The Development of a Simple Instrument for Measuring Pavement Roughness and Predicting Pavement Rideability

Based on the results of recent research, it is possible to develop performance specifications for a simple instrument that would measure profile-type roughness in only one wheelpath—instead of two, as in the profilometer—and which would compute a roughness index that is as highly correlated with pavement rideability measurements as the roughness indexes derived from the full profile. This paper summarizes the results of the research that led up to the development of these specifications, describes the potential accuracy and validity of this instrument in measuring pavement roughness and predicting rideability—including comparisons with a profilometer—and summarizes its design specifications. This instrument would retain the advantages of the profilometer in terms of accuracy and validity in predicting pavement rideability from pavement roughness measurements, while also retaining the advantages of a response-type roughness measuring system in terms of low cost, ease of use, and data analysis.