Customer Spotlight – University of Arkansas Department of Civil Engineering

At Macropaver, we’re proud to support forward-thinking institutions that are driving innovation in pavement preservation. One standout example is the University of Arkansas - Fayetteville Department of Civil Engineering, whose asphalt materials laboratory has been leading research into asphalt emulsions since 2012.

For over a decade, their team has been committed to deepening the industry’s understanding of asphalt emulsion manufacturing and application techniques. In 2023, they took delivery of a lab-scale emulsion plant from Macropaver—a move that significantly expanded their research capabilities.

The in-line configuration closely resembles full-scale manufacturing plants. This setup not only allows for the production of asphalt emulsions but also provides the flexibility to modify mill settings to achieve the highest emulsion quality based on the application and emulsion type. Since its installation, the University has been able to increase production volume and enhance research efforts by adjusting various production parameters, such as applying back pressure, controlling temperature, varying mill speed, and more.

Thanks to the ability to control settings like mill speed and backpressure, the team has unlocked greater precision in particle size distribution and viscosity. This has laid the foundation for published research comparing various lab-scale asphalt emulsion manufacturing equipment, various asphalt emulsion properties, and aggregate/asphalt emulsion performance testing.  The mill continues to drive new investigations into how equipment settings impact performance.

Their goal is clear: to promote more cost-effective and sustainable pavement maintenance practices through research, education, and real-world application at increasing road durability while simultaneously reducing the environmental impact. From the lab to the field, they are helping uncover the full potential of asphalt emulsions.

We’re honored to support the University of Arkansas in their mission and thrilled to see a Macropaver unit playing a key role in advancing the science behind pavement preservation.