Pavement Engineering Support for the Florida DOT's State Materials Office

Problem Statement and Objectives

ARA provides technical support to the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) State Materials Office (SMO), located in Gainesville. ARA provides both personnel and equipment to perform a range of statewide pavement testing and data analysis services, including:

• Falling Weight Deflectometer (FWD) testing
• Collection of longitudinal and transverse profile data using a high-speed profiler
• Ground penetrating radar (GPR) testing
• Pavement friction testing
• Pavement performance testing and monitoring (deflection data for performance monitoring, distress data collection, etc.)
• Data analysis and reporting

ARA also supports a variety of other functions, including:

• Pavement management
• Research
• Training and technology transfer

Results and Benefits

ARA’s pavement testing data and analysis reports are used by the individual district engineers to make construction-related decisions. In 2007, ARA’s staff tested approximately 1,250 lane miles of roads in Florida. Profile data from approximately 41,000 lane miles of roadway are used to assess the condition and performance of the state’s roadways, as well as predict future rehabilitation needs.

ARA provides FDOT with an array of software tools that the state can use to compile, analyze, and prepare reports on the condition and performance of its roadways. For example, ARA engineers developed a software program that analyzes cross-slope and longitudinal grade information, which can be used to identify roadway sections with poor surface drainage and potential safety concerns. ARA routinely works with FDOT to develop mitigating solutions for these road sections.

Related

• Pavement Engineering