Innovative Diamond Grinding on MnROAD Cells 7, 8, 9, and 37

This report describes the innovative grinding conducted on cells 7, 8, 9, and 37 at the MnROAD research facility of the Minnesota Department of Transportation, and the initial measurement of surface characteristics. The three types of diamond grinding studied include a conventional method (1/8” x 1/8” x 0.120 groove kerf configuration), the “innovative grind” (flush grind and groove) and the “ultimate grind” (flush grind and groove, with wider spacing between grooves than the innovative grind). The report describes the construction efforts followed by the initial testing, and the plans for long-term observation, monitoring, and surface characteristics testing. Surface characteristics (noise, friction, texture, and ride) were measured immediately prior to and after the grinding operation. As expected, each of the measures of surface characteristics was improved initially. Subsequent testing and monitoring will be conducted over the next five years to evaluate the long-term performance of the different grinding methods.