Measurement and Characterization of Asphalt Pavement Surface Macrotexture Using Three Dimensional Laser Scanning Technology

Pavement macrotexture plays a critical role in highway users' safety. It is also closely related to tire-pavement interaction noise. In recent years, continuous effort has been made toward three-dimensional (3D) macrotexture measurement in the field to accommodate pavement management. This study presents a newly developed macrotexture measuring system with 3D laser scanning technology. The underlying system demonstrates a series of desirable properties including: (1) 3D surface feature, (2) high speed data collection, (3) large sampling capacity, (4) high resolution and accuracy, and (5) ease of operation. Based on data collected on a real-world asphalt pavement by the system, it is demonstrated that the existing pavement macrotexture evaluation indexes are extended from two-dimensional (2D) to 3D. By comparison, it is shown that the 3D indexes are able to characterize pavement macrotexture in a more comprehensive and realistic manner. The correlation among the 3D indexes is also evaluated, which provides pavement researchers and engineers more flexibility in selecting relevant indexes in macrotexture property evaluation.