TPF-5 (063), Improving the Quality of Pavement Profiler Measurement

Many reports and studies have indicated that a need exists to bring integrity to data collection for ride quality by establishing calibration processes and verification procedures. The American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO) has developed provisional standards to assist a State Highway Agency (SHA) with the implementation of quality assurance programs relating to ride quality data collection. The proposed standards include:

• AASHTO M 328-10 "Standard Specification for an Inertial Profiler"
• AASHTO R 54-10 "Accepting Pavement Ride Quality When Measured Using Inertial Profiling Systems"
• AASHTO R 56-10 "Certification of Inertial Profiling Systems"
• AASHTO R 57-10 "Operating Inertial Profiling Systems"

A Pooled Fund Study, TPF-5(063) "Improving the Quality of Profiler Measurement" has been initiated by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) to assist with the implementation of the AASHTO Provisional Standards and establish a level of integrity to the measurements. This is a multi-year, $2.4 Million, multi-tasked study, designed to work with SHA's in providing implementation processes. The study objectives are to:

• Develop reference profile device.
• Develop benchmark equipment.
• Develop portable reference device(s).
• Define critical accuracy requirements.
• Construction acceptance and correction software (ProVAL: www.roadprofile.com).
• Establish regional validation sites.
• Evaluate limits of single axis accelerometer and single height sensor.
• Monitor emerging technology that enhances profile measurement.
• Automated Faulting Measurement (ProVAL module AFM)
• Develop urban IRI measurement.
• Ride quality index at different speeds.
• Provide support for Road Profiler User’s Group (RPUG – www.rpug.org).