PAVEMENT SMOOTHNESS
PART 1 GENERAL
1.1SECTION INCLUDES
A.Longitudinal profile collection
B.Determination of International Roughness Index (IRI) using the Profile
Viewer and Analysis (ProVAL) software and Incentives/Disincentives for smoothness.
1.2RELATED SECTIONS
A.Section 02745: Asphalt Material
B.Section 02981: Grinding Pavement
C.Section 02982: Bridge Concrete Grinding
1.3REFERENCES
A.UDOT Materials Manual of Instruction
1.4DEFINITIONS
A.Category 1 Pavements
1.Newly constructed pavement surfaces having two or more
opportunities for improving ride in areas with no curb and gutter
2.Newly constructed pavement surfaces having two or more
opportunities for improving ride in areas with curb and gutter placed as part of the contract.
B.Category 2 Pavements
1.Newly constructed pavement surfaces with one opportunity for
improving ride.
2.Newly constructed pavement surfaces with two or more opportunities
for improving ride in areas with existing curb and gutter.
C.Localized Roughness
1.Profile deviations in a continuous 25 ft of pavement
Pavement Smoothness
D.Mean Roughness Index (MRI)
1.Average of two wheel path IRI’s
E.Opportunity to Improve Ride
1.Placing Granular Borrow
2.Placing Untreated Base Course
3.Treated Base Course
4.Full Depth Reclamation (FDR)
5.Cold-In-Place Recycling
6.Hot-In-Place Recycling
7.Placing each lift of Asphalt Mix
8.Placing Stone Matrix Asphalt (SMA)
9.Placing Open-Graded Surface Course (OGSC)
10.Placing Bonded Wearing Course (BWC)
11.Placing Portland Cement Concrete Pavement (PCCP)
12.Profile Rotomilling
13.Automated Machine Guidance Milling
14.Road Smoothing
15.Lane leveling is not considered an opportunity to improve ride.
F.Pavement Section
1.A section is 528 ft long and measured along each of the following
where not otherwise designated as a structure section.
a.Each lane
b.Ramps
c.Two way left turn lanes 8 ft and wider
d.Turn lanes
2.Each pavement section is laid out consecutively from the start of the
project.
G.Percent Improvement – the calculated percent improvement in MRI using
the following formula:
[MRIo – MRIf] x 100 MRIo Where: MRIo = MRI of original roadway surface MRIf = MRI of final corrected roadway surface
H.Structure Section
1.A section is 528 ft long and measured along each of the following
where the structure, with or without overlay, is the riding surface.
a.Each Lane
b.Ramps
Pavement Smoothness
c.Two Way left turn lanes 8 ft and wider
d.Turn Lanes
2.Each Structure Section is laid out consecutively from the 12.5 ft
before the structure, including approach slab, to 12.5 ft after the structure, including the approach slab.
I.Wheel Path
1.A longitudinal strip of pavement 39 inch wide and centered 35 inch
from the centerline of the lane in the direction of travel.
1.5SUBMITTALS
A.Certifications for profilers and operators for information.
B.ProVAL files for all profiles collected prior to beginning work for Category 2
Pavement Sections, profiles collected prior to placing micro-surfacing and profiles collected for acceptance for information.
1.Submit initial profiles for Category 2 pavements prior to pavement
related work
2.Identify reference post or project stationing for the beginning of the
profile collection.
3.Flag utility locations in acceptance profiles.
4.Flag beginning and end of grinding locations in acceptance profiles.
C.Summary report of acceptance IRI and MRI calculations for information.
Include at least the following:
1.Pavement Section identification
2.Structure Section identification
3.MRI results by section
4.Localized Roughness results
5.Localized Roughness deviation explanations
D.Structure profile correction plan for approval including at least the following,
when applicable:
1.Map of reinforcing steel depths according to Section 02982.
2.Map of locations and depths of concrete grinding.
a.Indicate anticipated final reinforcing steel cover in grinding
areas.
3.Equipment information according to Section 02982.
1.6ACCEPTANCE
A.Contractor collected longitudinal profiles will be used for acceptance unless
invalidated by the Department verification process. Refer to UDOT Materials Manual of Instruction 995.
Pavement Smoothness
B.Limit transverse pavement deviations to less than 3/16 inch from the lower
edge of a 10-ft straightedge.
C.Limit Localized Roughness greater than 15 ft in length according to Table 1.
1.The Department will calculate localized roughness using the most
recent version of ProVAL with the following parameters:
a.Analysis Type: Continuous
b.Ride Quality Index: IRI
c.Segment Length (ft): 25
d.250 mm filter applied
2.Measure localized roughness for the following locations regardless of
length:
a.All traffic lanes
b.Ramps
c.Two way left turn lanes 8 ft and wider
d.Turn lanes
e.Shoulders wider than 4 ft
f.Bike lanes
g.Structures and approach slabs with the final riding surfaces
placed as part of the contract
3.Localized Roughness requirements do not apply to micro-surfacing.
4.Include profile deviations from bridge decks, approach slabs and
transitions, manholes, valves, and other facilities in the profile when the contract requires the adjustment, new construction or reconstruction of these facilities.
5.Exclude profile deviations from bridge decks, approach slabs and
transitions, manholes, valves, and other facilities in the profile when the contract does not include adjustment, new construction or reconstruction of these facilities.
6.The Engineer may waive areas of Localized Roughness for Category
2 Pavement Sections due to existing conditions.
a.Provide an explanation for each location where existing
conditions prevent the requirements from being met.
b.Do not remove these areas from the profile for
incentive/disincentive calculations.
Pavement Smoothness
Table 1 Localized Roughness Limits (inch/mile) Interstate including ramps ≤ 190 Bridge decks, approach slabs & transitions, manholes and ≤ 250 valves Non-interstate ≤ 190 Urban roadways with speed ≤ 190 limits less than 45 mph Shoulders and Bike Lanes ≤ 250 (single profile)
D.The Department applies Incentive/Disincentive for Category 1 Pavement
Sections, Category 2 Pavement Sections, micro-surfacing Pavement Sections, Grinding Pavement Pavement Sections and Structure Sections based on the MRI of the final surface.
1.The Department will calculate MRI using the most recent version of
ProVAL with the following parameters:
a.Analysis Type: Fixed Interval
b.Ride Quality Index: MRI
c.Segment Length (ft): 528
d.250 mm filter applied
2.The Department does not apply Incentives/Disincentives to:
a.Traffic lanes and turn lanes shorter than 528 ft
b.Shoulders
c.Bike Lanes
d.Two way left turn lanes narrower than 8 ft
e.Horizontal curves with a centerline curvature radius less than
900 ft and areas within the super elevation transitions to these short radius curves
f.Horizontal tapers
g.Surfaces within 12.5 ft of bridge decks and approach slabs not
constructed as part of the contract
3.The Department will apply Incentives/Disincentives to Structure
Sections regardless of length.
4.The Department will determine Incentives/Disincentives before
placement of a chip seal or micro-surfacing.
a.The Department will apply separate Incentives/Disincentive
after placement of micro-surfacing.
5.The Department will prorate Incentives/Disincentives for partial
Pavement Sections and partial Structure Sections.
Pavement Smoothness
6.Category 1 Pavement Sections and Structures Sections with
localized roughness requiring corrective action at the time of acceptance testing are not eligible for incentives.
7.Category 2 Pavement Sections with localized roughness, not waived
by the Engineer, requiring correction action at the time of acceptance testing are not eligible for incentives.
8.The Department applies Incentive/Disincentive for Category 1
Pavement Sections according to Table 2.
a.The Engineer may accept a Pavement Section requiring
corrective action at a $1000 disincentive per Pavement Section.
Table 2 Incentives and Disincentives for Category 1 Pavements Dollars/Pavement Section MRI Range (inch/mile by pavement section) Asphalt Portland Cement Material Concrete ≤ 40.0 $500 $1000 40.1 - 50.0 $250 $500 50.1 – 60.0 $125 $250 60.1 – 70.0 0 0 70.1 – 80.0 -$125 -$250 80.1 – 90.0 -$250 -$500 >90.0 Corrective Action
9.The Department applies Incentives/Disincentives for Category 2
Pavement Sections based on the pavement’s Initial Overall MRI according to Tables 3 through 7 and the following.
a.The Department will use the weighted average of all travel
lanes, based on length, of the overall MRI of the original roadway surface using the following formula to determine the Initial Overall MRI.
𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙 1 (𝐿𝐿𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙 1 ) + 𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙 2 (𝐿𝐿𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙 2 ) + ⋯ + 𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙 𝑛𝑛 (𝐿𝐿𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙 𝑛𝑛 ) 𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝑀𝐼𝐼𝐼𝐼𝐼𝐼𝐼𝐼𝐼𝐼𝐼𝐼𝐼𝐼 𝑂𝑂𝑂𝑂𝑂𝑂𝑂𝑂𝑂𝑂𝑂𝑂𝑂𝑂 = 𝐿𝐿𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙1 + 𝐿𝐿𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙 2 + ⋯ + 𝐿𝐿𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙𝑙 𝑛𝑛
Where: MRI = Overall MRI of original roadway surface L = Total length of lane
1) All ramps, medians, turns lanes, shoulders and bike lanes will be excluded from the Initial Overall MRI calculation.
Pavement Smoothness
2) A separate Initial Overall MRI will be calculated and used for each route.
b.The Department will use Table 5 for all ramps and turn lanes
less than 1000 ft.
c.Sections with an MRIf ≤ 90 do not require corrective action.
d.Disincentive does not apply to sections with an MRIf ≤ to 70.
Table 3 Incentives/Disincentives for Category 2 Pavements with Initial Overall MRI ≥175 % Improvement per Incentive/Disincentive Pavement Section Dollars/Pavement Section ≥ 60 $750 50.0 to 59.9 $500 40.0 to 49.9 $250 30.0 to 39.9 $0 20.0 to 29.9 -$250 < 20.0 Corrective Action
Table 4 Incentives/Disincentives for Category 2 Pavements with Initial Overall MRI 100 to 174.9 % Improvement per Incentive/Disincentive Pavement Section Dollars/Pavement Section ≥ 50.0 $750 40.0 to 49.9 $500 30.0 to 39.9 $250 20.0 to 29.9 $0 10.0 to 19.9 -$250 < 10.0 Corrective Action
Table 5 Incentives/Disincentives for Category 2 Pavements with Initial Overall MRI 90 to 99.9, Ramps and Turn lanes less than 1000 ft % Improvement per Incentive/Disincentive Pavement Section Dollars/Pavement Section ≥ 40.0 $750 30.0 to 39.9 $500 20.0 to 29.9 $250 10.0 to 19.9 $0 0.0 to 9.9 -$250 < 0.0 Corrective Action
Pavement Smoothness
Table 6 Incentives/Disincentives for Category 2 Pavements with Initial Overall MRI 80 to 89.9 % Improvement per Incentive/Disincentive Pavement Section Dollars/Pavement Section ≥ 35.0 $750 25.0 to 34.9 $500 15.0 to 24.9 $250 5.0 to 14.9 $0 -5.0 to 4.9 -$250 < -5.0 Corrective Action
Table 7 Incentives/Disincentives for Category 2 Pavements with Initial Overall MRI < 80 % Improvement per Incentive/Disincentive Pavement Section Dollars/Pavement Section ≥ 30.0 $750 15.0 to 29.9 $500 0.0 to 14.9 $0 -15.0 to -0.1 -$250 < -15.0 Corrective Action
10.The Department applies Incentive/Disincentive for micro-surfacing
according to Table 8.
Table 8 Incentives/Disincentives for Micro-surfacing Percent Improvement per Incentive/Disincentive per Pavement Section Pavement Section ≥0 $250 -0.1 to -10 0 < -10 -$250
11.The Department applies Incentives/Disincentives for grinding
pavement according to Table 9.
a.Sections with an MRIf ≤ 90 do not require corrective action.
Table 9 Incentives/Disincentives for Grinding Pavement Percent Improvement per Incentive/Disincentive per Pavement Section Pavement Section ≥ 40 0 < 40 Corrective Action
Pavement Smoothness
12.The Department applies Incentive/Disincentive for Structure Sections
according to Table 10.
a.The Engineer may accept a Structure Section requiring
corrective action at a $1000 disincentive per Structure Section.
Table 10 Incentives and Disincentives for Structure Sections
MRI Range Dollars/Structure (inches/mile by structure section) Section
≤ 60.0 $1000 60.1 - 70.0 $500 70.1 – 80.0 $250 80.1 – 90.0 0 90.1 – 110.0 -$250 110.1 – 130.0 -$500 >130.0 Corrective Action
13.The Department will apply an additional $1000 disincentive per
Pavement Section to:
a.Pavement Sections with HMA and SMA final surfaces where
grinding exceeds 30 square yard.
b.Pavement Sections with grinding on the final surface of
OGSC, and BWC.
c.The additional disincentive does not apply to the first and last
25 ft of the project.
1.7OPERATOR QUALIFICATIONS
A.Use a certified operator according to UDOT Materials Manual of Instruction
995.
PART 2 PRODUCTS
2.1FLUSH COAT
A.CQS-1h or CSS-1h emulsified asphalt. Refer to Section 02745.
1.Select emulsion that will fully cure within the time frame required to
have the road open to traffic.
Pavement Smoothness
2.2PROFILING EQUIPMENT
A.Use certified equipment according to UDOT Materials Manual of Instruction
995.
1.Use only the prescribed filter settings from the certification for all
measurements in this Section.
2.Collect profiles with GPS location enabled.
PART 3 EXECUTION
3.1GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
A.Notify the Engineer at least two working days before performing acceptance
testing for pavement smoothness.
B.Perform work necessary to prepare the pavement for testing, including
1.Sweeping and cleaning debris.
2.Removing or relocating barricades and utility plates so profiler can
maintain constant speed and alignment.
C.Collect longitudinal profiles in each wheel path and in the center of each
paved shoulder and bike lane.
1.Do not collect longitudinal profiles if water is on the roadway.
D.Clearly mark on the roadway begin and end locations as well as any
excluded areas.
1.Markings must be identifiable for 10 days after acceptance testing or
until verification testing has been completed.
3.2MRI OF ORIGINAL ROADWAY SURFACE
A.Profile existing roadway surface before beginning construction to determine
MRIo for Category 2 pavement Sections.
B.Profile existing roadway surface before placement of Micro-surfacing to
determine MRIo.
C.Profile existing roadway surface before beginning grinding pavement
operations to determine MRIo.
Pavement Smoothness
3.3PROFILE CORRECTION
A.Perform preliminary profiling and roadway smoothness evaluation to identify
any defects exceeding acceptance limits.
B.Correct defects before performing acceptance testing.
1.For Category 1 Pavements, measure and correct Localized
Roughness defects in the underlying surface before placement of the final surface.
2.Correct defects across lanes, medians, and shoulders in widths
terminating at a lane line, edge of pavement, or center of the lane either by grinding or by surface replacement. Refer to Sections 02981 and 02982.
a.Include areas not eligible for Incentive/Disincentive.
b.Grinding on structures requires an approved structure profile
correction plan.
3.Taper corrected areas for smooth transverse transitions and surface
drainage.
C.Seal corrected areas in the final surface with a flush coat application.
1.Apply the flush coat at an undiluted rate of 0.11 ± 0.01 gal/yd2
2.Allow flush coat to cure for 24 hours prior to any profiling.
3.4ACCEPTANCE PROFILING
A.Collect acceptance profiles after all corrective work has been performed.
1.For Category 1 Pavements, acceptance profiles can be collected
before raising manholes and valves and grooving in pavement messages.
2.For Category 1 Pavements and Category 2 Pavements, collect
acceptance profiles prior to placing chip seal or micro-surfacing.
3.For Structure Sections collect acceptance profiles prior to placement
of thin-bonded overlays.
3.5PAVEMENT THICKNESS
A.Re-test pavements for thickness after grinding as determined by the
Engineer.
END OF SECTION
Pavement Smoothness
Pavement Smoothness in other states
Utah revises spec sections through supplementals and new editions. We check this one every week and email you the day it changes. Free, no account.
Source: Utah Standard Specifications for Road and Bridge Construction, 2026 Edition. Pages 415–425 of 1,331.
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