Advanced 3D technology for rut measurements: apparatus on board of the Quebec Ministry of Transportation multifunction vehicle

The Quebec Ministry of Transport is responsible for over 25,000 kilometers (15,500 miles) of roadways. A harsh climate and a major increase in the number of heavy vehicles in recent years are two factors behind the rapid deterioration of roadways and the formation of ruts. In response to this situation and to optimize the upkeep and resurfacing of roads, the Ministry surveys half of its road network every year using a multifunction vehicle equipped with video cameras to measure cracks, an inertial profiler to measure the IRI, and a 3D laser transverse profiling system to measure rutting conditions. The Ministry has used it to survey over 100,000 km (62,000 miles) of roads to date. It has the unique capability of measuring 4 meter wide (13 feet) pavement with 1,024 point transverse profiles at 1 meter intervals. Transverse profile measurements are accurate to within 1 mm at inspection speeds of up to 90 km/h (55 mph) and are processed on-board in real time. The intensity of the pulsed laser profilers is high enough to allow for data collection day or night, whatever the pavement and ambient lighting conditions are. Once collected and processed, data is fed into the pavement management system (Visual PMS by TRDI). The program is configured to account for a number of other indicators, such as IRI, cracking, and the effects of freezing and thawing. This paper presents the Quebec Ministry of Transport multifunction vehicle and discusses the results of its various data collection systems, including the 3D laser transverse profiling system.