CHEMISTRY RESEARCH FACILITY FACT SHEET

Research that is Essential, Indispensable, and Connected to our Customers.

The Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center 

(TFHRC) has more than 24 laboratories for 

research in the following areas: safety; operations, including intelligent transportation 

systems; materials technology; pavements; 

structures; and human centered systems. The 

expertise of TFHRC scientists and engineers 

covers more than 20 transportation-related disciplines. These laboratories are a vital resource 

for advancing this body of knowledge created 

and nurtured by our researchers. The Federal 

Highway Administration’s Office of Research, 

Development, and Technology operates and 

manages TFHRC to conduct innovative research 

to provide solutions to transportation problems 

both nationwide and internationally. TFHRC 

is located in McLean, Virginia. Information 

on TFHRC is available on the Web at 

www.tfhrc.gov.

This RD&T fact sheet provides concise information about a TFHRC facility.

Pur p ose

The Turner Fairbank Highway Research Center 

Chemistry Research Facility (CRF) conducts 

fundamental studies of highway materials from 

a chemical point of view. Investigations into the 

chemical mechanisms involved in well-known 

distress modes in concrete and asphalt pavements helps to generate new testing methods 

and foster the development of new materials. 

CRF validates Federal Highway Administration 

sponsored off-site research, offers unbiased support for State agencies and industry partners, 

and assists with the forensic evaluation of pavement failures. 

Descri p tion

Research projects conducted within the CRF 

support both the goals of the Federal Highway 

Administration and provide assistance to State 

agencies and industry partners.

MAJ OR CO M P ONENTS

CRF is composed of the following three 

laboratories:

The Chemistry Laboratory synthesizes 

and characterizes highway materials and 

evaluates their susceptibility to in-service 

damage. This synthesis includes evaluating 

the susceptibility of highway materials to 

weathering, moisture damage, oxidation, 

deleterious aggregates, and ASR gel formation, 

as well as studying the harmful effects of 

deicing chemicals on the materials.

The Analytical Laboratory uses highly 

specialized equipment for the identification 

and chemical analysis of materials used in 

paving structures and for the development of 

standard test methods for the paving industry. 

Instrumentation includes the following:

•	 The Infrared Spectrometer is used for the 

identification of coatings and asphalt binders 

and the rapid determination of the type and 

quantity of additives in binders as well as 

their degree of aging. 

•	 The uses for the Ion Exchange 

Chromatograph include the quantitative 

determination of additives for forensic 

tests in paving systems and the effects of 

additives on the environment surrounding 

highway systems.

•	 The Atomic Absorption Spectrometer is 

used in forensic studies to determine the 

amounts of trace metals present in paving 

systems such as lime in hot mix asphalt.

•	 The Elemental Analyzer determines the 

amount of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, 

oxygen, and sulfur present in organic 

systems. It is used to study the structure and 

aging of asphalt binders.

•	 The solvent separation of asphalt binders 

into their component Saturates Aromatics, 

Resins, and Asphaltenes (SARA analysis) by 

thin layer chromatography is accomplished 

using the Iatroscan Spectrometer. This technique is very useful in determining how the 

structures of asphalt binders are affected by 

additives and aging. 

•	 The Raman microscope is used to study the 

structure of aggregates, fly ash, and other 

materials used in concrete production. It 

is also used to study the formation of ASR 

(Alkali Silica Reaction) gels in concrete.

•	 The X-Ray Fluorescence spectrometer is used 

to measure the elemental composition of 

materials, in particular aggregates, fly ash, 

and concrete.

The Materials Characterization 

Laboratory contains several microscopes 

including a scanning electron microscope 

with an Energy Dispersive X-ray Microanalysis 

(EDAX-ray) fluorescence spectrometer. These 

microscopes enable researchers to identify the 

compositions of highway related materials 

and study the morphological properties of 

polymer modified asphalt binders. 

RECEN t A CCO MPL IS H M ENTS

•	Developed a test method to detect and 

measure the presence of lime in hot mix 

asphalt. This method is being adopted by 

American Association of State Highway and 

Transportation Officials (AASHTO) as a 

standard procedure.

•	Developed a simple test method to demonstrate the presence of phosphoric acid in 

asphalt binders.

•	 Provided technical assistance to a number 

of State agencies in forensic investigations. These investigations included the 

TURNER-FAIRBANK HIGHWAY RESEARCH CENTER • Office of Infrastructure R&D
use of lime as an antistrip additive, the use of 

phosphoric acid as an asphalt modifier, and 

various cases of contaminated binders and 

aggregates. 

c URRENT RESE A r C H

•	Development of industry guidelines for the use 

of phosphoric acid as an asphalt modifier. 

•	Development of mitigation strategies for 

aggregates containing deleterious clays.

•	Development of rapid and accurate techniques to identify aggregates likely to form 

ASR gels in concrete structures.

•	Development of mitigation strategies 

to prevent the formation of ASR gels in 

concrete by the use of appropriate quantities 

of additives such as fly ash and ground blast 

furnace slag.

•	 Evaluating highway materials to determine 

their susceptibility to moisture damage.

•	Investigating the mechanisms of oxidation 

and age hardening of asphalt binders.

P a rtners h i p s

Laboratory personnel provide technical representation for the Federal Highway 

Administration on panels for the National 

Cooperative Highway Research Program, 

the National Science Foundation, and the 

Transportation Research Board task groups. 

Staff members also serve on oversight work 

groups and review papers for the Association 

of Asphalt Paving Technologists and the 

Transportation Research Board. CRF collaborates with the Western Research Institute in 

Laramie, Wyoming; the European Bitumen 

Association, Eurobitume, based in Belgium; 

and Technische Universiteit Delft, the technical 

university based in the Netherlands, as well as 

several universities in the United States.

c ONT A CT

Chemistry Research Facility Manager:

Terry Arnold

E-mail: terry.arnold@fhwa.dot.gov

Telephone: (202) 493-3305

FHWA-HRT-08-059

HRDI-11/11-08(1M)E