CALIBRATION PROCEDURES FOR ROADMETERS. FINAL REPORT

The research project was conducted to evaluate the performance of an inexpensive non-contact roughness measuring device, Roughness Surveyor, as well as the potential use of this device as a calibration reference for Response-Type Road Roughness Measuring (RTRRM) systems. A correlation was also conducted between RTRRM systems from three different States (Georgia, Florida, and Minnesota) against the Roughness Surveyor, the inertial profilometer owned by the Ohio DOT, and the profilometer designed and operated by the South Dakota DOT. A total of sixteen test sites were selected for the correlation and calibration study with a total of 52 individual test sections encompassing a variety of roughness levels and pavement surface types. The results of the roughness testing showed an excellent correlation between all the devices. The standard error of estimate, however, was rather large for some of the linear regression equations. The units from Florida, Ohio, and South Dakota provided serviceability index ratings. An analysis of these ratings indicated that different values were obtained between the units on the same test sections. The evaluation of the Roughness Surveyor indicated that the roughness results obtained were insensitive to speed variations. Problems were encountered with obtaining valid roughness readings on extremely rough textured surfaces, such as surface treatment. The testing repeatability of the Roughness Surveyor was not as good as that obtained with the Ohio Profilometer and slightly better than two of the three RTRRM systems. The day-to-day variability was much higher for the Roughness Surveyor than for the Ohio Profilometer and the RTRRM systems.

• Record URL:
  • https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/68013
• Record URL:
  • https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/74795
• Corporate Authors:

  Georgia Department of Transportation

  One Georgia Center
  600 West Peachtree Street, NW
  Atlanta, GA  United States  30308

  Federal Highway Administration

  Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center, 6300 Georgetown Pike
  McLean, VA  United States  22101
• Authors:
  • Gulden, W
• Publication Date: 1986-4

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Pagination: 85 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Accuracy; Alternatives analysis; Calibration; Correlation analysis; Equations; Linear regression analysis; Profilometers; Road meters; Roughness
• Uncontrolled Terms: Repeatability
• Subject Areas: Data and Information Technology; Geotechnology; Highways; Materials; Pavements; I23: Properties of Road Surfaces;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00460361
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: Federal Highway Administration
• Report/Paper Numbers: FHWA-TS-86-201, RP8309, FCP 34ZA-168
• Contract Numbers: DOT-FH-11-9398
• Files: NTL, TRIS, USDOT, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Dec 31 1986 12:00AM