SPR 19-571: Water Bleeding Issues in New Asphalt Pavements

This Research Program for the period July 1, 2018 to June 30, 2020 is submitted in compliance with the provisions of Section 307 of Title 23, United States Code, and describes programs and operations for planning activities in the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) and the Kentucky Cooperative Transportation Research Program (KCTRP). This program modifies and updates such programs and is specifically intended to reflect the needs of the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. It is fully expected that products from this program will also have national applications. The University of Kentucky Transportation Center is the main research group for the the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. The SPR grant is the funding the is supplied each year for the many topics the Center is asked to research for KYTC The KCTRP is concerned with the development and conduct of a comprehensive research program in cooperation with the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). In addition to research developed in cooperation with FHWA, the KCTRP may perform other services for the KYTC on a nonparticipating basis. The scope of these services could include activities such as research studies and special investigations of various engineering and operation activities. The Research Program and Implementation Advisory Committee (RPIAC), headed by the State Highway Engineer and coordinated through the Research Coordinator, will give direction to the research program. Too often, shortly after a road gets a new asphalt surface, water/moisture bleeds up through the pavement. Most of the time, it comes up through the longitudinal joint. However, tl1ere have been several instances where it comes up in the middle of the lane. In most cases, this occurs on larger facilities such as interstates, parkways, and four-lane roads, but it has occurred on lesser facilities. Generally, there was not a problem before the Superpave mixture was put down. These mixes tend to be more porous. Sometimes the issues are in a sag, but other times they are at the crest, and have been found anywhere in between. The ditch lines are always clear, and often the existing facility was built on a rock road bed. Perforated pipes are present in some cases, but are always below the roadbed template.