Abstract
The objective of the paper is to make explicit the paving operations, the related asphalt temperature and density data, and the logistic process, as a fundamental step to identify improvement opportunities. For that, temperature data, roller compactor trajectories, asphalt density, paver speed, and trucks logistics, were collected. The results, analysis, and feedback received, point to specific opportunities for improvement, including avoiding the paver start-stop cycles, uniform compaction of the entire pavement surface, and definition of roller compaction strategy.
Highlights
Using off-the-shelf technologies, the asphalt pavement construction process on a project in Chile was made explicit through collection of data on trucks logistics, paver speed, asphalt layer cooling temperature, nuclear density, and operational compaction strategies
Besides the collection and processing of data, various graphs, visualizations and animations of the construction process were designed and presented in such a way that enabled their use by the asphalt crew members. They were able to reflect on their own work, identify opportunities for improvements related to the adequate heating of the paver plate screed, or reducing the variability of roller compactor passes applying a compaction strategy, or starting the compaction sooner to avoid being close to the temperature limit when the target density is reached
By making the asphalt pavement construction process explicit, by identifying opportunities for improvement, and by developing the related quality improvement strategies, an appropriate contribution is made to the quality assurance role of the National Highway Laboratory (NHL)
Summary
The asphalt paving construction process has been based on tradition, craftsmanship and a variety of implicit, experience-based methods employed during construction activities. This construction model leaves many of the construction activities under a sort of “black box” model (Figure 1) in contrast to the pavement design or asphalt materials where a scientific approach has been applied. The situation has been aggravated by legal frameworks adopted in several countries, which prevent researchers from gaining access to actual construction projects Despite these barriers, several asphalt-construction related studies have been carried out over the past 30 years partly in response to the arrival of new technologies, such as infrared thermography and Global Positioning Systems (GPS). Two key areas have been in the focus of construction related variability studies, namely the asphalt mix temperature variability during construction, and compaction variability
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