"This new ASTM publication presents the latest information on the practical and developmental aspects of pavement surface evaluation procedures and technologies, including their reliability and relevancy. Seven peer-reviewed papers cover: * Pavement surface characteristics measurement procedures and equipment * Approaches to enhance the reliability and accuracy of pavement surface evaluation systems * Approaches to harmonization between different measurement devices for specific pavement surface condition indicators * Assessment of current pavement condition indicators and their relevancy level for use in asset management * Assessment of factors influencing the interaction of tire/pavement surface characteristics * Assessment of automated distress survey systems * Evaluation of new/promising technologies for pavement condition surveys."--Publisher's website.

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.

The implementation of a pavement preservation program involves a learning curve with not only a determination to succeed, but also the courage to fail. Also, successful implementation of pavement preservation program requires knowledge of the performance of preservation surface treatments over time, which is critical to the select of candidate projects and the development of performance models for pavement management analysis. In addition, preservation surface treatments, such as chip seal, fog seal, microsurfacing, 4.75 mm thin or ultra-thin overlay, can not only repair certain pavement surface defects, but also change the surface characteristics of pavement and therefore affect pavement surface friction performance. Nevertheless, such information is currently not available but is essential for the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT) to evaluate the effectiveness of pavement preservation surface treatments. As a concentrated effort, this study focused on the long-term friction performance of preservation surface treatments, particularly those have been widely used and those have seen increasing use by INDOT. Based on the selected field pavement test sections, this study aimed to evaluate the surface characteristics, particularly the long-term friction performance for those surface treatments that have been widely used and have seen increasing use by INDOT, including chip seal, fog-chip, fog seal, rejuvenating seal, microsurfacing, ultrathin bonded wearing course (UBWC), 4.75-mm hot mix asphalt (HMA) thin overlay, and profile milling (or diamond grinding). The test sections for each type of surface treatment covered a wide range of traffic volume from light to high. The service life for the selected test sections varied from 6 months to 60 months. Friction testing was mainly conducted using ASTM E 274 locked wheel trailer. Surface texture testing was conducted using either the ASTM E 2157 circular track meter (CTM) or a laser scanner. Pavement roughness and noise tests were also conducted to address the smoothness and noise issues, particularly on microsurfacing. Detailed analysis was provided to evaluate the friction performance of 4.75-mm HMA overlays. It is believed that the test results and findings drawn from this study not only provides timely information for INDOT to improve its pavement preservation program, but also provides the original information for the potential readers to better utilize preservation surface treatments.