Patent ID: 7850395
Filing Date: 2010-12-14
Classification: E01C,G01B

Abstract:
1. A method for generating outputs useful for a pavement project, comprising: placing a first non-contact elevation distance sensor in front of a second non-contact elevation distance sensor a known distance apart in a direction for travel and above at least one of a surface to be paved or a paved surface; sensing a distance between each of the first non-contact elevation distance sensor and the second non-contact elevation distance sensor and measured locations on the at least one of the surface to be paved or the paved surface using the first non-contact elevation distance sensor and the second non-contact elevation distance sensor; measuring an angle of a line connecting the first non-contact elevation distance sensor and the second non-contact elevation distance sensor with respect to a horizontal direction using a slope sensor, the horizontal direction being substantially in the direction of travel; deriving a relative elevation between the measured locations on the at least one of the surface to be paved or the paved surface in reference to an elevation benchmark using the known distance between the first non-contact elevation distance sensor and the second non-contact elevation distance sensor and using the angle measured by the slope sensor; combining a plurality of derived relative elevations taken along the direction for travel to generate an elevation profile of at least a portion of the at least one of the surface to be paved or the paved surface generating a report including at least one of (a) a comparison of the elevation profile to the elevation benchmark or (b) a comparison of a subgrade elevation profile to one of (i) a string-line elevation profile or (ii) a plurality of three-dimensional elevation data; identifying a surface irregularity of the at least one of the surface to be paved or the paved surface, the paved surface in a plastic state; and marking the surface irregularity to indicate a correction to be made in the at least one of the surface to be paved or the paved surface.