Walking Road Profiler
Walking Road Profiler in the Field (Click to Zoom)
The walking road profiler is a device used for measuring the surface roughness of paved areas. It produces a pavement surface profile which can be used to calculate roughness indexes, such as the International Roughness Index (IRI). For pavement applications, it can be used on all pavement types. In other disciplines, it has use in indoor testing and checking beam levelness for structural applications.
A walking road profiler is made up of a data recording box with a handling pole on top and two supports on the bottom. The supports, known as “feet”, have a hollow cone shape. This allows the device to traverse very rough pavements and steep changes in grade, while also partially smoothing the profile due to the relatively large area covered by the feet. The size of the feet and the distance between them can be adjusted, which produces different results. The profile is measured using an inclinometer, which determines the difference in height between the feet. The inclinometer measures angular slope based on voltage input, then converts to elevation using trigonometric functions.
The device is operated by “walking” it along a path. Starting with both feet in-line with the path, the operator grips the knob at the top of the pole, lifts the rear foot off the ground (while keeping the front in place as a pivot point), then swings the rear around to the front before placing the foot back down. This is a “step”. Pressing the button on the handle records the height difference between the feet at that time. Repeating this process, the walking profiler earns its name as it is “walked” down the path.
The walking road profiler is used for longitudinal and traverse testing in the field. It is known for being extremely precise, able to measure 0.001 inch differences in height. It is also very accurate (second only to rod-and-level survey equipment). The device is also compact and space-efficient. This allows easy handling and transport, as well as quick assembly.
Walking Road Profiler Data Recorder (Click to Zoom)
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