Online Tools for Hot-Mix Asphalt Monitoring

The feasibility, realistic possibility, and practicality of developing and deploying, on a local or national scale, an online database to monitor hot-mix asphalt projects throughout their life cycles are demonstrated. Such a tool allows the real-time acquisition and monitoring of mix design, field construction, and performance data, as well as archiving of such data. Monitoring functions include browsing, searching, and analysis of data ranging from mix design and quality assurance/quality control data from the field to performance measures such as roughness, cracking, and rutting. In particular, early implementation via Washington State’s Superpave® project data is demonstrated. The database includes quantitative design and construction data, field instrument readings, infrared and video images, and performance information. Analysis and search capabilities are provided, including a map-based front end to support spatial searches and location-based data entry.