1 SERVICEABILITY INDEX - Asphalt concrete pavements AASHTO-93 method.

The Serviceability Index is defined as the necessary condition of a pavement to provide to

users a safe and comfortable handling at a given moment. Initially this
condition was quantified through the opinion of the drivers, whose responses were tabulated
on a scale of 5 to 1:

Currently, a more objective assessment of this index is carried out through an equation.
mathematics based on the inventory of pavement failures:

Flexible Pavement:

Where:
SV : Variation of the grades of the alignment in the longitudinal direction in relation to the
initial slope (Roughness in the longitudinal direction).
Cf: Sum of the fissured areas in feet2and of the longitudinal cracks and
transversals in linear feet, per 1000 feet2of pavement.
P: Paved area in feet2per 1000 feet2of pavement.
RD: Average depth of grooving in inches. Measures transverse roughness.

Before designing the pavement, the initial and final service indices must be chosen. The index of
initial service depends on the design and the quality of the construction. In the pavements
flexible pavements studied by AASHTO, the new pavement reached an average value of po = 4.2.

The final service index pt represents the lowest index that can be tolerated by the pavement.
before its rehabilitation through reinforcement or reconstruction becomes essential.
the assumed value depends on the importance of the road and the criteria of the designer, it is suggested
for high traffic roads a value of pt ≥2.5 and for low traffic roads pt = 2.0.

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 2) When the driver travels for the first time or repeatedly on a roadway
experience the feeling of safety or insecurity depending on what they see and the degree of
difficulty in controlling the vehicle. The main factor associated with safety and comfort of
user is the bearing quality that depends on the regularity or surface roughness of
pavement. The assessment of this parameter defines the concept of Serviceability Index
Present (PSI, for its initials in English).

The PSI rates the surface of the pavement according to a scale of values.
Relating to the physical characteristics that the pavement can present such as
cracks, faults, peeling, etc. That could affect the load-bearing capacity of the structure.

This indicator is widely accepted and used around the world in research and by
road agencies due to the perception that the user has.

1. THEORETICAL FOUNDATION

HISTORICAL REVIEW:

AASHTO (American Association of State Highway Officials) developed a test in 1959.

in which it established the servility based on the average of the evaluations of all the
users.
This average gives rise to the index known as Present Serviciability Rating, PSR.
Then, since serviceability is the perception that users have of the level of service
from the pavement, a rating scale of 0 to 5 was defined. In it, an evaluation with a score of 5
a score of 10 means a perfect surface, while a score of 0 means impassable.
To reduce the subjective nature of this index, these evaluations were related to
certain physical characteristics of the pavement that can be measured objectively. From this
this is how the so-called Present Serviciability Index, PSI (Serviceability Index) is obtained
Present.
Ultimately, it is possible to replace the subjective rating of serviceability with an index.
numeric calculated from measurable physical variables (deteriorations).

CONCEPTS:

Present Serviceability Index (PSI).- To evaluate the serviceability of the pavement, it is

uses the parameter known as Present Serviceability Index (PSI), which establishes the
functional condition or current service capacity of the pavement.
The PSI values are evaluated using a scale that ranges from 0 to 5, where the condition
optimal corresponds to the maximum value.

In Peru, the analytical determination of PSI is carried out using the established expression.
by Sayers (3), which relates Roughness to the Serviceability Index.

R=5.5Ln(5.0/PSI)±25%, for R<12

R Roughness, IRI (International Roughness Index)

PSI = Índice de Serviciabilidad Presente
The expression is a correlation developed with the database established in the Essay.
International Conference on Road Roughness, held in Brazil in 1982.
The passability of the road, that is to say, the adjectivation of the quality of service that it provides in a
At a specific moment, the pavement is assessed based on the calculated PSI values.
according to the following ranges:

* Factors that influence the loss of serviceability of a pavement.

Traffic
Environment
Age of the pavement.

Trend in the behavior of pavements.

* Reference PSI values for pavements.

The table below shows some reference values for new pavements and level of
restoration for the serviceability index as defined by AASHTO.
Curva de comportamiento de un pavimento

So to obtain the curve of the Figure, different points can be associated with values.
of the Serviceability Index as shown in the Table. This indicates that for different moments
In the life of pavements there will be associated serviceability index values. The importance of...
The importance of this lies in the fact that it is possible to define certain values of the indicator for decision making.
decisions.
The equations to determine the Present Serviceability Index (PSI) include,
depending on the type of pavement, measurements of tracking, cracking, potholes and
irregularities of the pavement; being the latter the one that dominates the estimated values of
serviceability. This means that pavement irregularities have the greatest effect on
the assessment of users who rate the quality of rolling. According to the above, it is
that many transportation agencies relate the serviceability index to the measurements of the
regularity of the pavement.
So, how is it possible to represent the behavior of a pavement over time?
based on serviceability index values, it can also be represented in practice
said behavior through the pavement regularity (roughness).

Roughness.

Roughness differs from other measurements of the geometric characteristics of the surface.
as the mostly used macrotexture and microtexture by the wavelengths and
amplitudes of the irregularities in the direction of travel.
The textures basically depend on the aggregates used (surface texture, granulometry)
and maximum size) and the matrix (bituminous mixtures or concretes) and the defects of
surface irregularity, which manifests through waves of greater length, are
due to the implementation (extension, compaction) of deformations in the structure of the
pavement under traffic or to deformations of the wearing course.
While textures are associated with slip resistance, surface regularity
(roughness) is associated with the quality and comfort of the vehicle's ride.

Methods for measuring roughness.

Classification of methods
The various methods to measure the roughness that exist in the world can be grouped into
according to the classification given by the World Bank (4), into four generic classes, with
regarding how direct the correlation they use to relate their measures to the
International Roughness Index (IRI).

BPR rugosimeter, response type.

Methods Class 1

Based on highly accurate topographic profile measurements, these methods are

they are considered the most accurate that exist for the determination of the IRI. The methods of
Class 1 establishes the roughness through the very accurate determination of the profile.
longitudinal of a pavement, with measurements spaced every 0.25 m and elevations with precision
0.5 mm. This class includes methods based on the measurement of the profile of
pavement with the TRRL Beam profilometer, and, with a rod and precision level.

Methods Class 2

This class includes all the other methods in which roughness is determined over the
basis of the measurement of the longitudinal profile, but with less accuracy than those of Class
These methods resort to the use of high-speed profilometers or static measurements with
equipment similar to Class 1, but with lower accuracy levels. Among the
high-speed profilometers are available, the APL Trailer and GMRtype Inertial Profilometer.
Both Class 1 and Class 2 methods establish roughness in IRI units.
using computer programs, which are based on mathematical algorithms that
simulate the dynamic response experienced by a vehicle's suspension system
model, when "transiting" through the measured profile. This response is finally synthesized in the
accumulated relative vertical momentum per unit length, expressed in
m/km and is referred to as IRI.

* Methods Class 3

In this class, there are methods that rely on the use of a correlation equation to the
estimation of the IRI. These methods, also known as 'response type' (Response-Type
Road Roughness Measuring System, or simply, RTRRMS), establish the roughness
based on the detection of the relative motion experienced by the suspension system
a passenger vehicle or a towed trailer, when traveling on the pavement.
The measurements made using Class 3 methods depend on the characteristics
dynamics of a vehicle, to provide roughness parameters that can
to correlate with the International Roughness Index (IRI). However, the properties
The dynamics of each vehicle are unique and change over time, so the
direct measurements must be correlated with the IRI using an equation of
calibration, which must be obtained experimentally and specifically for the vehicle
employee.

This class also includes methods that use other types of instruments to measure the
roughness, different from an RTRRMS, that are capable of generating parameters
reasonably correlated with the IRI scale. So, a method to measure
roughness qualifies as Class 3 if it employs some type of correlation equation,
regardless of the type of instrumentation or vehicle used for obtaining the
basic roughness measurement.
Class 3 methods use various types of equipment, such as the Mays Meter.
(North American), Bump Integrator (English), NAASRA Meter (Australian), etc., all of them
commercially produced.

E.1.4 Methods Class 4

Hay situaciones en las que se requieren datos de rugosidad sin necesidad de una gran
precision or it is simply not possible to obtain accurate data; However, it becomes desirable
relate the measurements to the IRI scale. In such cases, an evaluation can be used.
subjective, whether through prior experience traveling paths or based on a
visual inspection. Another possibility is to use the measurements obtained with an uncalibrated device,
just like an RTRRMS. In fact, a response-type team that is not calibrated falls within the
Class 4 category.

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Although there are also response-type equipment (Bump Integrator) in Peru, its use has been
quite limited. Regarding the quality of results, the experience has not been very
fortunate, mainly due to the lack of accuracy in the calibrations carried out or
to the impossibility of maintaining the conditions under which they were initially calibrated
teams, which has affected the achievement of results inconsistent with the status of the
evaluated pavements.
Consequently, the greatest experience in Peru is related to the method based on
the use of the roughness meter called MERLIN, developed by the TRRL of Great Britain. Of
according to the World Bank classification, the MERLIN measurement method qualifies by the
format as Class 3, since it uses a correlation equation to relate the
values determined by the IRI scale. However, because it was designed as a
variation of a static profilometer, and due to the great accuracy of its results, is
considered as a Class 1 method.
The MERLIN is a simple design device that operates according to the principle of the lever.
It has the ability to detect and amplify the irregularities present on the surface of
flooring. What the MERLIN finally measures is not the magnitude of the deformations but their
variability. The principle that underpins the method is that the greater the variability, the greater the result.
magnitude of the roughness.
To calculate the roughness of the pavements with the MERLIN, it has initially been used in a
original method proposed by the TRRL. Subsequently, modifications were made in order to
to achieve better performance with the team. Likewise, a new equation was developed
correlation, based on the Peruvian experience, that is used for quality control
of new pavements. The complete development of the methodology currently used
you can find in reference (7).

EXAMPLE OF APPLICATION:

In the period from 1992 to 1996, a large rehabilitation program was carried out in Peru.
roads, financed by the Inter-American Development Bank, which was under the
initial administration of the Project Executing Unit of the Ministry of Transport,
Communications, Housing and Construction (UEP), which later became the
Special Program for Transportation Infrastructure Rehabilitation (PERT). The works
they understood the repair of the Pan-American Highway and the Central Highway, roadways
fundamental for Peru. Consequently, these roads were the first to be
evaluated for the determination of their roughness, first during the studies for their
rehabilitation and subsequently at the end of the construction stage. Subsequently, a
second rehabilitation program that continues to date, which includes the main
penetration routes into the interior of the country, and consequently, the measurements extend
to said network.
 Roughness and serviceability results

The upper table presents the roughness and serviceability results for the various
tipos de pavimentos que comprendieron los proyectos evaluados en el Perú. Se presentan
also results obtained on road pavements in El Salvador and Bolivia, in order to
to have a comparative framework that allows appreciating the results in relation to other realities.
The new asphalt pavements in Peru exhibit a Characteristic Roughness
average equal to 2.21 m/km, with a maximum of 3.57 m/km and a minimum of 1.35 m/km. The PSI
The average of these pavements is 3.37, with a maximum of 3.91 and a minimum of 2.61.
Trafficability, defined according to the criteria presented, ranges from Good to Fair. The
results of roughness and serviceability obtained outdoors present magnitudes
similar to Peruvian pavements.
The old asphalt pavements that were evaluated during the execution of studies of
rehabilitation, showed an average Characteristic Roughness of 6.28m/km, with a
a maximum of 9.81m/km and a minimum of 1.63m/km. The average PSI of these pavements is
1.73, with a maximum of 3.72 and a minimum of 0.84. The Transitivity is therefore
very variable and ranges from good to terrible.
The asphalt resurfacing that was carried out as part of the rehabilitation of the highway.
Panamericana and the Central Highway showed an average Characteristic Roughness.
from 2.16m/km, with a maximum of 3.62m/km and a minimum of 1.42m/km. The average PSI of
these pavements is equal to 3.39, with a maximum of 3.86 and a minimum of 2.59. The
Trafficability, defined according to the criteria outlined, ranges from Good to Fair.
The surface treatments and the evaluated unpaved roads yielded results of
elevated roughness and, consequently, extremely low PSI values. The Passability
these pavements ranged from Regular to Very Poor

CONCLUSIONES:

What PSI is used to qualify the surface of the pavement according to a scale of values?
in which the roughness of the road is related.
The PSI is used worldwide as it provides a direct perception to the user of the
service quality of the road.
Peru has begun to use this technique, which has made it possible to incorporate a
a highly valuable and reliable working tool that allows for the optimization of decision making
 decisions in rehabilitation projects and obtaining pavements with better capacity
initial service in construction projects, which would result in a greater
road safety and the extension of the useful life of the road network.

BIBLIOGRAPHIC REFERENCES:

Experiences and results obtained in the evaluation of the roughness of more than 3000 km of
pavements in Peru and other countries. By Eng. Pablo del Águila Rodríguez.
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