Intelligent Asphalt Compaction Analyzer

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Slide 1

Intelligent Asphalt Compaction Analyzer

Project Team: Haskell Lemon Construction Company, University of Oklahoma, Volvo Road Machinery, and EST Inc.

Award: $200,000

A video clip is available (.wmv, 10.2 mb)

Slide 2

The Intelligent Asphalt Compaction Analyzer Is a Roller Mounted Device

• Continuously senses the amplitude and frequency of vibrations of the compactor
• Estimates, in real-time, the quality (compacted density, stiffness) during the construction of an asphalt pavement
• Key features are the real-time monitoring of the compaction progress over the entire pavement

Slide 3

Need

• Ruts, potholes, cracks and other forms of defects reduce the useful life of a pavement
• Improper or inadequate compaction is the most common cause of early degradation of asphalt pavements

Anticipated Advantages to Conventional Practice

• Instantaneous and complete evaluation of the pavement being compacted
• Higher efficiency and increased productivity
  • Reduction in labor and fuel costs
  • Reduction in the number of conventional spot tests
• Higher adaptability of compaction process to suit thin/thick lifts, soft/stiff subgrades, etc.
• Better quality resulting from uniform and optimum compaction

Slide 4

Principle of Operation of the IACA

Slide 5

IACA User Display

The IACA display provides real-time information on the density and the mat temperature to the roller operator at each location on the pavement during each roller pass.

Slide 6

IACA "As-Built" Density Map

Concrete manhole covers

• Density information from the final pass of the roller can be used to compile the final density of the entire pavement. The color-coded map (red is 90%, green is 92%, yellow is 94%,) portrays the uniformity of compaction that was achieved.
• Areas in green indicate inadequate compaction or uncompacted areas resulting from relief features on the pavement surface).
• Uneven compaction can be investigated to determine the cause. In this case, soft subgrade had resulted in uneven compaction.

Slide 7

Comparison of IACA and Non-nuclear Density Measurements

The density estimates of the IACA are comparable to those obtained by point-wise measurements using a non-nuclear gauge.

The density estimates obtained using the IACA compare very favorably with density measured from roadway cores.