This synthesis will be of interest to construction engineers, pavement designers, contractors, and others interested in construction of new highway pavements with smooth surfaces. Information is provided on the various devices and specifications that are being used to obtain smooth pavements. The public rates a pavement primarily on its smooth-riding characteristics and highway agencies recognize that constructing smooth pavements results in fewer problems later and lower annual maintenance costs. This report of the Transportation Research Board describes the devices and specifications highway agencies use to ensure that newly constructed pavements will provide a smooth ride.

Focusing on the process of pavement management, this text covers topics such as data acquisition and evaluation, network level priority programming and project level design. Examples of working systems are provided, as well as guidance for implementation.

This report documents the development and preparation for implementation of a specification for using International Roughness Index, using an inertial profiler, as a smoothness measure for new portland cement concrete pavements in Minnesota. This new specification represents a departure from the use of the Profile Index, using a California Profilometer, for concrete pavement smoothness. In addition to providing recommendations to the Minnesota Department of Transportation regarding the implementation of the specification, the report contains additional information and analyses. These include a summary of the specifications in use by other states for measurement and incentive/disincentive payment for concrete pavement smoothness, an analysis of the effects of pavement surface characteristics on the International Roughness Index and the Profile Index, and a comparison of IRI-based concrete pavement smoothness specifications in use by other states. The report concludes with several recommendations for the new specification and for its administration and enforcement by the Minnesota Department of Transportation.

This report describes a study jointly conducted by the University of Wyoming and the Wyoming Department of Transportation to examine the effect of construction Profilograph Index (PI) values on long-term roughness measurements of concrete pavements. The objectives of this study were to determine if increased initial pavement smoothness had any lasting effects on the pavement smoothness. The study consisted of selecting 175 test sections in eight different interstate projects, obtaining construction and roughness data, compiling the data in a computerized data base, and conducting statistical analysis. The analysis resulted in the observation that when the initial roughness of concrete sections are less than 7 in. per mile, a slightly rougher section does not necessarily deteriorate faster than a slightly smoother section.