ROUGHNESS COMPUTER PROGRAM FOR ENGINEERS AND MANAGEMENT

In this paper, a computer program developed to analyze pavement profile data is reported. The main functions of the program are to determine the present serviceability index and to analyze ride quality, either by use of the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) standard 2031 or the University of Virginia (UVA) model. The primary input is the pavement profile data. The present serviceability index analysis gives the user a value for every 0.1 mile, or any interval up to the total length of the pavement profile, at a user-specified vehicle velocity. The ride-quality analyses give the user the estimated exposure time of reduced comfort or fatigue if the ISO weights are used; if the UVA model is used, a ride quality index is given. For either model, the user can select the vehicle type, a linear or nonlinear transfer function, and the vehicle velocity. The program also includes some auxiliary functions, such as a paver-grinder simulator and a profilometer simulation that can produce, from the raw profilometer signals, a digital file of the profile as a function of distance. This paper discusses the models and simulations used. Although some of the analysis methods have been discussed in the literature, they have not previously been integrated into a single versatile package. Thus, a complete pavement surface analysis program (including several methods not reported in the literature) is available for pavement management. (Author)