STTR Phase I: Asphalt Rehabilitation Utilizing a 3D Shaped Asphalt Overlay

这个小型企业创新研究（SBIR）项目的更广泛的影响/商业潜力是使用激光雷达和先进的计算机建模与3D沥青铺路机进行沥青修复，只在材料损坏的区域进行研磨，然后应用量身定制的3D沥青覆盖层来补偿表面变形。这将通过减少至少50%的沥青碾磨、运输和再混合来减少项目的总体足迹，并减少交通拥堵。这将以更少的时间和成本建造一条更好、更持久的道路，同时以一种对环境和社会更友好的方式交付。这种方法的好处是创造更高质量的道路，更安全，提高油耗，降低车辆维护成本；以更低的成本更快地完成铺装工程。这个小型企业技术转移（STTR）第一阶段项目将研究一种利用3D沥青覆盖层的沥青修复创新方法。目前的沥青铺路机只能提供平坦的沥青层，不足以解决表面变形问题，并且需要将整个路面磨平。本研究项目的目标是将不平坦的路面转化为光滑平坦的驾驶路面，其国际粗糙度指数（IRI）为60，但无需将整个路面磨成平坦的平面。研究将包括扫描多个测试路段的道路，并使用点云数据来建模和设计每个测试路段的补偿沥青覆盖层的3D形状。然后，沥青覆盖层由经过改造的铺路机输送，以3D方式输送沥青。在测试部分最终压实之前和之后，将进行额外的扫描，以评估预测算法的准确性，并为后续测试提供反馈。预期的结果将表明，3D沥青覆盖层可以建模并精确交付，从而产生光滑平坦的驾驶表面，而无需将整个表面磨平。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) project are to use lidar and advanced computer modeling with a 3D asphalt paving machine for asphalt rehabilitation by enabling milling only over areas where the material has broken down, then applying a 3D asphalt overlay tailored to compensate for surface deformations. This will reduce the overall footprint of the project by reducing the milling, hauling and remixing of asphalt by at least 50%, as well as reducing traffic congestion. This will produce a better, longer lasting road at a fraction of the time and cost while delivering it in a way that is much friendlier to the environment and society. Benefits of this approach are to create higher quality roads that are safer, enable improved gas mileage, and reduce vehicle maintenance costs; and faster completion of paving projects at reduced cost. This Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) Phase I project will study an innovative method of asphalt rehabilitation utilizing a 3D asphalt overlay. Current asphalt paving machines are limited to delivering a flat layer of asphalt inadequate to address surface deformations and requiring the entire road surface to be milled flat. The goal of this research project is to transform an uneven road surface into a smooth, flat driving surface with an International Roughness Index (IRI) =60, but without having to grind down the entire surface to a flat plane. Research will include scanning multiple test sections of roadway and using the point-cloud data to model and design the 3D shape of a compensating asphalt overlay for each test section. The asphalt overlay is then delivered by a paving machine modified to deliver asphalt in 3D. Additional scans will be performed both before and after final compaction of the test sections to assess the accuracy of predictive algorithms and provide feedback into subsequent tests. The anticipated result will show that a 3D asphalt overlay can be modeled and accurately delivered to produce a smooth flat driving surface without having to mill down the entire surface flat.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.