SEDL / STP / STP1378-EB / STP13930S

Experiences with Bituminous Paving Technician Training and Certification in Pennsylvania

Christensen, DW
Assistant Professor of Civil Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University, Transportation Research Building, University Park, PA

Stonex, A
Research Engineer, The Pennsylvania Transportation Institute, Transportation Research Building, University Park, PA

Ramirez, T
Senior Bituminous Materials Consultant, Materials and Testing Laboratory, Harrisburg, PA

Pages: 21    Published: Jan 1999

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Abstract

In 1995 the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) decided to develop and implement a training and certification program for bituminous technicians. A committee of engineers from various organizations developed plans for the first series of courses, which were conducted in the winter of 1996. In the first year of training, seven field technician courses and three plant technician courses were presented. Related intensive laboratory courses were given on Superpave and Marshall mix design. Over 1,800 people had participated in the program as of March 1998; PennDOT, in conjunction with the Northeast Center of Excellence for Pavement Technology (NECEPT), is continuing to develop and refine this training and certification program to improve its effectiveness.