Asphalt Pavement Design - An (In)Complete History

A Special Warren Distinguished Lecture in memory of David Newcomb with 
Dave Timm
Civil and Environmental Engineering, Auburn University

ABSTRACT
Minnesota has long been on the cutting edge of asphalt pavement research and design. From the early days of the AASHO Road Test, through MnROAD and beyond, the University of Minnesota has been at the center of important research and implementation to advance the practice of pavement engineering. This special lecture is dedicated to the memory of Dr. David E. Newcomb who spent a decade at UMN; it focuses on the significant impact he had in Minnesota, across the US, and overseas through his research and teaching. Particular focus is placed on his efforts to develop and implement mechanistic-empirical flexible pavement design, the lasting legacy of the Minnesota Road Research Project, long-life perpetual pavements, and efforts to improve asphalt pavement construction. 

SPEAKER
Dr. David Timm serves as the Chair of Civil & Environmental Engineering at Auburn University where he also holds the Elton & Lois G. Huff Eminent Scholar Chair. Timm received his BCE (1996), MS (1997), and Ph.D. (2001) degrees in Civil Engineering from the University of Minnesota where he worked in Dr. Newcomb’s asphalt materials group as an undergraduate and graduate student. Timm joined Auburn University as a faculty member in 2001 where he became heavily involved in full-scale accelerated asphalt pavement research with the National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT) Pavement Test Track.  Dave serves on the NCAT Board of Directors, the Association of Asphalt Paving Technologists Board of Directors, and is the past chairman of the TRB Committee on Asphalt Pavement Design and Rehabilitation (AKP30).  He is a registered professional engineer in Alabama.