On behalf of the Transportation Research Board (TRB)
AFD40 Committee on Full-Scale/Accelerated Pavement
Testing and the organizing committee, I am pleased
to welcome you to the third International Conference
on Accelerated Pavement Testing in Madrid, Spain.
This two and one-half days conference provides a
forum to address different aspects and benefits of
accelerated pavement testing (APT) from an
international perspective. It also provides
participants and attendees with an opportunity to
share their knowledge and experiences, as well as to
gain insight into the needs and upcoming trends for
the future development in accelerated pavement
testing.
Since the early test track in Detroit in 1909, the
APT has experience many evolutionary milestones.
Major investments have been and continue to be
committed worldwide. At least three new programs are
currently being initiated in Asia. Undoubtedly, APT
activities have resulted in significant innovations
and advances in pavement engineering knowledge and
practices. Moreover, specific economic benefits have
been reported both in tangible and non-tangible less-quantifiable
terms.
Although APT continues to grow and mature, the
associated programs are still ultimately about
performance and economics. So, this year’s
conference, appropriately themed “Impacts and
Benefits from APT Programs”, focuses on these very
issues. I am sure, the presentations, discussions,
and interactions will offer further insight into the
extensive nature of the benefits generated from APT.
Incidentally, the timing of the conference nearly
coincides with the fiftieth anniversary of the AASHO
Road Test. This Road Test is still considered by
many as the ultimate APT experiment because of its
significant impact on pavement engineering.
The Madrid Conference is the third of its kind,
after those respectively held in Reno (1999) and in
Minneapolis (2004), organized under the auspice of
TRB AFD40 Committee. This Committee, since its
inception initially as a Task force in 1996, has
sought to provide leadership, to encourage
cooperation, and to further the global awareness of
accelerated pavement testing through improved
communication and information exchange.
I would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge
the members of the conference steering committee for
their diligent efforts and contributions to the
development of the conference program. I would also
like to acknowledge the authors and the many
reviewers who provided important feedback.
Additionally, I would like to thank the staff from
the Centro de Estudios y Experimentación de Obras
Públicas (CEDEX) for their tireless efforts in
support of the planning, organization, and hosting
of this year’s conference.
Finally, I hope your attendance will be a worthwhile
experience and time well spent in your exploration
of all that the conference and Madrid have to offer.
Bouzid Choubane
Chair, TRB Committee AFD40: Full-Scale and
Accelerated Pavement Testing
Florida Department of Transportation
State Materials Office, Gainesville, Florida
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