Abstract
Studies have indicated that the prime factor that influences the user's opinion of a road is longitudinal roughness. California profilographs are widely used for roughness control and are the foundation of many incentive/disincentive specifications. However, there is concern about how well this profilograph responds to the wavelengths of a pavement profile that are felt by highway users. A user's perception of ride quality is influenced by a combination of many factors, including speed, vehicle characteristics, and road profile. All roughness testing devices currently in use have limitations—particularly in providing rapid, meaningful results during construction. Wavelength and amplitude data are included from the roughest-riding sections of two resurfacing projects in North Carolina. Although the California profilograph is widely used for construction roughness control, the response of this device is very poor within the wavelength range found on these projects. If the disturbance wavelengths mainly responsible for causing rough rides fall within a narrow range, then an appropriate length straightedge, when provided with graphical capability, can provide a low-cost, simple, and practical means for controlling roughness during construction.
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