Instituto de Ingeniería, UNAM > English > Research > Laboratories

Highways and Roads

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This laboratory is part of the
Department of Highways and Roads
It began operations in 1970
The laboratory is run by
Dr. Efrain Ovando Shelley.
It is located in the
Building 6, II UNAM

SCOPE

Laboratory tests are done to determine the quality of road materials such as soils, other non-stone aggregates, asphalts, asphalt mixes, additives, etc., but is mainly focused on structural analysis and design of pavements.

MAJOR WORKS AND RECENT PROYECTS

  • Among the works performed here are the factorial study of roads and the behavior of the national road network. At the time when they were done, they were the most important research projects in this field in the world.
  • Research projects are conducted with respect to the new modified asphalts, analyzing their behavior in different parts of the country.
  • Projects for analyzing the behavior of recycled materials such as concrete, asphalt-based mixes and waste products.
  • Studies on road bases treated with cement, asphalt and recycled waste product.

EQUIPMENT

  • The laboratory is equipped with a circular track to study pavements in full-scale, with the possibility of analyzing weather and traffic conditions. It has an extensive instrumentation to conduct studies on the track. It is one of the few tracks in the world that continue to operate in research programs for its ample qualities. It also has two frames in which cyclic loading may be applied to full-scale models. There is a servo-hydraulic equipment for dynamic tests, which is used for determining the fatigue strength of specimens subjected to compression and tension strains. Additionally, there is a triaxial equipment, which allows for temperature control, as well as the equipment necessary for the characterization of asphaltic materials.
  • It has the new pavement design technology "Superpave", including a rotatory mixing compactor, an oven for thin film aging and other complementary equipment.
  • Currently, the purchase of new equipment with the latest technology is being evaluated. The plan is to have an internationally competitive laboratory.