Real-Time Quality Control Monitoring and Characterization of Aggregate Materials in Highway Construction using Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy

The primary objectives of this research effort is to further calibrate laser-spectral models to develop the means to monitor aggregate materials from participating State agencies, and to demonstrate the use of the technology in actual field applications. The overall objective is to transition the technology from a lab-based application to a field based system. Testing of aggregates and the calibration models developed in the National Cooperative Highway Research Program (NCHRP) 150 research effort were accomplished using a laboratory-based laser-optical system. The proposed pooled fund work plan is designed to transition the technology from the laboratory to the field through the calibration, deployment and demonstration of the technology at selected field demonstration site(s). As part of the NCHRP 168 project, a field prototype sampling and laser targeting system field prototype, referred to as the Sampling and Laser Targeting (SLT) System, is under development for use in the pooled funding effort. The SLT system is a bulk sampling and laser-targeting system that is designed to analyze a diverted portion of the bulk material by passing target aggregate material passed a laser that is strategically located to provide for continuous or semi-continuous monitoring of the bulk aggregate stream. Diversion of samples of the bulk material into the SLT system is designed to remove the aggregate from the bulk stream during material transport, such as conveying. This material diversion provides the means to minimize interferences that would be encountered in an in-line monitoring system, without diminishing the effectiveness of the laser monitoring system to obtain large quantities of data necessary to properly characterize the targeted material. It also provides the means to ensure safe operation of the laser by enclosing the entire system in a separate sealed housing disconnected from the main bulk material conveying system, thereby ensuring a contained and safe operation. The SLT can be deployed in a laboratory environment as well where buckets of samples are periodically introduced for analysis or in a continuous or semi-continuous field operation where materials are diverted from a conveying operation to the SLT for analysis.

• Record URL:
  http://www.pooledfund.org/Details/Study/514

Language

• English

Project

• Status: Completed
• Funding: $975000
• Contract Numbers:

  TPF-5(278)

• Sponsor Organizations:

  Kansas Department of Transportation

  Eisenhower State Office Building
  700 SW Harrison Street
  Topeka, KS  United States  66603-3754

  Ohio Department of Transportation

  Research Program
  1980 West Broad Street
  Columbus, OH  United States  43223

  Pennsylvania Department of Transportation

  Keystone Building
  400 North Street
  Harrisburg, PA  United States  17120

  Oklahoma Transportation

  200 NE 21st Street
  Oklahoma City, OK  United States  73105

  New York State Department of Transportation

  50 Wolf Road
  Albany, NY  United States  12232
• Project Managers:

  Behzadpour, David

• Start Date: 20130601
• Expected Completion Date: 0
• Actual Completion Date: 20160531
• Source Data: RiP Project 41456

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Aggregates; Monitoring; Quality control; Road construction; Sampling; Spectroscopy
• Subject Areas: Construction; Highways; Pavements;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 01548882
• Record Type: Research project
• Source Agency: Federal Highway Administration
• Contract Numbers: TPF-5(278)
• Files: RIP, USDOT, STATEDOT
• Created Date: Dec 29 2014 1:00AM