What does Balanced Mix Design have to do with relationships? A lot more than you might think.

David Vivanco, Ph.D., P.E., the Asphalt Branch Manager at the Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT), joined the hosts of The Hot Mix Podcast to share his experience in the industry and with BMD.

David leads Oklahoma's state asphalt program with a focus on asphalt materials, specifications, and mix design. Holding a Ph.D. from Auburn University, a Master's in Civil Engineering from Texas A&M University, and a Bachelor's from Universidad del Valle de México, David brings a wealth of world-class research and practical expertise to pavement engineering.

The Origins of BMD in Oklahoma

Oklahoma's journey into Balanced Mix Design began around 2017–2018 under David's predecessor. At the time, Superpave had been the standard for nearly two decades. While Superpave successfully addressed severe rutting issues across the state, it often led to mixes that lacked flexibility and cracking resistance.

"Oklahoma was one of those states where we went heavy into Superpave, and we pretty much eliminated the rutting issue," David explained. "But like many other states, we went a bit too far in that direction. BMD allowed us to bring back flexibility and optimize binder content."

Initially expected to take around four years, full implementation has evolved into an eight-year journey as technology, testing protocols, and nationwide frameworks developed.

Key Challenges & Securing Buy-In

Transitioning from a decades-old volumetric system to a performance-based design philosophy requires a cultural shift across both public agencies and private industry.

"One of the biggest challenges first was industry buy-in," noted David. "When people have been doing things one way for 20 or 30 years, it's natural to ask why change is necessary."

Oklahoma successfully navigated this by maintaining open communication and ensuring industry partners had an active seat at the table throughout strategy development, though it wasn’t without reservations from some.

"You don't want to rush into something that you don't fully understand," David shared, jokingly comparing the implementation process to a relationship.

What's Next on the Horizon?

As new highway construction slows, state agencies are increasingly focusing on pavement preservation and management systems. Future advancements will focus on extending pavement life and utilizing data-driven decision-making powered by AI and modern pavement management software.

David left listeners with valuable advice for other state DOTs and engineers undertaking major specification overhauls:

1. Establish tracking methodology early: Design pilot test sections with long-term performance tracking in mind, leveraging existing Pavement Management Systems.
2. Log detailed field data: Record daily logs and field details during construction—even seemingly minor observations become crucial years later when correlating lab data to field performance.

A huge thank you to David Vivanco for joining The Hot Mix Podcast and sharing his story and expertise in the industry! Keep an eye out for David at upcoming industry conferences such as the Transportation Research Board (TRB) Annual Conference.

______________________________________________________

💻 Watch the full breakdown on The Hot Mix Podcast:

📱 Get more content like this by subscribing to The Hot Mix on YouTube, where we interview experts, unbox new asphalt testing products, and share industry knowledge.

🎧 You can also check out The Hot Mix on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.