TRP chair spotlight: Jim Trepanier

Jim Trepanier, HMA Operations Engineer for IDOT, has been a chair on five technical review panels with ICT and is currently heading Project R27-78: Evaluating the Effects of Various Asphalt Binder Additives/Modifiers of Moisture Sensitivity in Hot-Mix Asphalt (HMA).

Trepanier has worked for the IDOT Bureau of Materials and Physical Research for 21 years. He appreciates working with ICT researchers because of the advanced testing capabilities at ATREL. According to Trepanier, new technologies can be developed and tested in an accelerated manner, and this improves IDOT practices and performance of highways. A good example of this is ICT research on Tack Coat Optimization for HMA Overlays. This project involved tests in the laboratory, in the field on various highway pavement projects, and on a variety of pavement sections at ATREL using the Accelerated Transportation Loading Assembly (ATLAS). Findings from this research are enabling IDOT to revise its tack coat specifications in terms of tack coat types, pavement cleaning techniques, tailoring the tack coat application rates to the type and texture of pavement being overlaid, means for measuring the residual asphalt application rate applied to pavement, and uniform application of the tack coat. These specification revisions will result in improved HMA overlay performance.”

In recognition of his work, Trepanier was recently received the Leadership in Bituminous Engineering Award at the 53^rd Annual Illinois Bituminous Paving Conference. Additionally, he played an integral part of the team that was responsible for IDOT receiving its recent Green Government Award. In 2011, Trepanier was named Central Office Engineer of the Year and Employee of the Quarter.

Trepanier holds a B.S. degree in civil engineering from Michigan Technological University.