The main objective of this project is to quantify and resolve the differences in the longitudinal profile and roughness indices that are attributable to the different profiling equipment that have been used in the LTPP program. The Long-Term Pavement Performance (LTPP) program was designed as a 20-year study of pavement performance. A major data collection effort at LTPP test sections is the collection of longitudinal profile data using inertial profilers. Three types of inertial profilers have been used since the inception of the LTPP program: (1) K.J. Law Engineers DNC 690 incandescent profilers, (2) K.J. Law Engineers T-6600 infrared-system profilers, and (3) ICC laser profilers. The following analyses were performed for this research project: (1) investigate data collection characteristics and compare profile data collected by the different inertial profilers, (2) compare International Roughness Index (IRI) values obtained by the different inertial profilers, (3) investigate factors that contribute to differences in IRI for data obtained from profilers and Dipstick®, and (4) identify problems with equipment functionality and current data collection and processing procedures. The analysis indicated good agreement of IRI values among the different inertial profilers that have been used in the LTPP program.
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1. Report No. FHWA–HRT–05–054 |
2. Government Accession No. |
3. Recipient's Catalog No. |
4. Title and Subtitle QUANTIFICATION OF SMOOTHNESS INDEX DIFFERENCES RELATED TO LTPP EQUIPMENT TYPE |
5. Report Date September 2005 |
6. Performing Organization Code |
7. Author(s) R.W. Perera and S.D. Kohn |
8. Performing Organization Report No. |
9. Performing Organization Name and Address Soil and Materials Engineers, Inc. 43980 Plymouth Oaks Blvd. Plymouth, MI 48170 |
10. Work Unit No. (TRAIS) |
11. Contract or Grant No. DTFH61-96-C-00030 |
12. Sponsoring Agency's Name and Address Office of Infrastructure Research, Development, and Technology Office of Infrastructure R&D Federal Highway Administration 6300 Georgetown Pike McLean, VA 22101 |
13. Type of Report and Period Covered Final Report January–December 2004 |
14. Sponsoring Agency's Code |
15. Supplementary Notes Contracting Officer's Technical Representative (COTR): Larry Wiser, HRDI-13. This research was conducted in collaboration with the University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute (UMTRI) through participation and contributions from Steven Karamihas. Work was performed as a subcontract to Construction Technology Laboratories, Inc. (CTL), Columbia, MD. Dr. Shiraz Tayabji served as the project manager for the CTL contract. |
16. Abstract The Long-Term Pavement Performance (LTPP) program was designed as a 20-year study of pavement performance. A major data collection effort at LTPP test sections is the collection of longitudinal profile data using inertial profilers. Three types of inertial profilers have been used since the inception of the LTPP program: (1) K.J. Law Engineers DNC 690 incandescent profilers, (2) K.J. Law Engineers T-6600 infrared-system profilers, and (3) International Cybernetics Corporation (ICC) laser profilers. The following analyses were performed for this research project: (1) investigate data collection characteristics and compare profile data collected by the different inertial profilers, (2) compare International Roughness Index (IRI) values obtained by the different inertial profilers, (3) investigate factors that contribute to differences in IRI for data obtained from profilers and Dipstick®, and (4) identify problems with equipment functionality and current data collection and processing procedures. The analyses indicated good agreement of IRI values among the different inertial profilers that have been used in the LTPP program. |
17. Key Words IRI, inertial profilers, Dipstick, pavement data collection, pavement profile, profile measurement, profiler, LTPP. |
18. Distribution Statement No restrictions. This document is available to the public through the National Technical Information Service, Springfield, VA 22161. |
19. Security Classif. (of this report) Unclassified |
20. Security Classif. (of this page) Unclassified |
21. No. of Pages 157 |
22. Price |
AC |
Asphalt Concrete |
ANOVA |
Analysis of Variance |
ARRB |
Australian Road Research Board |
DMI |
Distance Measuring Instrument |
DOT |
Department of Transportation |
FHWA |
Federal Highway Administration |
GPS |
General Pavement Studies |
ICC |
International Cybernetics Corporation |
IRI |
International Roughness Index |
LTPP |
Long-Term Pavement Performance |
Mn/DOT |
Minnesota Department of Transportation |
Mn/ROAD |
Minnesota Road Research Project |
NCHRP |
National Cooperative Highway Research Program |
PCC |
Portland Cement Concrete |
PSD |
Power Spectral Density |
RMSVA |
Root Mean Square Vertical Acceleration |
RN |
Ride Number |
RSC |
Regional Support Contractor |
SHRP |
Strategic Highway Research Program |
SPS |
Specific Pavement Studies |
TxDOT |
Texas Department of Transportation |
UMTRI |
University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute |