Using Infrared and High-speed Ground-penetrating Radar for Uniformity Measurements on New HMA Layers

"In this project researchers summarized the availability of infrared and radar systems suitable for testing essentially the entire surface area during new hot-mix asphalt construction, and then they demonstrated an infrared (IR) sensor bar system and two ground-penetrating radar (GPR) systems on construction projects in each of the four American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) regions. The thermal profiling system demonstrated provides a real-time view of thermal uniformity and in general correlated well with the constructed mat density. The IR system is now commercially available and should be considered for implementation into agency specifications. This report presents options for how agencies could implement the infrared technology. Demonstration of the GPR systems showed they are suitable for evaluating pavement uniformity and in general can detect low-density defect areas in new overlays. However, streamlining of the data collection and processing needs to take place before GPR can be widely implemented and incorporated into specifications. This report presents a framework for accomplishing the automation of the GPR process to achieve an implementable system"--Publisher description.