Investigation of pavement raveling performance using smartphone

Abstract

Raveling is one of the critical modes of failure in open graded asphalt mixtures. The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) Districts 4 and 6, located in southeastern Florida, have experienced a large amount of premature raveling with Open Graded Friction Course mixes (OGFC) compared to the other districts in Florida. To investigate the reason of raveling occurrence, the research team devised a data collection tool for smartphones and developed software to measure the raveling area and its location and severity in video images using smartphone GPS capability. The data used in this study were extracted from different FDOT database systems, such as the Laboratory Information Management System (LIMS) and the Electronic Data Management System (EDMS), as well as from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).Ten projects were surveyed by the research team, and numerical raveling statistics were developed and compared with qualitative raveling ratings provided by FDOT. Good correlation was found between the two methods. The comparison was used to establish thresholds of good performance. Such thresholds can be used to develop performance specifications or warranty benchmarks.The relative effects of mix design, construction, and environmental factors were also studied. A project level of analysis was conducted. Several hypotheses were evaluated to determine the cause of premature raveling. Data analysis results indicate significant correlations between raveling and ambient temperature, mix temperature, mix spread rate, and gradation. In light of this study, recommendations were made to enhance the longevity of the OGFC mixtures.