Tom Pyle, Chief, Caltrans Office of Asphalt Pavement, and Don Matthews, Pavement Recycling Systems, deliver a presentation on implementation of the revised Caltrans pavement smoothness specification. Presentation delivered at the CalAPA Spring Asphalt Pavement Conference, held March 20-21, 2019 in Ontario, CA.

1. Implementation
of the Revised
Caltrans Pavement
Smoothness
Specification
Tom Pyle, Chief - Caltrans Office of Asphalt Pavements
Don Matthews, Pavement Recycling Systems, Inc.
Spring Asphalt Pavement
Conference and Equipment Expo
March 21, 2019

2. Smoothness Overhaul

3. Why we are here…
• Smoothness is important to
Caltrans
• Current specification needs
overhaul
• Reduce claims
• Improve California's
pavement

4. The revised specification re-write effort is a collaboration
between Caltrans and Industry
1. Agreed on fundamental
improvements needed
2. Agreed on concept for spec
layout and design
3. Partnered on writing of the
specification
4. Joint Industry and Caltrans
concurrent review
5. Joint resolution of comments

5. Data Driven Changes

6. Performance based
• Most projects will incentivize
paving
• Full Pay has opened up to a
wider scope
• Options for corrections
• Each 0.1 mile is managed
independently

7. Caltrans Expectations
• Maximum smoothness
improvements to every project
• Pay incentives for considerable
improvements
• Full pay is now a wider window
• There will be considerably less
pre-paving grinding and
• Pavement will achieve higher
smoothness though continuous
percent improvement of
projects
• Less claims

8. Specifications Effected and how
Section 36
• Smoothness quality control plan
• Reference points
• Verification testing of contractors
• Conflict resolution
Section 39
• Contractor runs the data
• State runs the Quality Assurance
• Opportunity driven (Discussed later)
• Incentives/Disincentives
• New Data entry sheets to mange every 0.1 mile
Section 40
• Leave outs such as tight ramps
• Considerations for inlays where the shoulder and existing pavement are rough
• Incentives and disincentives
• New Data Entry sheets to manage every 0.1 mile

9. All Roads will be smoother and begin a change
towards shifting California’s roads to among the
smoothest in the country
1. The smoothness ride goals will
be continuously shifting toward
a better ride
2. Incentives will encourage
contractors to achieve better
results
3. Better planned projects will
lead to less claims

10. THE NEW ASPHALT SMOOTHNESS
SPECIFICATION

11. NEW CONSTRUCTION
(CONSIDERED AT LEAST THREE OPPORTUNITIES)
Use the Target HMA 60 MRI Pay Adjustment Table
Target 60 Pay Adjustment
MRIseg(in/mi) Pay Adjustment/0.1 mi Corrective Action
≤ 45.00 + $900.00 None
45.01 – 55.00 + ((55.00 – MRIseg) x $90.00) None
55.01 - 65.00 Full Pay None
65.01 – 80.00 - ((MRIseg – 65.00) x $190.00) Optional
> 80.00 Not Applicable Mandatory
No Areas of Localized Roughness (ALR) Over 160
in/mi

12. COLD IN-PLACE RECYCLING (CIR)
EXISTING SPEC (NOT DISCUSSED YET)
CIR Finished Surface -
Must have MRI Below 90 in/mi
ALRs Less than 240 in/mi
HMA Overlay Finished Surface -
Use the Target HMA 60 Pay Adjustment Table
ALRs Less than 160 in/mi

13. CONSTRUCTION ON EXISTING
PAVEMENT SURFACES
Based On:
1) Inertial Profile of the Existing Pavement (MRI of Each Existing
Segment)
2) Any Prepaving Corrections (Bid Items)
3) HMA Thickness and Number of Smoothness Opportunities

14. 1) Inertial Profile of Existing Roadway - Example 0.10’ Mill and Fill
Target 75 MRI - All 0.10 mile sections at or below 135 MRI
All 0.10 mile sections above 135 MRI –
Designer Decides to Target % Improvement or Add Prepaving Corrections

15. 2) PREPAVING CORRECTIONS
LINE ITEMS
A) Structural Repairs
B) Full Width Segment Corrections
C) Partial Width Segment
Corrections

16. Dig Outs (Bid by Square Yard and Ton?)
or Leveling Course (Bid by Ton)
Used To Repair Severely Distressed Areas
Locations Should Be Shown on The Plan
A) STRUCTURAL REPAIRS
Key: MRI0 is the lower MRI value from the EXIST (Before Repair) and BASELINE (After Repair)
profiles for Each 0.1 Mile Segment

17. B) FULL WIDTH SEGMENT CORRECTIONS
Diamond Grinding or Micro Mill the Entire Pavement Surface
Full Width and Not Required to Be Done in the Same Shift of Paving
Locations Shown on the Plan (Bid By Square Yard)
Should be Used in Large Areas Requiring Profile Corrections
Key: Is Considered a Full Smoothness Opportunity in All MRI Segments

18. +/-
Existing Pavement Surface
FULL WIDTH SEGMENT
CORRECTIONS
• Surface corrections are from EP to EP

19. C) PARTIAL WIDTH SEGMENT CORRECTIONS
Should Be Used When a Smaller Percentage of 0.10 Mile MRI Sections Need
Correction
Bid By 0.10 Mile Segments

20. PARTIAL WIDTH SEGMENT CORRECTIONS
Corrected at Contractors Option:
• Diamond Grinding or Micro Milling Where Contractor Considers Necessary
e.g. Wheel Paths or Cold Planer/Paver Referencing Locations
• Or Maybe Contractor Can Get Final Surface By Using 3D Automatic Machine
Guidance
• Or An Alternative Proposal By Contractor and Approved by the Engineer
Key:
True Performance – Segments Corrected Must Comply with Final HMA
Smoothness Requirements i.e No Percent Improvement

21. +/-
Existing Pavement Surface
PARTIAL WIDTH SEGMENT
CORRECTIONS FUTURE POSSIBLE
• Or run 3D cold planing or paving system without
corrections
• Cold plane a ski run

22. 3) OPPORTUNITIES

23. A) Single Lift of Asphalt (Overlay)
Existing Surface (163 MRI)
Opportunity 1 (Improvement to 84 MRI) Opportunity 2 (Improvement to 60 MRI)
Must Be Variable Depth
Note: Number of opportunities is based on the maximum number of lifts the layer can be broken
into: Maximum Nominal Aggregate Size Lift Thickness

24. B) Micro Milling or Cold Planing Not In the
Same Shift
Variable Depth

25. C) Mill and Fill in the Same Shift
Existing Pavement Surface
Aggregate Base/Subgrade
Filled HMA
Need variable
depth paving with
a good referencing
surface

26. 1) Mark the Start and End of the Paving with Semi Permanent
Reference Points (Including any Leave Outs such as Bridges)
2) Inertial Profile the Existing Asphalt Concrete Surface Before
Performing Any Work. Label as EXIST Inertial Profile Data File
3) Notify the Engineer if EXIST MRI Results Vary More Than 10 Percent
From the Prebid MRI
STEP BY STEP OF THE SPECIFICATION

27. 4) Are There Structural Repairs?
Yes –
Make The Structural Repairs and Inertial Profile Again (Label as
BASELINE Data File)
MRI0 is the lower MRI value from the EXIST and BASELINE profiles
for Each 0.1 Mile Segment
No –
Go To Next Step

28. 5) Are There Full Width Segment Corrections?
Yes –
Conduct Full Width Corrections in Areas Shown on Plans
Contractor Can Measure and Additionally Correct Any Areas They
Deem Necessary
Corrected Surface Does Not Need To Be Profiled
MRI0 is the EXIST Profile for Each 0.1 Mile Segment Prior to Surfacing
Profiling
Adds a Smoothness Opportunity in the Areas Corrected
No –
Go To Next Step

29. 6) Are There Partial Width Segment Corrections?
Yes –
Contractor Completes Proposed Corrections in 0.10 Mile Segment
Contractor Can Measure and Additionally Correct Any Areas Deemed
Necessary
Corrected Surface Does Not Need To Be Profiled
MRI0 Does Not Apply
For Final HMA => 0.30’ Use Target 60 Pay Adjustment Table
For Final HMA < 0.30’ Use Target 75 Pay Adjustment Table
No –
Go To Next Step

30. A) HMA => 0.30 and MRI0 <165 in/mi
7) Determine What Pay Adjustment Table To Use
B) HMA < 0.30 and MRI0 <135 in/mi
Does Not Meet A or B Go To C – Percent Improvement
No ALR over
160 in/mi

31. 1 Opportunity: MRIt = 0.30 x MRIo + 35 or 60 (whichever is greater)
• Single Lift of Asphalt (Overlay)
• Micro Milling or Cold planing Not in the Same Shift as the
Paving
• Mill and Fill in the Same Shift
Opportunities:
Calculate Target MRI of Finished HMA Based Upon MRI0
C) % Improvement
Incentives When Final Paved Surface MRI is 90% or Lower Than Target MRI
Disincentives When Final Paved Surface MRI is 110% or Higher Than Target MRI
Mandatory Correction @ 90 MRI or 125% of Target Whichever Is Greater
ALRmax = 2.1x MRI or 160 in/mi, Whichever is Greater

32. Example 0.10 Mill and Fill (Where Design Did Not Include Prepaving Corrections)
All 0.10 mile sections above 135 MRI – Target % Improvement
All 0.10 mile sections at or below 135 MRI – Target 75 MRI
Target MRI is 83.6 in/mi
Incentives Begin At 75.2
Disincentives Begin At 92.0

33. Open Grade Friction Course (OGFC)
On New HMA –
Essentially Make As Good or Better Than Underlying Final HMA (Where
Incentives/Disincentives Apply) Or Penalty Applies
On Milled Surface –
Mill and Fill of the OGFC – Use Target 75 Pay Adjustment Table
On Existing Surface –
Use % Improvement. On Existing Surface Where MRI is Smooth Can Require a
60 MRI

34. Thank you!