SEDL / STP / STP1433-EB / STP10654S

A Comparison of Devices Used to Measure Smoothness of Newly Constructed HMA Pavements

Wagner, CT
Transportation Engineer, Federal Highway Administration, Atlanta, Georgia

Pages: 10    Published: Jan 2003

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Abstract

The construction of the National Center for Asphalt Technology (NCAT) track was utilized to evaluate the possibility of using the automated walking Australian Road Research Board (ARRB) profiler, the McCracken (a California style profilograph), and the South Dakota Profiler for analyzing pavement smoothness. Results indicate that there was a poor correlation between the ARRB unit and the McCracken profilograph. The data from these two units should be evaluated independently. There was a fair correlation between the ARRB and the South Dakota profiler. Because the ARRB unit uses an inclinometer for determining the profile, use of this profiler should be limited to sections without severe superelevations.