Introducing PaveInstruct

In 2013, the Asphalt Pavement Alliance introduced PaveXpress as a replacement for the sunset AASHTOWare™ Darwin software. PaveXpress uses the 1993 and 1998 AASHTO Pavement Design Guide as the basis for designing new asphalt and concrete pavements.  Over the years, the internet-based application has added more features to assist the user. Today, over 26,000 individuals have logged in to the application and performed a pavement design. Current features include a maintenance overlay option, a mechanistic-empirical pavement analysis option, an initial pavement costing tool and a life cycle cost module using the FHWA RealCost approach. Later this year, a structural porous pavement design module will be included.

 

With all of the features, some users may not have the training to use the application to its fullest. Recognizing the need for user training, the APA will launch the PaveInstruct website. This site gives the individual recorded modules on each of the features in PaveXpress. Recordings by Dr. Dave Timm – Auburn University; Dr. Joe Mahoney – University of Washington;  and Dr. Chuck Schwartz – University of Maryland, are included to help walk the user through the program. Visitors to the website can get information on a unique topic or on the entire program. 

 

Later this Spring, PaveXpress and PaveInstruct will be linked allowing the person designing a pavement to get specific training based on the portion of the program for which they are working. Video tutorials will compliment the existing use of PavementInteractive and give guidance and technical background on an item. 

 

Finally, a helpful outcome of visiting PaveInstruct and going through the modules are the issuance of professional development hours. An individual can earn hours based on the modules viewed. To visit PaveInstruct, go to http://paveinstruct.com