| Industry | Grooving, grinding, concrete pavement restoration and concrete pavement preservation |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1972 |
| Headquarters | Coxsackie, NY, U.S. |
| Employees | John Roberts, Executive Director; Michele Rivenburg, Office Manager; Dan Frentress, Consultant Promoter |
| Website | International Grooving & Grinding Association |
The International Grooving & Grinding Association (IGGA) is a non-profit trade association founded in 1972 that represents the industry that performs grooving and grinding of both concrete and asphalt surfaces in addition to Concrete Pavement Restoration (CPR) and Concrete Pavement Preservation (CPP) methods. CPR and CPP methods are a series of engineered techniques developed during the last 40 years to manage the rate of pavement deterioration in concrete streets, highways and airports. A non-overlay option used to repair areas of distress in concrete pavement without changing its grade, CPR restores the pavement to a condition close to or better than original and reduces the need for major and more costly repairs later. CPP/CPR addresses the cause of pavement distress, minimizing further deterioration. Covering road distress with an asphalt overlay does not correct the cause and will eventually manifest itself again, usually as a larger, more expensive problem. Asphalt overlays typically last eight to 12 years, whereas CPP and CPR last up to 30 years.[1][2]
In 1995, the IGGA joined in affiliation with the American Concrete Pavement Association (ACPA) to represent its newly formed CPR Division. The IGGA/ACPA CPR Division now serves as the technical resource and industry representative in the marketing of optimized pavement surfaces, CPR and pavement preservation globally. As of 2009, the IGGA had more than 60 members.
The IGGA is made up of contractors, manufacturers, suppliers, consultants and public officials representing all facets of the industry. In addition to a diversified Board of Directors, the IGGA is served by a Communications Committee whose activities include public relations, development of marketing materials and industry promotion. The Environmental Committee is in place to research and educate the industry about key issues affecting the marketplace.[3][4]
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The grooving and grinding industry evolved from experimental applications utilizing diamond saw blades and equipment. The industry can be traced back to the late 1940s when a single diamond blade was first used on a concrete saw to groove pavement. Since then, concrete grinding, grooving and texturing has developed into a multi-million dollar industry that is practiced globally. The IGGA was first incorporated in Lakewood, California in June 1972. Its inception was due to the efforts of Lester Kuzmick, who envisioned an organization that could advance the interest of its contractor members. In 1995, the IGGA affiliated with the American Concrete Pavement Association (ACPA) to represent its newly formed CPR Division. This division serves as a technical resource and industry representative in the marketing of grooving, grinding and CPR/CPP to Departments of Transportation, municipalities and engineers worldwide.[5][6]
The IGGA has an annual awards competition. The purpose is to honor individuals and organizations for contributions made to the grooving, grinding and concrete pavement restoration industry. The awards are:
CPP and CPR techniques include slab stabilization, full- and partial-depth repair, dowel bar retrofit, cross stitching longitudinal cracks or joints, diamond grinding and joint and crack resealing. CPP and CPR methods, developed over the last 40 years, are used in lieu of asphalt overlays and bituminous patches to repair roads when longer lasting solutions are desired. Due to rising oil prices, these methods are often less expensive than an asphalt overlay and last three times longer in addition to providing a greener, more sustainable solution. [8][9]
A recent study was conducted that shows that diamond grinding is an effective means of extending the service life of concrete by imparting a smooth pavement surface with desirable surface texture. The process can also be used to address faulting at joints or cracks, roughness, polished concrete surfaces exhibiting inadequate macrotexure, wheel path rutting, unacceptable noise levels, permanent upward slab warping and inadequate transverse slopes. The California Department of Transportation (CALTRANS), a pioneer in the use of diamond grinding to preserve their concrete roadways, has determined that the average age of a diamond ground surface in Calif. is between 16 to 17 years, and a pavement can be diamond ground up to three times.[10][11]
Dowel Bar Retrofit (DBR) is a process that re-establishes load transfer capability on doweled joints and cracks by installing epoxy-coated, round steel dowels into existing concrete pavement across transverse joints and/or cracks. Slots are cut using diamond-tipped saw blades; the existing concrete is removed and the dowels are placed in the slots across the joints or cracks. The slots are then backfilled with a non-shrink grout and the pavement is diamond ground to restore smoothness. The diamond grinding removes excess grout and any displacement of panels. The entire road is often diamond ground to remove bumps or dips and provide a safe, quiet riding surface. In Wisconsin, researchers found that the overall accident rate for diamond ground surfaces was only 60 percent of the rate for the non-ground surfaces.[12][13] [14][15][16][17][18]