June 21, 2024, Vancouver, BC, Canada – Giovanna Rosa, a project engineer at Knight Piésold Canada, presented a laboratory study on the potential use of manganese mining overburden for flexible asphaltic pavement at this year’s conference of the International Society for Asphalt Pavements (ISAP), held on June 2 to 7, 2024, in Montreal, Canada.

The 14th ISAP International Conference on Asphalt Pavement, which was hosted by the École de technologie supérieure, a part of the University of Quebec, included keynote presentations, workshops, as well as technical sessions on the latest developments in asphalt pavement and materials technology.

Speakers from over 30 countries presented more than 150 technical papers, either during oral or poster sessions, on topics, such as advanced materials and technologies, instrumentation and monitoring, design and management, and performance testing, among others.

Rosa presented the paper titled, “Laboratory study of manganese mining overburden mixed with lime as a paving subbase layer,” which was reviewed by professors Rosângela dos Santos Motta and Maria Eugênia Gimenez Boscov of the University of São Paulo for her master’s program.

This paper presents a preliminary assessment of the suitability of manganese overburden mixed with lime as a construction material for the subbase of asphaltic flexible pavements. The laboratory investigation, which involved geotechnical and mechanical characterizations as well as a stress analysis of a pavement cross-section for low-volume roads, indicated that the inclusion of lime-mixed overburden in a paving structure result in a decrease in the value of subgrade vertical stress and a corresponding increase in the allowable value of the number of equivalent single axle loads.

“This is a promising alternative to reusing material typically stockpiled or discarded in tailings facilities,” said Rosa. “Reusing overburden for road construction potentially lowers project costs and preserves natural soils from being used in pavement infrastructure.”

Recently, Rosa has completed her program at the University of São Paulo, obtaining a master’s degree in geotechnical engineering. Additionally, she has completed other graduate and undergraduate studies in Brazil, including a master’s degree in geotechnical engineering from the Pontifical Catholic University of Minas Gerais, and a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering, with an emphasis on transportation, from the FEI University Center.

Since joining Knight Piésold last year, Rosa has been expanding on her background in pavement design, geotechnical site investigation and analysis, and slope stability analysis, designing access and haul roads, planning site investigation programs, and assessing stability and seismic hazards of mine waste infrastructure for mining projects in Canada, Brazil, and Argentina.

“Giovanna’s study on the reuse of mining overburden illustrates the importance of our role in the circular economy,” said Les Galbraith, Specialist Engineer at Knight Piésold Canada. “At Knight Piésold, from roads to tailings and waste rock storage facilities, we take an in-depth look at each project to develop strategies for environmentally responsible, sustainable mining infrastructure.”