Estimating PCI using vibration data for asphalt concrete pavements

Abstract

The pavement condition index (PCI) provides an indication of the current performance of a pavement, and takes the form of a numerical rating, with 0 being the worst possible condition and 100 being the best. The PCI is a subjective method for the evaluation of pavements that is based on inspection and observation. Knowledgeable and experienced pavement engineers make a systematic evaluation of road conditions by driving on the road network, and enter their observations into a database for further evaluation. This case study made use of PAVER software to obtain PCI values for twenty road sections that experience different volumes of traffic in the Samsun region. First, the condition of each road section was evaluated using the PAVER procedure, after which, vertical vibration data was recorded for the same road sections using accelerometers mounted at three different locations within the car: the driver's seat, over the central axis and the front passenger seat. The car was driven at a constant 40 km/h during the tests. In the final stage, the relationship between the vibration data and the PCI values obtained during the site study was examined, and PCI prediction models were created for use in the assessment of urban roads. © Avestia Publishing, 2017.