PAVEMENT ROUGHNESS EVALUATIONS USING A MAYS RIDE METER

This, the second of two study reports, is concerned with the analysis of roughness data on new pavement construction and recent resurfacings and the development of an acceptance procedure for resurfacings. The high-speed measurement device known as the Mays Ride Meter consists of instrumentation mounted in a passenger car which measures smoothness in terms of the relative motion between the car body and axle. Smoothness tests performed on new freeways indicate that the overall rideability of our bituminous pavements has improved substantially, a "Good" rating being typical. Rolling straightedge-based smoothness acceptance provisions have been adopted to deal with the isolated instances of unacceptable riding quality which continue to be observed. Data from several new concrete projects indicate a small, yet significant relative improvement in rideability. Our most recent concrete projects are typically of "Fair" rideability rather than "Poor" as observed in some historical periods. Roughness surveys of resurfacing work performed by contractor and State forces indicate that both are of generally "Fair" rideability, with the in-house work displaying a slight superiority. New surface smoothness acceptance provisions for resurfacings have been developed and proposed for use. To promote testing efficiency and economy on projects under traffic, these provisions contemplate joint use of the Mays and rolling straightedge. (FHWA)

• Corporate Authors:

  New Jersey Department of Transportation

  1035 Parkway Avenue
  Trenton, NJ  United States  08625

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • Croteau, J R
• Publication Date: 1981-6

Media Info

• Pagination: 111 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Acceptance; Bituminous pavements; Concrete pavements; Measuring instruments; Resurfacing; Riding qualities; Road meters; Roughness; Surface course (Pavements)
• Uncontrolled Terms: Straightedges
• Subject Areas: Highways; Pavements; I23: Properties of Road Surfaces;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00348643
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: FHWA/NJ-82/003 Final Rpt.
• Contract Numbers: Study 7776
• Files: TRIS, USDOT, STATEDOT
• Created Date: May 28 1982 12:00AM