STTR Phase I: Development of a Three Dimensional Paver

The broader impact/commercial potential of this innovation is significant. The US has more than 3 million miles of paved roads. Roughly 3.5% of the network is repaved annually using a free-floating screed invented in 1930. In the past 5 years, the paving industry in the US generated an average annual revenue of $25 billion. 3D paving lends itself to many possibilities, including correcting surface problems by applying a thin, variable-thickness lift, integrating color designs and striping, and imbedding objects such as sensors and solar panels in the pavement. If this process leads to a 20% cost reduction (conservative estimate) a cost savings of $5 billion per year could be realized. This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project evaluates the feasibility of 3D paving. There are two main technical challenges: 1) the ability to apply road surface mixtures using a nozzle (This requires engineering the paving mixture as well as the nozzle) and 2) the ability to control the nozzle position in three dimensions, independent of the vehicle frame and road elevation. The project team will develop mix design parameters to enable nozzle application, a nozzle design to enable paving speed of 20 ft./min., a 3D nozzle control system to apply a surface independent of existing road profile, vehicle requirements, and a commercial feasibility study. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.