Feasibility of Utilizing Intelligent Compaction Equipment to Ensure
Uniformity and Quality of Pavement Foundation
Status: Active (FHWA HIF190100PR: 10/01/2019 to 6/30/2024)
Summary
This FHWA project is aimed at demonstrating the feasibility of utilizing IC to ensure uniformity and adequacy of pavement foundation (starting with subgrade preparation), so that any foundation problems may be corrected prior to paving.
The objectives of this project are to develop a procedure for ensuring uniformity and adequacy of pavement foundation using IC and demonstrating feasibility.
Tasks
Task 1 Detailed Work Plan
The scope of work for this TO includes 3 field demonstrations, including the following types of projects: New concrete pavement project, New asphalt concrete (AC) pavement project, and AC pavement rehabilitation project.
The AC pavement rehabilitation project will involve evaluating the feasibility of utilizing IC on existing AC pavement slated for rehabilitation to identify any problem spots and making corrections prior to overlaying. The detailed work plan shall include a list of candidate projects that could be used for the demonstrations, as well as a fieldwork plan. The plan shall include a validation plan to demonstrate the reliability of the QA procedure utilizing IC. For example, FWD could be used to verify that the IC procedure provides the correct relative results.
Task 2 State-of-Technology Review
Conduct a thorough review of the state-of-technology of IC, including the capabilities of the available equipment, past implementation efforts, and ongoing research. Based on this review develop a procedure that could be used to fulfill the objectives of this project: demonstrate the feasibility of utilizing IC device to ensure uniformity of pavement foundation, and adequacy of the foundation support. Also document appropriate procedures for correcting various types of problems that could be encountered.
Task 3 Field Demonstrations
In collaboration with State DOTs and IC equipment vendors, field demonstrations shall be conducted at 3 different sites to demonstrate the feasibility of utilizing IC devices to ensure uniformity and quality of pavement foundations. The field demonstrations shall involve 3 different types of projects as described under Task 1: New concrete pavement project, New AC pavement project, and AC pavement rehabilitation project. Following the procedure outlined in the detailed work plan, validate IC results at each demonstration project.
Task 4 Documentation
The product of this TO will be two reports: a project report detailing the work conducted under this project and a tech brief summarizing the work conducted under this TO.
FHWA COR: Dr. Tom Yu, Pavement Design Program Manager, FHWA
Principal Investigator: Dr. George Chang, P.E., The Transtec Group
Project Team
- Dr. Zongwei Tao, Weris (project manager)
- Dave Merritt, P.E., The Transtec Group (senior pavement engineer)
- Amanda L. Gilliland, P.E., The Transtec Group (pavement engineer)
Research Partners
- XCMG
- MOBA
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