A Review on Roller Compaction Quality Control and Assurance Methods for Earthwork in Five Application Scenarios

Abstract

Successful quality control and quality assurance (QC/QA) of earthwork compaction is critical to the long-term performance of roads, railways, airports, dams, and embankments. The purpose of this paper is to provide insights into the current practice, existing problems, challenges, and future development trends of QC/QA methods from the perspective of bibliometrics and the development stage. A bibliometric analysis is presented. Through quantitative analysis of literature and qualitative analysis of the development stage, insights into the current research practices and future directions of QC/QA methods have been derived from the perspectives of literature, cluster analysis, classification, different types of QC/QA methods, conclusions, and recommendations. It is found that the current QC/QA methods can be roughly divided into conventional compaction, digital rolling compaction, automatic rolling compaction, and intelligent control compaction. Currently, QC/QA methods are mainly confronted with the issues of accurate detection of compaction quality, autonomous optimization and intelligent decision-making of compaction process, multi-machine coordination, QC/QA-related specification formulation, and process standardization. To address these issues, several critical potential research directions are further identified: comprehensive CCI measurement system; simple and realistic mathematical representation of the complex compaction dynamics; parallel computing and distributed management of multi-source heterogeneous data; standardized application workflow and the cost–benefit assessment in the context of the full life cycle; intelligent control theories, methods, and technologies of earthwork compaction based on multidisciplinary integration. The paper enables researchers to obtain a comprehensive understanding of QC/QA methods for earthwork compaction as well as the suggested solutions for future work.

Construction Technology and Pavement Performance of Dry-Mix Polyurethane Modified Asphalt Mixtures: A Case Study

“…As shown in Figure 4, the field trial pavement was paved with DPAM with the following steps: (i) The aggregate preheated to 170 • C in advance was added to the mixing plant with a preheating duration of 2 h. Subsequently, the base binder preheated to 150 • C was pumped into the mixing plant, and the preheating duration was 1 h. Simultaneously, PU, MOCA, and diluent preheated to 100 • C were added with a preheating duration of 1 h. The DPAM was obtained after mixing by a mixing temperature of 160 • C and a mixing duration of 60 s; (ii) the transportation of the mixture was carried out by employing material trucks with thermal insulation; the inner walls and bottom plates of the transportation tanks should be coated with a layer of oil-water blend to facilitate on-site unloading; (iii) a CU DT2000 paver was used to spread the mixture, the paving width was 11.25 m, the paving speed was 2.0~2.5 m/min, and the loose paving coefficient was 1.18; (iv) oscillatory compactor has the advantages of good compaction effect, it is not easy to crush pavement materials, and little disturbance to the environment [25]. Hence, the oscillatory compactor was used for mixture compaction, and the specific frequency and amplitude were determined according to the actual construction situation.…”

Development and Assessment of an Intelligent Compaction System for Compaction Quality Monitoring, Assurance, and Management

“…The in situ traditional point measurement methods are based on the material modulus or density that must be correlated to verify the intelligent compaction measurement value. A variety of measurement methods documented in the studies are the Falling Weight Reflectometer (FWD), Light Weight Reflectometer (LWD), Plate Load Test (PLT), Dynamic Cone Penetration (DCP), Cone Penetration Testing (CPT), Sand Cone Replacement Method, Nuclear Gauge (NG), radio isotope method, and Electrical Soil Density Gauge [3]. Studies have proven that modulus-or stiffness-based measurement correlates better with ICMV than other methods [26].…”

“…These methods have several shortcomings: (1) the test results are based on limited point samples not representing the compaction quality of the entire work area; (2) these tests are time-consuming, labor-intensive, and have poor control accuracy; (3) the on-site destructive manual test cannot provide real-time compaction information; (4) the number of roller passes are based on operator judgment, which could produce under-or over-compaction zones. These inherent limitations lead to unreliable testing results and misleading compaction information, which may cause long-term performance failure and high infrastructure maintenance costs [3,4].…”

“…These technologies have also revolutionized the construction industry and offer innovative solutions to improve productivity, efficiency, quality, and control throughout the project life cycle [7][8][9]. An emerging and constantly evolving technology named Intelligent Compaction (IC) has the potential to address conventional compaction problems [3,10]. IC technology was first introduced in the 1970s and is still under continuous development [11].…”

“…The higher the CMV values, the larger the stiffness, and vice versa. These inherent limitations lead to unreliable testing results and misleading compaction information, which may cause long-term performance failure and high infrastructure maintenance costs [3,4]. The advancement in information and sensing technologies has transformed every sector of life, providing modern and efficient solutions [5].…”