A research project funded by the ACPA Foundation will translate 30 years of Long-Term Pavement Performance data into practical guidance for engineers and transportation agencies through technical briefs and webinars.

The ACPA Foundation is committed to supporting research and education that move the concrete pavement industry forward. As part of that mission, the Foundation has awarded a $25,000 grant to Nichols Consulting Engineers, CHTD (NCE) to fund an educational project titled, “Lessons Learned from SPS-2 Test Sections of the Long-Term Pavement Performance (LTPP) Program.”

This project takes one of the most valuable datasets in the industry and puts it to work for the people who need it most. Rather than leaving decades of findings buried in technical reports, NCE will package the insights into accessible resources that pavement engineers and transportation agencies can apply directly to their own design and preservation decisions.

Turning the industry’s largest pavement dataset into usable knowledge

The SPS-2 experiment began in the early 1990s and represents the most extensive collection of concrete pavement data in the United States. Constructed between 1992 and 2000, its 208 original test sections were designed to evaluate how construction features, flexural strength, lane width, slab thickness, base type and drainage each influence long-term performance.

That design makes SPS-2 uniquely valuable. Because the sections were built to isolate specific variables, researchers can trace how individual choices affect durability and service life over decades of real-world exposure. Few datasets anywhere offer that kind of controlled, long-range view.

As the sections aged and stayed in relatively good condition, they became strong candidates for preservation research. In the early 2010s, that potential led to TPF-5(291), the Development of an SPS-2 Pavement Preservation Experiment, which built on the original work. Related activities such as SPS-2 Tech Days generated new questions and additional analyses that benefit the broader pavement community. This new project brings those findings together and shares them in formats professionals can use.

Why NCE is the right team for this work

NCE brings a depth of experience that few organizations can match. The firm’s involvement with the LTPP program dates back to 1990, when NCE was selected as the LTPP Program Western Regional Support Contractor.

Since then, NCE has monitored more than 1,000 LTPP test sections across the United States and Canada. The firm has also managed, analyzed and reported on the data those sections produced. That combination of field monitoring and data analysis positions NCE to interpret the SPS-2 results with real authority and to explain what they mean for practicing engineers.

Quick tip for agencies: The lessons from SPS-2 speak directly to everyday decisions, from selecting base types to setting slab thickness. Watching for these briefs and webinars is a low-cost way to bring proven, data-backed insights into your next project.

What the project will deliver

The heart of this grant is knowledge transfer. NCE will develop up to two technical briefs and host two one-hour webinars aimed at a nationwide audience. The exact topics will be finalized in consultation with the Foundation, and the candidate subjects reflect the questions engineers ask most often:

• The impact of design features on pavement performance.
• The impact of joint score and load transfer on performance.
• The influence of construction and materials issues on test section behavior.
• How changes in climate, traffic, distress and maintenance affect deterioration rates.
• The impact of mix design on performance.
• The evaluation of transverse joint opening width.

Each webinar will conclude with a brief online survey so participants can share feedback. After the series wraps, NCE will prepare a draft and final summary document for the ACPA Foundation, detailing the topics covered, the agencies reached and the feedback received. The full effort is scheduled to run about eight months from funding approval to completion.

The measure of success is simple and practical. The project achieves its goal if participants leave with a clearer understanding of the factors that shape concrete pavement performance and feel ready to apply those lessons in their own work.

A shared commitment to the industry’s future

The Foundation sees this project as a natural extension of its core purpose: ensuring the longevity, innovation and sustainability of the concrete pavement industry by advancing research and fostering education.

“We are proud to support NCE and this important project,” said Sarah Bazey, ACPA Foundation Board Chair. “There is tremendous value locked inside the SPS-2 data, and this work makes sure it reaches the engineers and agencies who can act on it. Funding practical, high-impact education like this is exactly why the ACPA Foundation exists, and we look forward to seeing the difference these lessons make across the industry.”

For questions about the project, contact Sarah Lopez at NCE at slopez@ncenet.com.

Shaping the future through research and education

Projects like this one show how targeted funding creates a lasting ripple effect. By connecting decades of research with the people who design and maintain our roads, the Foundation helps the entire industry build smarter, longer-lasting pavements.

If you have a bold idea that could advance material economics, emerging technologies, infrastructure resilience or leadership development, we want to hear from you. The ACPA Foundation grant program funds impactful research and educational initiatives, with proposals reviewed at the ACPA Mid-Year Meeting in June and the Annual Meeting in December.

Learn more and apply for a future grant opportunity at acpafoundation.org/programs-research. Together, we can turn today’s research into tomorrow’s standard practice.