Construction of the National Center for Asphalt Technology Test Track was originally completed in 2000 and traffic was initiated shortly thereafter. The track is a 1.7-mile oval located near NCAT’s headquarters at Auburn University, Alabama. It is an accelerated loading facility where materials, mix designs, and structural designs are tested. In addition to specific studies funded by sponsors, the track supports research to solve national and local problems. Another benefit of the track is that it has helped to identify reliable tests that can predict rutting performance.

Testing for Phase I was completed in 2002. In those two years, the pavements were subjected to 10 million equivalent single axle loads, or ESALs. (One ESAL is equal to one 18,000-pound single axle load.) The track was rebuilt for Phase II in 2003 and testing was completed in 2005. Construction for Phase III of the track was under way at the time this article was written.

Funding for construction and operation of the test track was provided by the Alabama Department of Transportation, the Federal Highway Administration, and a number of state Departments of Transportation. Based on the amount of funding from each sponsor, each was provided with an appropriate number of test sections during the initial construction of the track. The sponsor was allowed to select the materials and mix types to be used in their sections. Some states shipped in their locally available aggregates and binders. For Phase I, the pavement design thickness was uniform for each section and could not be changed.