Pavement Smoothness Initiative

**Update July 2001**

In the area of Pavement Smoothness FHWA's Office of Pavement Technology
(HIPT) and Office of Asset Management (HIAM) undertook a joint
initiative to enhance pavement smoothness on the NHS. This initiative
was developed in response to the results of the 1996 NQI Highway Users
Survey and the FHWA Performance Plan. The performance goal is to
increase the NHS mileage rated at 170 inches/mile for International
Roughness Index (IRI) as reported for HPMS from 91.7% in 1998 to greater
than 93% in 2008.

HPMS data collected in 1999 and released in late 2000 indicates we have
achieved this goal. Subsequently, a revised 2008 goal, effective 2002 is
for 95% of travel will occur on NHS facilities with IRI of 170"/mile or
less. Additionally a parallel goal to improve the "good" pavements to
60% of travel on NHS facilities with IRI of 95"/mile or less.

To achieve the Strategic Goal of \>95% of travel on NHS less than
170\"/mile by 2008, States need a program that contains four things:

1)  Programming process that identifies construction projects that will
    address smoothness on a network basis in terms of location and
    strategy selection.

2)  Method for specifying smoothness.

3)  Method for measuring smoothness on new construction that is
    objective and reliable

4)  Tools for contractors to achieve the smoothness targets specified.

To accomplish these tasks the Smoothness Initiative has activities that
address these four critical areas.

-   Showcasing a management approach to pavement smoothness

-   Development of a guide specification for pavement smoothness
    measurement based upon lightweight profilers.

-   Demonstration of lightweight profilers for smoothness measurement
    after construction. Includes specifying smoothness goals in terms of
    IRI

-   Development of "Best Practice" videos for both HMA and PCC pavement
    construction

Through 7/2001, activities under the auspices of the Pavement Smoothness
Initiative included:

-   Completion of 8 demonstration projects for lightweight, non-contact
    profilers which involved 9 states. All field evaluations are
    complete. A paper summarizing the reports received has been
    prepared.

-   Development of a "Best Practice" video for PCC pavement with Kansas
    DOT. John Madden is the celebrity endorser. Kit is complete and
    duplicated. Initial distribution is complete.

-   Distribution of "Best Practice" video for HMA pavement developed by
    Arizona DOT and the WRC. Two thousand five hundred copies have been
    distributed in FY 1999 and 2000.

-   Development of a laminated card highlighting Georgia DOT's approach
    to management of their pavement system that achieves one of the
    smoothest inventories in the country.

-   Development of a draft guide specification for pavement smoothness.
    Preliminary smoothness targets recommended by HIPT.

-   Development of a display booth highlighting the FHWA Smoothness
    Initiative

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Contract to develop a Pavement Profile Viewer has been awarded to
    Transtec Group, Austin, TX. The Pavement Profile Viewer will allows
    users to view, edit and analyze pavement profile data from a number
    of different vendors. Product is anticipated to be available in
    March 2002.

-   Ryan Rizzo, MI Division, has completed a survey of current state
    practices for smoothness specs. The survey was released in November
    2000.

-   NHI Training Course is under development by BRE-Fugro, of Austin,
    TX. Course NHI 131065 Pavement Smoothness: Factors Affecting
    Inertial Profiler Measurements Used for Construction QC".

-   Pavement Smoothness Strategies: a solicitation is currently pending
    for MIHE to work with a state to help make improvements in network
    smoothness.

-   Development of pavement smoothness best practices documents. These
    documents will complement the videos on HMA and PCC construction.
    Deliverables expected by August 31, 2001.

Activities conducted by others relating to the Pavement Smoothness
Initiative include:

-   The Innovative Pavement Research Foundation (IPRF) is developing a
    RFP for a project to look at Smoothness Criteria for PCC Pavements
    (Task 16). An RFP has been developed.

-   **NCHRP 20-51(1)** LTPP Product Development: National Workshop on
    Pavement Smoothness, scheduled for August 26-28, 2001 in Irvine, CA.

-   **NCHRP 20-50(08/13)** LTPP Data Analysis: Factors Affecting
    Pavement Smoothness. The objectives are to determine the factors
    that cause changes in pavement smoothness and to quantify the
    factors.

-   RD&T (Peter Kopac) has a project out for solicitation to evaluate
    the impact of smoothness specs on PCC construction. Anticipate award
    by August, 2001.

-   Maryland SHA is currently developing a procedure to
    calibrate/validate/verify inertial profilers using a shaking table
    rather than a test pavement. A pooled fund project may be developed.

-   Budget Update: The following balances are available. \$60,000 of STR
    and \$15,000 of TAD for development of technical materials. \$30,000
    in TAD for deployment of smoothness initiative.

**Smoothness Specifications Update:** States currently revising their
smoothness specifications are SC, NJ, MD, SD, ND, VA, PA, TX, IN, AR,
WV, and Alaska. The Port Authority of NY and NJ (creating) and the
province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada are also revising their
specifications.

**To Do List:**

**Lightweight Profiler Demo**:

Obtain evaluation reports from participating states ( MN, AR, AZ) (Law)

Incorporate results into presentations (Law)

Presentations on Lightweight profiler Demo (Law)

Development of NHI training courses:

Pavement Smoothness: Developing Smoothness Specification using Inertial
Profilers for Construction Quality Control (Swanlund, Newman)

**AASHTO Guide Spec:**

Refinement of Draft Guide Spec (Law/ETG)

Presentations on Guide Spec (Law)

Development of QC/QA procedure (Law)

Certification and Calibration process/method (Law)

**PCC Best Practices**:

Distribution of PCC Smoothness Kit (distribution conducted: Swanlund)

Presentations on PCC Best practices (Swanlund)

**HMA Best Practices:**

Distribution of HMA Video, 500 copies available (Swanlund)

Presentations on HMA Best Practices (Swanlund)

**Georgia Management Practices:**

Distribution of Georgia Management Card and Technical Report (Rodriguez)

Presentations on GA Management Practices (Rodriguez)

**Overall:**

Develop Smoothness Strategic Plan (Swanlund)

Develop Comprehensive Marketing Plan (Bergeron)

Provide Direction/Priorities for program (ETG)

Presentation of Overview (Swanlund)

**Possible new activities:**

Incorporation of module on strategy selection for smoothness

[FHWA Pavement Smoothness Team]{.underline}

Mark Swanlund, Office of Pavement Technology (Co-manager)

David Law, SC Division (Co-manager)

Mike Voth, CFLHD

Kathleen Bergeron, WRC

Luis Rodriguez, SRC

Keith Herbold, MRC

Joe Huerta, ERC

Jim Walls, ERC

Mark Zitzka, MT Division

Ryan Rizzo, MI Divsion

Byron Lord, Office of Pavement Technology