JOBSITE INNOVATIONS |
JESSICA LOMBARDO, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Benefits of Measuring Asphalt Density in
REAL-TIME
Contractors with real-time density calculations at their fingertips have the added advantage of a proven correlation to core densities as compared to other systems
T
here have been many advancements in Intelligent Compaction (IC) over the past few years aimed
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ASPHALT CONTRACTOR SEPTEMBER 2021
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at reducing the guesswork in the paving process. In fact, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) continues to work with many states and manufacturers to enhance IC systems that provide real-time information to the operator that’s critical to achieving target density. These factors include number of passes, mat temperature and Intelligent Compaction Measurement Value (ICMV) — each allowing operators to make informed decisions on the fly. But not all IC systems solely measure ICMV. Some systems can deliver real-time, in-place density calculations — taking ICMV a step further. Here’s a breakdown of the differences.
WHAT IS INTELLIGENT COMPACTION MEASUREMENT VALUE? Intelligent Compaction Measurement Value is a broad industry term for a measure of stiffness that’s calculated using accelerometer measurements on vibratory compactors. ICMV isn’t a measure of density itself — it’s a value used in the calculation of it. In 2014, the FHWA released a report that attempted to identify a clear correlation between ICMV calculations and in-place asphalt densities. The report found that ICMV values alone can’t reliably estimate core densities, stating, “The
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8/18/21 2:12 PM
