ALBERTA TRANSPORTATION CONSTRUCTION BULLETIN #25 PAVEMENT SMOOTHNESS TESTING AND EVALUATION USING INTERNATIONAL ROUGHNESS INDEX CRITERIA

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1 ALBERTA TRANSPORTATION CONSTRUCTION BULLETIN #25 PAVEMENT SMOOTHNESS TESTING AND EVALUATION USING INTERNATIONAL ROUGHNESS INDEX CRITERIA Background Beginning in early 2014 all paving projects include smoothness testing specifications using high speed inertial profilers (IP) and International Roughness Index (IRI) criteria. This construction bulletin replaces section Pavement Smoothness Assessment in the Consultant Engineering Guidelines for Highway and Bridge Projects Volume 2, Construction Contract Administration for contracts including IRI specifications. Acceptance testing is to be provided by the Contractor. Verification testing, discussed later in this bulletin, is only completed when required by the Project Sponsor. This bulletin provides guidance on the monitoring and reporting activities to be completed by the Consultant. Pavements not subject to smoothness testing shall be checked by the Consultant for surface evenness using a three (3) metre long straightedge as outlined in the specifications. Prior to Testing Prior to testing the Consultant shall liaison with the Contractor and/or the IP operator to review which portions of the job are to be tested and/or excluded from assessment and the type of smoothness criteria to be applied (i.e. multi-lift versus single lift versus mill and inlay). Paint markings should be used on the pavement, or other visual means, to indicate limits of excluded areas or changes in smoothness criteria. A listing of pre-qualified firms for Pavement Smoothness Inertial Profilers is provided on the Transportation web-site. Report Submissions After testing the Contractor is to provide the Consultant with an electronic copy (.ppf format) of profile data along with reports for Ride Quality (IRI reported for each wheel path on a sublot basis) and Smoothness Assurance (Areas of Localized Roughness). The Consultant shall review the reports to identify sublots in reject and Areas of Localized Roughness (ALR). The Consultant shall inspect and drive these areas to determine if repairs are required or penalties applied without repair as outlined in the specification. Sample reports are attached. These reports are generated using the software program known as ProVAL (Profile Viewing and Analysis). This program was developed under the sponsorship of the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and can be downloaded for free at The Consultant is to review the ProVAL reports to ensure that the proper parameters and settings were applied as outlined in the specification, specifically: 250 mm filter is applied for IRI analysis, Ride Quality IRI is calculated using a fixed interval of 100 m. ALR analysis is completed using a continuous short interval of 7.62 m for the right wheel path and an IRI limiting value of 2.40 m/km (or as specified in the contract). Areas to be excluded from testing or assessment are properly identified. April,

2 ALBERTA TRANSPORTATION CONSTRUCTION BULLETIN #25 Consultants should also have the capability to use the ProVAL software in order to complete their own profile analysis for quality assurance checks completed on a limited basis. Profile viewing using ProVAL is also helpful in dealing with rejected sublots or ALR. The Contractor is to provide Smoothness Summary Spreadsheets for Ride Quality Bonus/Penalty and Areas of Localized Roughness. The Consultant shall review the spreadsheet reports in regards to: Completeness of contract header information. Proper identification of areas to be excluded from testing or assessment. Proper type of construction identified (i.e. multi-lift versus single lift). Proper payment assessment rates used (penalty rates changed in January 2014). Km stations reported matches reasonably well to contract limits (minor deviations may be expected due to the operation of the Distance Measure Instrument). Random calculation checks for a few sublots and ALR. The Consultant shall inform the Contractor and/or IP operator to correct and resubmit any reports with incomplete or erroneous information. Sample summary spreadsheets for penalty/bonus payment assessments are attached and are located on-line in Appendix B of the Engineering Consultant Guidelines for Highways and Bridges Volume 2. Once the following reports have been checked by the Consultant they are to be sent to trans.constructqa@gov.ab.ca as soon as possible but no later than three weeks after the IP testing. ProVAL summary reports for Ride Quality and Smoothness Assurance (.pdf) Smoothness Summary Spreadsheets (.xlxs format). Electronic profile data as submitted by the IP operator. The ProVAL and spreadsheet reports are to be included within the Final Details package in.pdf format along with the form D.18 Final Details (IRI ACP-EPS) that is located in Appendix D of the Engineering Consultant Guidelines for Highway and Bridge Projects Volume 2. Verification Testing Verification testing is described in the IRI smoothness specification and may be initiated by the Department to re-test a project, or portion of, using a pre-qualified firm different to that used by the Contractor. When verification testing is requested by the Project Sponsor, the Consultant shall arrange for and coordinate the testing including liaison with the Contractor. Effective Date: 2014 construction season with contracts containing IRI specifications. 2 April, 2014

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4 FIGURE 1 Sample ProVAL Analysis: Ride Quality Inputs Threshold (m/km): 1.55 Segment Length (m): Selections File Profile Section Apply 250mm Filter 12435_630_02_r1 Left Elevation Full Yes 12435_630_02_r1 Right Elevation Full Yes Threshold is the lowest MIRI value to trigger reject of a sublot. Sublot length of 100 m. Both wheel paths used to determine the Mean IRI (MIRI). Leave-outs 12435_630_02_r1 Contract No.: Hwy No.: 630 Control Section: 02 1 st lane right of centerline: R1 Start Distance (km) Stop Distance (km) Results 12435_630_02_r1 Start Distance (km) Length (m) Name RailTracks1 Stop Distance (km) Length (m) Left Elevation - IRI (m/km) Right Elevation - IRI (m/km) Within ProVAL this Ride Quality data (and ALR) can be copied and then inserted into the AT spreadsheets for calculating penalty/bonus assessments. ProVAL Page 1 of 2 Tuesday, February 04, :17:20 AM

5 FIGURE 2 Sample ProVAL Analysis: Smoothness Assurance Selections File Profile Section Apply 250mm Filter 12435_630_02_r1 Right Elevation Full Yes Right wheel path used for ALR. Leave-outs 12435_630_02_r1 Start Distance (km) Stop Distance (km) Contract No.: Hwy No.: 630 Control Section: 02 1 st lane right of centerline: R1 Length (m) Name RailTracks1 Short Continuous Segment Length (m): 7.62 Threshold (m/km): 2.40 Specified inputs to determine ALR Leave-outs a.k.a. Excluded Areas are not subject to assessement. All results to be reported without using the Grinding option within ProVAL. No Grinding Start Distance (km) Stop Distance (km) IRI (m/km) Pavement with short continuous IRI greater than 2.40 m/km are defined as Areas of Localized Roughness (ALR). Ride Quality summary (Fixed Interval) is also contained at the end of this report. Other ProVAL summaries within this report (not required for AT) includes Long Continuous and histograms in both table and chart format. ProVAL Page 1 of 6 Tuesday, February 04, :16:42 AM

6 Ride Quality Report Contract No: Type of Test: Acceptance Hwy Number: 630 Contractor: ABC Paving Control Section: Lane: Direction: 2 R1 EB IP Operator: John Fisher Test Date: (mm/dd/yyyy) 2/4/2014 Ride Quality Bonus/Penalty Summary Appendix B20.a Excluded Area? Type of Cons. Sublot Payment Sublot Station (km) Length IRI (m/km) MIRI Yes or SI,SII,or SIII Assessment Number Start End (m) Left Right (m/km) No ($) no SII no SII no SII no SII yes SII Excluded Area Total Assessment Comments: Rail tracks excluded from km to Sublot #5 speed limit < 70 km/hr through the town of Jonesville Notes:Rejected sublots are assessed at -$500 and to be evaluated by Consultant for need of repair. Appendix B20.a, Revised on January 2014 Page 1 of 1

7 Areas of Localized Roughness Report Contract No: Type of Test: Acceptance Hwy Number 630 Contractor: ABC Paving Control Section 2 IP Operator: John Fisher Test Date: Lane: R1 (mm/dd/yyyy) 2/4/2014 Direction: EB Appendix B20.b Areas of Localized Roughness Summary Station (km) IRI (m/km) Length Excluded Area? Type of Cons. Penalty Start End Right (m) Yes or No SI,SII,or SIII Assessment $ no SII -$ no SII -$ no SII $ no SII -$ yes SII Excluded Area Comments: Man hole cover at km Total Assessment -$ Page 1 of 1 Appendix B20.b, revised on January 2014