Road Condition Survey - mlpc Equipment designed by LCPC

www.lcpc.fr

APL
Continuous measurement of the longitudinal profil
APL - profilometer type Longitudinal Profile Analyser- is used to measure, in continuous mode, the longitudinal evenness of road pavement and airfield runways and taxiways, and more generally of any way suitable to motor vehicle whatever the pavement structure and type of surfacing. The measurement consists in the recording of one or two road profile signals generally located in the wheel tracks of the traffic lane. These profiles are processed to extract the evenness characteristics of the pavement surface. APL is the more recent version of this profiling instrument developed on LCPC widely used in France and throughout the world.

Principle:
The sensor consists of a trailer connected to a towing vehicle by a universal joint. The evenness defects of the profile are translated into electrical signals by a double transformation: The trailer represents a quarter vehicle of which the centre of the wheel follows the pavement profile at all time thanks to the ballasted frame and a suitable suspension. The vertical movements E of the wheel axle result in angular movement of the wheel holder arm. A low frequency pendulum provides the inertial reference basis for the translation of the angular movement of the wheel holder arm into road profile height values. The decoupling function of the pendulum minimizes the effects of the vertical excitations of the towing vehicle. The result of the measurement consists in the recording of one or two road profiles generally located in the wheel tracks of the traffic lane. The system with one or two trailers is operated by an electronics in charge of sampling and recording the signals. This electronics is in the towing vehicle. Recorded data are files containing the numerical values of the amplitudes of the variation of height of the profiles along the measuring tracks with a sampling longitudinal interval of 0.05 m The wavelengths contained in the profiles recorded by APL are speed dependant. For the nominal speed of 72 km/h (20m/s), APL records without distortion and attenuation the wavelength ranged between 0.7 m and 50 m.
Principle sketch

Description:
The sensor is a light trailer type device with a single cycle type wheel composed of: an unsuspended wheel holder arm made of alloy structure including the pendulum inertial system giving the measurement of the sampled profile heights and the sensor to locate these values along the measuring track; the cycle type wheel which circularity and balancing are carefully checked; a ballasted welded tubular chassis, suspended by a spring and damper suspension which are set to guarantee a constant dynamic response of the suspended mass over the passing band of the device. It is equipped with signalling devices in compliance with rules in force. The electronic rack located in the vehicle is a computer driven unit. This computer is of industrial type equipped with a high speed data acquisition card and recording units to record the digitised signals and a stabilised energy supply of 220 V AC or 12 V DC. The operator workplace is equipped with a flat tactile screen, a keyboard and a mouse. The driver has its own display. The software included in this electronic and computer system not only performs the conditioning, the acquisition and the storage of the numerical values of the signals but it also assists the operator for the measurement session and offers a system to record identifiers and pinpointing features of the section measured.

Characteristics:
Metrological characteristics Vertical amplitude: measurement range 80mm, resolution = 0.1mm, Longitudinal distance: resolution 0.05 m, accuracy = 0.1%, Frequency pass band: 0.4 Hz 30 Hz, Measurement speed from a few km/h to 144km/h, Sampling longitudinal interval: 0.05m, File size: 150 kbytes/km. Independence of weather and pavement condition (dry/wet), High performance and high measurement speed (up to 144km/h), Independence of type of vehicle, Independence of trailer from electronics, Multi index capability: practically all evenness indices can be calculated (IRI, NBO, ...), Measurement analysis in the vehicle or in the laboratory, Varied presentation of results: graph of profile, tables of index values, route diagram, Portability of all data files in text format to any data base. Dimensions and weight Trailer: - Dimensions Length: 2.30 m , Width: 0.55 m, Height: 1.22 m (including reflecting spots), - Weight: 120 kg, - Hooking charge: 45 kg. Electronic and computing unit: - Length: 0.53 m , Width: 0.55 m, Height: 0.30 m, - Weight: 36 kg.

Measurement analysis and expression of the results:

The first result of the measurement session consists in giving numerical values (height) of sampled profile signals. The raw data are processed to give various evenness indices (Wave Band Analysis, CAPL 25, IRI,) and /or spectral analysis curves (PSD) thanks to the programs implemented in APL2000. Most of the indices used throughout the world can be computed from APL road profile files including the International Roughness Index. In France the evenness indices most often used are: Wave band energies and marks are computed from three files obtained by filtering the profiles files recorded for a measurement carried out at 20 m/s. The raw data are filtered according to the following wavebands: short wavelengths (0.707 m to 2.828 m), medium wavelengths (2.828 m to 11.312 m), long wavelengths (11.312 m to 45.248 m). Energies and marks are computed each 20 m, 100 m and 200 m respectively for short, medium and long wavebands. The APL 25 coefficient is computed for segment length of 25 m from the APL profile for a measuring speed of 6m/s. CAPL25 is proportional to the arithmetic average of the absolute values of profile height with a sampling space of 0.25 m. The waveband for the CAPL25 is 0.3-13 m.

Applications:
To help in the execution of pavement constructions works, To check the compliance with contract specifications for new pavement courses, To monitor the condition of a road networks for pavement management systems, To diagnose the condition of specific sections and determine appropriate remedies. Furthermore, the metrological performances of APL are such that it can be used both for operational studies and research.
Software interface

Condition of use:
APL can be used alone with one (single track mode ) or two trailers (twotracks mode) or associated with other measuring functions (multifunction equipment). For the two tracks mode inaccordance with the measurement to be carried out the trailers measuring tracks can be freely chosen (wheel tracks, middle of lane). APL can be installed very easily on any type of vehicle. APL is operational independently of the weather and pavement condition (damp, wet). The measuring speed is chosen according to the wavelengths to be analysed and to the type of study to be done (acceptance test, periodic survey, detailed analysis of sections,). For the computation of some evenness indices the measuring speed must be kept more or less constant. Operation conditions and processing of profiles measurements from the APL are defined in the LCPC test method N46 Longitudinal evenness measurement on roads and airfield runways and taxiways. They are also in accordance with the specifications of the draft of European standard on road evenness project and two standards NF 98 218-3 and ISO 8608. All analysis and the printing of their results can be done on board the towing vehicle as soon as the measurement has been completed or they can be done later. The APL 2000 software is associated with the system, different signal processing modules listed hereafter have been developed: - computation of most the main world evenness indices (Wave Band Energies, French CAPL 25, International Roughness Index, Belgium CP, ), - help in the application of the French regulation regarding road evenness for construction, rehabilitation and maintenance works, - detailed analysis of road profiles (Power Spectral Density, local defect analysis,). APL 2000 comprises a set of users friendly and efficient programs (measuring session management, profile and results recording in text files or sent to a printer), utilizing the most recent programming techniques.

The mlpc equipments for road conditions survey are designed by LCPC and the Centres dEtudes Techniques de lEquipement (CETE). These equipments are distributed by the VECTRA company, licenced by LCPC for manufacturing and marketing.

Unit for design studies and manufacturing ZI route de Tours - 36500 Buzanais - France
Information contained in this document does not have any contractual value; LCPC & Vectra reserve themselves the right to modify some parts or characteristics according to technological evolutions.

www.vectra.fr

APL-GB LCPC/Vectra 09/07

Inertial reference by low frequency pendulum Recording electronical unit

Main offices: 34, rue de Panicale - 78320 La Verrire - France Tel. 33 (0)1 30 66 01 77 - Fax 33 (0)1 30 62 90 06 E.mail vectra@vectra.fr