Advancements at World of Asphalt 2024: A Glimpse Into the Future

I went to World of Asphalt 2024 knowing there would be a lot of new technology on display, but what I found was a surprising reality of just how advanced the tools of our trade have become. Data capture and telematics give us all the pieces of the jobsite puzzle. How long before a system can put them all together better than human operators? With the power of new algorithms and, not to mention, the creeping presence of artificial intelligence, the answer might be, “Sooner than you think.”

The rate of technological change and advancement is mind bending. Even in just the two years since I came into this industry, I’ve seen rapid evolutions in precision and power. Before exploring what the future might hold, there are plenty of exciting and useful products that are helping contractors today get the job done.

Innovations in Pavement Technology

“We have for quite some time, been trying to figure out how we can help reduce some of the mental fatigue of the job while at the same time improving the pavement,” said Tom Travers, director of technical sales, talking about Astec’s newly revealed SmartEdge joint matching screed.

“That’s what drove the development of this sensor. If we just think of conventional paving, the work of closing a joint, the daily job description of a screed operator is to watch that joint, and don’t take their eyes off of it. They have to bump the extension in-and-out as the paver moves so that we get good closure. The problem is, if they do their job well, almost all of their focus is matching that joint, and they might lose focus on other important things going on.”

Along with material delivery, conveyor speed, auger speed, and other best practices that determine the behind the screed quality, the benefit of SmartEdge tech in relieving one of the most intensive demands on the operator is evident. Flatness, smoothness, and density are critical pay-items, and with such a system, the crew can maintain those factors with greater consistency and accuracy.

Field-Tested Technologies

However, previous iterations of similar products have not lived up to the hype. Challenges such as particulates, smoke, dust, high heat, and vibrations are constant in the paving environment. Astec claims it has rigorously tested SmartEdge in various conditions.

“We have been prototyping this device all over the country in different situations, different materials,” Travers said. “It’s been strongly vetted along with our prototyping of the new F platform. And it does only live with the F-tractor, it can’t go backwards into our older machines or retrofitted.”

Since SmartEdge is fully integrated into the machine’s systems, including hydraulic controls, it’s truly a next-generation technology. While it’s not usable as a standalone device, its level of integration brings significant benefits on the jobsite.

Understanding the Edge

“First, you select the edge, it could be a milled joint, a concrete curb, a gutter, a barrier wall, or it could be anything,” Travers explained. “You give it some parameters, from zero to about fourteen inches, and it monitors that edge. That information goes back into the tractor and it tells the extension where to live. It can hold that and hold it at an extremely high tolerance. Not in centimeters, not in inches, but finer than a human could manage.”

Milling Technology on Display

Milling technology was a significant highlight at the World of Asphalt. At a press event in the Wirtgen booth, Tom Chastain, milling product manager, discussed the North American debut of the new F-Series, emphasizing its increased horsepower, versatility, and precision job data calculation.

“Performance Tracker is a GPS-based system with a laser on machine,” Chastain said. “With it, you can gather all sorts of useful data. At the end of the day, you can close out that job and know square yards, cubic yards, square feet, fuel, water, and even cutting tool consumptions.”

Paired with an operations center, live performance data can be accessed in real time on mobile devices. Companies like Trimble and Topcon have updated their software and hardware modules, enhancing accessibility through familiar mobile platforms.

3D Milling Capabilities

“What Roadworks does, is it migrates to the newer platform… you can be running B2W software and machine control software at the same time,” said Kevin Garcia, General Manager, Civil Specialty Solutions. “The Roadworks 3D milling capabilities provide extraordinary tools to fix problem areas on a road from a subsurface level.”

“You can create your model, push it through Works Manager, and it shows up on the mill. Because you’re on a connected site, you can query the cloud and pull back the digital as-built data into the office,” Garcia explained.

Enhanced Data Utilization

“That is a big piece of what the construction market wants today,” said Mark Larranaga, director of intelligent paving business development at Topcon. “This is particularly true in the pavement. They want to have the data from what they were going to construct and the data from what actually is constructed.”

The new Topcon MC-X3 offers features beyond data capture, including implementing a “virtual ski” for variable depth milling, ensuring flat surfaces instead of leaving bumps and dips.

“It’s doing variable depth milling so that you get down to a flat surface,” Larranaga explained. “In some cases, like bridges or curves, that virtual-ski is particularly useful.”

Improvements in Compaction Technology

The realm of compaction also sees technological advancements. BOMAG’s BOMAP Connect and Dynapac’s SEISMIC technology offer enhanced capabilities. SEISMIC technology matches the frequency of the surface being compacted with the drum’s vibration for optimal compaction.

“There’s a natural resonance frequency of every surface that you’re compacting,” said Eric Booth, compaction production manager. “Matching that frequency with the drum avoids over compaction and improves operator ride experience.”

Caterpillar is also enhancing its lineup of rollers with new features like the split drum, improving versatility and features such as the edge cutter for specific job needs.

The Future of Automation

The amount of technology coming standard on new machinery is impressive, and so are the after-market modules that can be fitted to almost any machine on the jobsite. This leads back to the initial question: How close are we to true machine automation?

Speaking off-the-record, several industry insiders suggested that automated mills and pavers are closer to reality than it may currently seem. The shift from “operator assist” to “assisting operator” is emerging, hinting at a future where the human element guides automated machinery more prominently. As technology advances, a change in roles will undoubtedly be on the horizon.