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.
