Diamond grinding and grooving are fast becoming desirable options for both new and existing asphalt surfaces. Several state transportation departments—including Ohio, Missouri and South Carolina—have adopted the mechanical abrasion treatments to provide a smoother ride and speed construction practices.

The strategic use of diamond grinding to optimize pavement performance while minimizing costs is discussed in this study. It compares bump grinding—targeting only uneven areas—to continuous production grinding, which involves grinding the full lane width and length. Production grinding is highlighted for its superior outcomes in terms of ride quality, friction, sound, fuel emissions and aesthetics, often at a lower cost per square yard.

Concrete pavements can achieve maximum longevity through diamond grinding. Conventional diamond grinding (CDG) is often used to create the smoothest and safest pavements available today. The best approach, both short- and long-term, is to achieve a balance between high friction level and low roughness and noise levels over the life of the pavement.

Concrete pavements can achieve maximum longevity using strategic repair techniques. Today's urban streets have, in many cases, encountered 40 to 60 years of wear and tear. Concrete Pavement Preservation (CPP) is a series of engineered techniques to rehabilitate concrete pavement. It is a viable alternative to costly asphalt overlays. Basic CPP techniques include: slab stabilization, full depth repair, partial depth repair, dowel bar retrofit, cross-stitching longitudinal cracks or joints, diamond grinding, joint resealing and crack resealing.

Partial depth repair (PDR) is a shallow depth repair procedure used to address pavement deterioration that does not fully extend through a concrete slab. By replacing unsound concrete, PDR can repair spalling and fraying of concrete slab edges at joints and cracks as well as localized scaling. PDR provides several benefits including repair of surface defects, reestablishing joint reservoirs, restoring localized areas of deterioration, restoring rideability and discouraging further deterioration.

Many states limit how much concrete grinding residue (CGR), also known as slurry, can be discharged along the roadside during the diamond grinding process. A recent study conducted by the Institute of Transportation at Iowa State University on behalf of MnDOT confirms CGR slurry is safe and even beneficial to deposit along roadsides during diamond grinding operations.