Analysis of pavement distress and structural condition is a key component of all pavement management systems and provides a method to schedule rehabilitation and maintenance activities to minimize life-cycle costs for these facilities. In the analysis of existing PCC or composite pavements, the properties normally associated with structural condition include load transfer, cracking, and faulting. The current state-of-the-practice consists of obtaining cracking information by visual observation or using electronic image recognition methods. Visual observation is the most common method but it requires significant training to ensure consistency and accuracy and often subjects observers to traffic hazards. Electronic image recognition is a relatively new technology but has significant limitations. Measuring load transfer across joints is normally done using a Falling Weight Deflectometer (FWD) by loading one side of joint and reading deflection measurements from one or more sensors on each side. The method works but it is slow, requires lane closures, and exposes the FWD operators to traffic hazards. Faulting is usually measured using manual devices operated within the traffic lane ¿ again, exposing those making the measurements to traffic hazards. In all cases, these state-of-the-practice methods require lane closures and may create traffic delays. At the network level, it is difficult to secure enough data about structural condition to be statistically significant. Pavement conditions change frequently due to irregularities in geology, materials used, and construction techniques. As a result, management systems frequently conduct analyses with insufficient structural information or without consideration of the structural conditions of the existing pavements.

The long-term goal of this effort is to develop a device that will measure, at highway speeds, pavement structural condition which is known to impact the performance of PCC and composite pavements. Such a system needs to be able to process the collected measurements into an immediately usable form in near real-time. It is believed that the recent improvements in computers, laser measuring devices, and similar technologies will make the development of such a system possible. The goal of the work specifically described herein is to, in fact, determine if the required technologies exist and to what extent a market exists for such a device.

The proposed research project will investigate the feasibility and practicality of developing a device for measuring the structural condition of PCC and composite pavements. There are two tasks in this project, Technical Feasibility Study and Utilization Study.

$5,000 per state requested