Measuring Pavement Profile at the Slip-Form Paver

Pavement profile or smoothness has been identified nationally as a good measure of highway user satisfaction. This has led highway engineers to measure profiles of both operating and new highways. Operational highway profiles are often measured with high-speed inertial profilers. New highway profiles are usually measured with profilographs in order to establish incentives or disincentives for pavement construction. In most cases, these two processes do not measure the same value from the "cradle to grave" life of pavements. In an attempt to correct the inconsistency between measuring techniques, lightweight profilers intended to produce values to be used for construction acceptance are being made that measure the same profile as high-speed inertial profilers. Currently, two profiler systems have been identified that can measure pavement profile during construction. This research has produced a field evaluation of the two systems. The profilers evaluated in this study are able to detect roughness in the final profile, including localized roughness and roughness at joints. Dowel basket ripple is a significant source of pavement surface roughness. The profilers evaluated in this study are able to detect dowel basket ripple with enough clarity to warn the paving crew. String-line disturbances degrade smoothness. The profilers evaluated in this study are able to detect some string-line disturbances during paving operations. The profilers evaluated in this study are not currently able to produce the same absolute International Roughness Index (IRI) values on the plastic concrete that can be measured by inertial profilers on the hardened concrete. Construction application guidelines are provided.

• Record URL:
  http://publications.iowa.gov/id/eprint/2782
• Record URL:
  http://www.ctre.iastate.edu/reports/paving_profile.pdf
• Record URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/38786
• Corporate Authors:

  Iowa State University, Ames

  Center for Portland Cement Concrete Pavement Technology
  2901 South Loop Drive, Suite 3100
  Ames, IA  United States  50010-8634

  Federal Highway Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590

  Iowa Department of Transportation

  Iowa Highway Research Board, 800 Lincoln Way
  Ames, IA  United States  50010
• Authors:
  • Cable, James K
  • Karamihas, Steven M
  • Brenner, Mark
  • Leichty, Mark
  • Williams, Jera
• Publication Date: 2005-5

Language

• English

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Edition: Final Report
• Features: Appendices; Figures; Tables;
• Pagination: 52p

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Customer satisfaction; Disincentives; Field tests; Highways; Incentives; Measuring instruments; Pavement joints; Pavement performance; Paving; Polymer concrete; Profilographs; Ride quality; Roughness; Slip form pavers; Smoothness; Surface course (Pavements); Texture; Travelers
• Identifier Terms: International Roughness Index
• Uncontrolled Terms: Dowel basket ripple; Hardened concrete; Pavement profile; Pavement profilers; String-line disturbances
• Subject Areas: Design; Highways; Pavements; Society; I22: Design of Pavements, Railways and Guideways; I23: Properties of Road Surfaces;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01003884
• Record Type: Publication
• Report/Paper Numbers: FHWA Project 12, IHRB Project TR-512
• Contract Numbers: DTFH61-01-X-00042
• Files: NTL, TRIS, USDOT, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Sep 13 2005 11:26AM