U.S. Department of Transportation
Federal Highway Administration
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
Washington, DC 20590
202-366-4000
Federal Highway Administration Research and Technology
Coordinating, Developing, and Delivering Highway Transportation Innovations
| Project Information | ||
| Project ID: | FHWA-PROJ-14-0129 | |
| Project Name: | Increase in Roughness Due to Environmental Factors in Flexible Pavements | |
| Project Status: | Active | |
| Start Date: | July 23, 2014 | |
| End Date: | January 23, 2017 | |
| Contact Information | ||
| Last Name: | Wiser | |
| First Name: | Larry J | |
| Telephone: | 202-493-3079 | |
| E-mail: | larry.wiser@dot.gov | |
| Office: | Office of Infrastructure Research and Development | |
| Team: | Long-Term Pavement Performance Team [HRDI-30] | |
| Program: | Long-Term Pavement Performance | |
| Project detail | ||
| Roadmap/Focus area(s): | Infrastructure Research and Technology Strategic Plan and Roadmap | |
| Project Description: | The project is aimed at investigating the increase in roughness of flexible pavements due only to environmental factors. In the Long-Term Pavement Performance (LTPP) program, starting with the use of the inertial profiler in 1996, profile data have been collected along the two wheelpaths as well as along the center of the lane. The data collected along the center of the lane are not available in the LTPP database. However, the data are available in AIMS (Ancillary Information Management System). When evaluating the changes in roughness that occurs along a wheelpath, effects of the environment cannot be separated from traffic effects. The profile data collected along the center of the lane can be used to evaluate the change in roughness that is only due to environmental effects. Environmental effects can cause changes in the moisture content of the subgrade from the as-constructed value, which can cause the subgrade to shrink or swell. Freezing temperatures can cause frost heave. All of these factors can cause a change in the profile of a pavement, thereby increasing the roughness. The analysis will be performed on the test sections contained in SPS-1 [Specific Pavement Study] projects. This project will provide information on how environmental conditions interact with subgrade conditions and influence increase in roughness for the different pavement structures that are present on a SPS-1 project. The different pavement structures in a SPS-1 project have different material being used for base layers, including a drainage layer (i.e., permeable asphalt-treated base) in some sections. | |
| Goals: | The project will investigate and report the findings of the increase in roughness of flexible pavements due to environmental factors. | |
| Product Type: | Data Promotional materials Research report Techbrief | |
| Test Methodology: | Evaluate center-of-lane pavement profiles to determine how environmental conditions and the interaction with subgrade conditions alone can cause an increase in roughness. | |
| Other Information: | LTPP Analysis Plan | Objective 3 | Outcome C | Project 2 | Priority Critical | Sequence 1 | |
| Partners: | Federal Highway Administration: Office of Research, Development, and Technology - Office of Infrastructure Research and Development; Role(s): Advisory, Technical, Other stakeholder | |
| Expected Benefits: | The research will provide information on the increase in roughness of flexible pavements that can be attributed to environmental factors for various base types that are located on coarse-grained and fine-grained subgrades that are subjected to different environmental conditions. | |
| Deliverables: | Name: Final report and related material. Product Type(s): Research report, Techbrief, Promotional materials, Data Description: A final report documenting the results from the analysis will be prepared. A TechBrief documenting the findings from the research will be prepared. Anticipate preparing a paper to be submitted to the Transportation Research Board (TRB) Annual Meeting describing the findings from this research project. A DVD containing the files that were used for analysis will be provided so that the profile data used for the analysis will be available to other researchers. | |
| FHWA Topics: | Roads and Bridges--Pavement and Materials | |
| TRT Terms: | Pavement Performance Research Smoothness Infrastructure Pavements Flexibility |
|
| FHWA Disciplines: | Pavement and Materials |
|
| Subject Areas: | Pavements Research |
|
 |
||
