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FEATURE
as particle scattering. The gauge detects and counts these returning particles to determine the“ wet density” of the material. Wet density refers to the density of the asphalt, including its moisture content, as measured by the nuclear gauge. Finally, the determined wet density is correlated with results from core sampling to calculate the percentage of air voids present in the tested area, providing a reliable assessment of pavement quality.
More modern gauges, known as non-nuclear gauges, have eliminated the use of radioactive materials to provide increased safety for operators and reduce operational complexity. These gauges emit an electric field through the sample and measure its electrical resistance. The measured resistance is then analyzed to estimate the proportion of air voids within the material, which helps determine its overall composition. The process involves placing the gauge on the asphalt surface, generating an electric field and recording the resistance response from the sample. This
resistance value is compared to reference data obtained from core samples to calculate how much of the sample consists of air voids. By eliminating radioactive materials, non-nuclear gauges reduce health risks for operators and simplify regulatory compliance requirements. An emerging alternative technology, known as Ground Penetrating Radar( GPR), has been developed to provide complete coverage mapping of roadway density. GPR works on a similar principle to that of non-nuclear gauges by emitting an electromagnetic signal and assessing how the signal interacts with the material. Specifically, it measures the dielectric, which is a property that affects how electromagnetic signals pass through materials and is directly related to the material’ s composition and density. A key advantage of GPR technology is that the device does not need to be in direct contact with the asphalt; instead, it can be mounted on movable structures, such as vehicles, allowing it to collect
continuous readings over large pavement areas. Because GPR can be operated from moving vehicles and without touching the pavement, it enables faster and safer data collection while capturing a more comprehensive and detailed density profile compared to traditional methods. In recent years, arrays of GPR devices have made it possible to construct complete coverage mappings and detailed density profiles of entire roadways. The final technology for in-place measurements can be categorized as vibrational analysis. In this method, accelerometers
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