United States Department of Transportation
i
Implementation of an Automated Road Maintenance Machine (ARMM)
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1999-08-01
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[PDF-8.69 MB]
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Abstract:Crack sealing is a hazardous, costly, and labor-intensive operation. In North America, approximately $200 million is spent each year on crack sealing. Prompted by concerns of safety and cost, the University of Texas at Austin, in cooperation with the Texas Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration, has developed a unique computer-guided automated road maintenance machine (ARMM) for pavement crack sealing. The current ARMM prototype, first developed in 1997, was significantly upgraded this year (1999). The main upgrades included a new aluminum gantry to replace the older steel one; a computer system, which meets industrial requirements; and a new, spring-loaded turret design. This prototype has been thoroughly tested in field trials conducted in Texas and in nine other states. The prototype's productivity was also measured during controlled experiments. These experiments demonstrated that the device is able to seal 0.67 mi (1.08 km) per workday or 444 linear ft (135 linear m) of cracks per hour. The optimum sealing productivity possible with the current prototype was also estimated at 2.32 mi (3.73 km) per workday or 765 linear ft (233 linear m) of cracks per hour. With future improvements to several of the ARMM's components, further increases in productivity will be possible.
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