Innovative construction technology used on pavement improvement project

Not to brag, but the compaction we’re featuring in today’s video is pretty smart.

So smart that it’s actually referred to as intelligent compaction.

What makes it intelligent is the fact that it utilizes sophisticated technology that allows crews to collect real-time information. Having that information makes them smart too and means they can immediately address any compaction issues with the new pavement.

As you can see in the video above, crews are using intelligent compaction methods on an I-40 repaving project. The special vibrating rollers they employ come equipped with an integrated measurement system, a map-based GPS and an onboard display and computer reporting system.

Wondering why it’s worth going to lengths to get compaction just right? Flagstaff Regional Materials Engineer Nye McCarty sums it up really well.

“Compaction is one of the vital characteristics of pavement,” he says in the video. “If we don’t have enough compaction, the material simply won’t be dense enough and what that means is that it’s more porous. So it’s susceptible to moisture, the environment and that includes the air, which means it will age faster. If we over compact it, then the problem we see often is rutting and that’s something we also want to avoid. So we have, really a sweet spot that our specifications try to target.”

Hitting that target means you get better results all around.

“The intent with the intelligent compaction is that by creating a better product up front, something that is more durable and longer-lasting, we’ll not need to put forth the maintenance dollars and the time and the effort to maintain potholes and seal cracks, so we’ll get longer lasting life and better performance and spend less money in the long run,” McCarty said.

You can learn even more about intelligent compaction in this post from last year.