Quantification of smoothness index differences related to long-term pavement performance equipment type

7690378652005Final report; Jan.-Dec. 2004.Wiser, LarryPDFTech ReportFHWA-HRT-05-054DTFH61-02-D-00137Pavement performanceSmoothnessEquipment characteristicsData collectionData processingPavements--SmoothnessRoads--Riding qualitiesPavements--EvaluationPavements--InspectionLong-Term Pavement Performance Program (U.S.)United StatesTurner-Fairbank Highway Research CenterPerera, Rohan W.Kohn, Starr D.Soil and Material Engineers, Inc.United States. Federal Highway Administration. Office of Research, Development, and TechnologyNTL-HIGHWAY/ROAD TRANSPORTATION-Pavement Management and PerformanceNTL-HIGHWAY/ROAD TRANSPORTATION-HIGHWAY/ROAD TRANSPORTATIONFederal Highway Administration;BTS Data DirectoryThe Long-Term Pavement Performance (LTPP) program was designed as a 20-year study of pavement performance. A major data collection effort at LTPP test sections is the collection of longitudinal profile data using inertial profilers. Three types of inertial profilers have been used since the inception of the LTPP program: (1) K.J. Law Engineers DNC 690 incandescent profilers, (2) K.J. Law Engineers T-6600 infrared-system profilers, and (3) International Cybernetics Corporation (ICC) laser profilers. The following analyses were performed for this research project: (1) investigate data collection characteristics and compare profile data collected by the different inertial profilers, (2) compare International Roughness Index (IRI) values obtained by the different inertial profilers, (3) investigate factors that contribute to differences in IRI for data obtained from profilers and Dipstick (registered), and (4) identify problems with equipment functionality and current data collection and processing procedures. The analyses indicated good agreement of IRI values among the different inertial profilers that have been used in the LTPP program