This paper was presented at the `Strategies for enhancing pavement performance' session. Studies have shown that roads built with initial smoother surfaces exhibit longer service lives implying reduced long-term reconstruction costs, vehicle operating costs, and substantial environmental benefits. Traditionally, "as-built" pavement roughness has relied on the rolling edge technologies typified by the profilograph for QC/QA assessments. The Profilograph have been preferred mainly due to its effectiveness in identifying "spikes" in pavement smoothness. While still very effective, Profilographs are slower and cumbersome to handle, and the data is not easily transferable to the network level roughness database. This paper explores the use of IRI calculated on elevation profile data from high-speed profilometers as a standard for as-built smoothness. The paper introduces the concept of a new double-baselengths standard. The paper further demonstrates that the new as-built roughness standard is practical and can readily be implemented using existing protocols of roughness measurement available in many Canadian road agencies. (A)
Abstract