The Development of Smoothness Specifications for Rigid and Flexible Pavements in Texas

Details

• Creators:
  Harrison, Robert ; Bertrand, Carl
• Corporate Creators:
  University of Texas at Austin. Center for Transportation Research
• Corporate Contributors:
  Texas State Department of Highways and Public Transportation ; United States. Department of Transportation. Federal Highway Administration
• Subject/TRT Terms:
  Bituminous Pavements Concrete Pavements Measuring Instruments Profilometers Roughness Specifications
• Publication/ Report Number:
  FHWA/TX-91+1167-1
• Resource Type:
  Tech Report
• Geographical Coverage:
  Texas ; United States
• Corporate Publisher:
  University of Texas at Austin. Center for Transportation Research
• Abstract:
  Because both the highway agency and the traveling public desire a smooth pavement surface, there exists a need to ensure smoothness and ride quality. Indeed, a smooth road profile has become a standard measure of pavement quality. Smoothly constructed roads are associated with minimal vehicular wear (and there­ fore cost), user perceptions of quality and acceptability, and, finally, long pavement surface lives. In 1987 the Texas State Department of Highways and Public Transportation (SDHPT) commissioned the Center for Transportation Research (CTR) to develop smoothness specifications for both flexible and rigid pavements. These standards were to be of the "end-use" variety; that is, the standards, applied after the con­ tractor had completed paving a section, would be used to compare the as-built profile with that smoothness desired by the highway agency, using a designated instrument and measurement unit. Deviations from the acceptable profile range would result in either monetary rewards to the contractor for high-quality work exceeding standards, or corrections/penalties for work falling below standard. In 1984 AASHTO began conducting a survey into state smoothness specifications with the objective of recommending a draft smoothness specification for state use. This specification, reported in 1987, was to be evaluated as part of the CTR 1167 study. This report, then, details the initial work on pavement smoothness criteria, including in particular the issues related to financial incentives and the instru­mentation used for measuring profiles on newly laid rigid pavements.
• Format:
  PDF
• Funding:
  Research Study 3-·8-88/1-1167
• Collection(s):
  US Transportation Collection
• Main Document Checksum:
  urn:sha-512:6bcfce683dd53bfeaf38f6db25547cef68966f539babe00bc64a75994d47435535442a3a7fd2e63c52d394ab97d3320d1d655b699031dfe8fe65f9ba19372d78
• Download URL:
  https://rosap.ntl.bts.gov/view/dot/84865/dot_84865_DS1.pdf
• File Type:
  [PDF - 3.61 MB ]