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Statewide Implementation of Total Pavement Acceptance Device (TPAD)

TPAD Improvements Enhance Road Maintenance for Texas

What Was the Need?

In 2012, as part of TxDOT project 0-6005, a new, multifunction pavement testing device was developed through a joint effort between TxDOT, the Center for Transportation Research (CTR), and the Texas A&M Transportation Institute at Texas A&M University (TTI). This device is called the total pavement acceptance device, or TPAD. It combines six different data-gathering devices into a single machine that tests the condition of pavements—which is far more comprehensive and useful than using the individual devices separately. But the question remained: would it work in actual use by TxDOT road crews? In 2013, CTR and TTI needed to use the TPAD on different types of pavement around the state to see if actual use called for any adjustments or improvements.

What's the Solution?

CTR and TTI researchers demonstrated the TPAD for 10 TxDOT Districts upon request from those Districts. The researchers also used the TPAD in 11 studies in eight Districts. As a result of those studies, the researchers identified several areas for improvement. They increased functionality by replacing the sole air-pressure control system for the rolling sensors with three separate air-pressure control systems (one for each of the sensors), as well as by modifying and improving the towing frame used to position and raise/lower the rolling sensors.

Research Benefits

In its statewide implementation, the TPAD successfully evaluated the remaining life of current pavement, helping District engineers select optimum rehabilitation schemes and identify problematic areas over a wide range of pavements, such as hot mix asphalt, jointed concrete pavement, continuously reinforced concrete pavement, and composite pavement.

Project Number

5-6005-01

Status

Completed

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Project Details

Start Date

9/1/2012

End Date

10/31/2014

Performing Institution(s)

Center for Transportation Research (CTR)

Research Team

RS: Kenneth H. Stokoe, II

Sponsor

Project Manager

Joe Adams

Publications from this Project

Page:

More TxDOT Projects Like This

Functional Area

Construction and Maintenance

Index Terms

Demonstration projects
Distance measuring equipment
Global Positioning System
Ground penetrating radar
Implementation
Surface temperature
Temperature measuring instruments
Video imaging detectors

Lead University

CTR

Researcher

Stokoe, Kenneth H

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Comments

kac2579

Districts contact DarHao Chen in Austin for testing under Interagency Agreement

12/8/2015 at 12:57 PM

Helpful?

Record Added:

7/9/2014

Record Updated:

6/1/2023 5:30 AM EDT

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