ARA provides pavement evaluation services for both in-service and newly constructed pavements.  Evaluations of in-service pavements are primarily to support pavement rehabilitation efforts, whereas investigations on newly constructed pavements focus on verifying compliance and/or addressing disputes. 

When evaluating an in-service pavement structure, we apply advanced technologies to assess existing pavement conditions, identify remaining pavement service life, and develop cost-effective pavement rehabilitation strategies.  A comprehensive pavement evaluation would include the following steps:

1. Distress survey to assess current pavement conditions
2. Deflection testing to quantify structural conditions
3. Pavement coring, soil borings, and laboratory testing
4. Analysis of remaining pavement service life
5. Identification of feasible rehabilitation alternatives
6. A detailed life cycle cost analysis to select the preferred alternative
7. Final design of selected rehabilitation strategies based on site conditions and expected traffic

This process applies to both roadway and airfield pavements.

We conduct our visual distress surveys using foot-on-ground crews or our digital survey vehicle (DSV), depending on project requirements.  The DSV collects high-resolution of the pavement surface and right-of-way while traveling at posted speeds.  In addition, the DSV measures longitudinal profile (roughness) and transverse profile (rutting and cross slope) of the pavement surface.

In conducting pavement structural evaluations, ARA routinely uses the falling weight deflectometer (FWD), an impulse-loading device that simulates vehicle loadings and allows our engineers to assess the load-carrying capabilities of the in-place pavement.  ARA owns a fleet of FWDs that are mobilized from locations throughout North America, allowing us to be responsive in short notice. 

Additionally, depending on project requirements, ARA employs the use of:

• Dynamic cone penetrometer (DCP) to assess subgrade conditions
• Ground penetrating radar (GPR) for evaluating layer thickness and voids around underground utility investigations
• Friction testing equipment to measure skid resistance
• Retro-reflectometers to measure reflectivity of signs and pavement marking
• Rolling wheel deflectometer (RWD) to measure pavement response under a moving wheel load