The goal of the proposed pooled fund study “is to continue and extend the work of TPF-5(063) and TPF-5(354)”, which was led by the Federal Highway Administration and South Dakota DOT, respectively. The project will enable states and FHWA to

1) identify data integrity and quality issues associated with measuring and analyzing pavement profiles

2) suggest approaches to addressing identified problems

3) initiate and monitor projects to address identified problems

4) disseminate results

5) assist in solution deployment

1) Deliver sample procurement specifications and maintenance guidelines

2) Direct and support development and maintenance of pavement profile analysis software

3) Implement criteria for profile verification that include emerging technologies (e.g., low-speed profilers, start and stop profilers, and non-inertial profilers)

4) Verify pavement profile reference devices

5) Develop and deliver profiler operation and profile analysis training

6) Implement methods for maximizing the use of pavement profiles for network, project, and forensic analysis, with a focus on cutting-edge methodologies.

7) Provide technical support for the Road Profile Users’ Group and conduct annual face-to-face meetings in conjunction with the group.

The pooled fund study will enable participants to identify and resolve operational issues common among devices used to measure pavement profiles. The study will focus on data quality issues that arise from the use and operation of inertial profilers and other systems designed to measure pavement profiles. Within these broad topic areas, the following issues may be addressed:

·         Implementation of American Association of State and Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Provision Provisional Standards for Inertial Profilers

·         Verification pavement profile reference device(s)

·         Specification and establishment of equipment certification course(s)

·         Use of existing certification courses to aid in research and equipment development

·         Demonstration or improvement of pavement profiler certification procedures for construction acceptance and highway network monitoring & reporting

·         Refinement of profiler measurement operating procedures

·         Development and delivery of training, such as NHI Course 131100 “Pavement Smoothness: Use of Inertial Profiler Measurements for Construction Quality Control”

·         Examination of components performance, such as accelerometers, height sensors, distance measurement instruments, inertial measurement devices, digital images, LiDAR, global positioning systems, emerging technologies, etc.

·         Advancement of the development, maintenance, and training for Profile Analysis Software (i.e. ProVAL or its progressive alternatives)

·         Examination of Highway System Performance Monitoring (HMPS) measurement and reporting procedures

·         Development and implementation of data collection, reduction techniques, and use of alternative roughness indices for low-speed and urban roadways

·         Improvement of contracting and procurement practices

·         Examination of external factors influencing data collection such as environmental conditions or evolving standards

·         Use of inertial profilers for construction quality control and quality assurance as per 23CFR 637.205

·         Advancement of profile filtering and sampling procedures, including issues related to height sensor footprint and tire envelopment

·         Analysis of profiles for network localized roughness analysis, project level roughness progression over time to improve construction practices, and forensic investigations

• Any other relevant issues as determined by the member technical panel
  

It is anticipated that this study will require participation by at least 15 state highway agencies providing $30,000 per year for five years.