trials showed that the PQI 380 produced a reliability “r” value surpassing the required minimum on every project, including a Tollway IL-12.5 N80 SMA. Due to this work and the test data presented to the Illinois State Toll Highway Authority, Section 6.3 of the “Asphalt Pavement Construction” Special Provision was modified to include non-nuclear density gauges.
TransTech’ s PQI technology is also considered an environmentally preferable technology, which is a technology whose use is intended to mitigate or reverse the effects of human activity on the environment.
It uses electrical impedance generated from rechargeable batteries so the impact on the environment is negligible. Sustainability is also supported as reducing the air voids content by just 1% can increase the pavement life expectancy by up to 10%. Increasing the durability of the pavement can reduce the level of premature maintenance required which reduces costly and inconvenient disruption and delays to traffic flow.
In addition to the environmental benefits, the PQI 380 can bring tangible technical and commercial benefits to a company, whether you are a large-scale paving contractor or a company working on municipal contracts or parking lots. First and foremost are the safety benefits associated with eliminating nuclear density technology.
At the end of the day, the on-going costs of ownership of a PQI 380 is around $700 a year. Whether you use nuclear density gauges now or want to improve the QC processes of your asphalt paving, the introduction of the environmentally preferable, safe and easy to use PQI 380 non-nuclear asphalt density gauge can go a long way to supporting your business both commercially and technically.
