Construction Control Of Rigid Pavement Roughness

This synthesis will be of interest to construction engineers, pavement designers, contractors, and others interested in construction of new highway pavements with smooth surfaces. Information is provided on the various devices and specifications that are being used to obtain smooth pavements. The public rates a pavement primarily on its smooth-riding characteristics and highway agencies recognize that constructing smooth pavements results in fewer problems later and lower annual maintenance costs. This report of the Transportation Research Board describes the devices and specifications highway agencies use to ensure that newly constructed pavements will provide a smooth ride.

This synthesis will be of interest to administrators, including contract and specifications administrators; research, construction, materials, specification, and design engineers; agency project managers and staff; and highway construction contractors. It describes the state of the practice with respect to the development and present status of performance-related specifications (PRS) for highway materials and construction. This report of the Transportation Research Board summarizes the historical events that have prompted U.S. interest in PRS development and describes the underlying concepts. In addition, it describes current practice with regard to PRS implementation and refers to the principal PRS literature with emphasis on performance and cost models. It emphasizes the utility of PRS in providing objective/ rational measures that can be used for special contract conditions, such as incentive or disincentive adjustments.