Aggregate Industries launches Automated Inspection and Testing

With safety the priority in road paving, Aggregate Industries says it has launched an automated data gathering system to replace hazardous inspections by crew members. AI says that the new system, known as Automated Inspection and Testing, will see all pavers, rollers and survey vehicles fitted with the latest technology including GPS, infra-red sensors and a data recording unit. All will automatically log high-quality data before, during and after the surfacing process.
May 15, 2018 Read time: 2 mins
The paving zone: a hazardous area just got safer, says Aggregate Industries
With safety the priority in road paving, Aggregate Industries says it has launched an automated data gathering system to replace hazardous inspections by crew members.


AI says that the new system, known as Automated Inspection and Testing, will see all pavers, rollers and survey vehicles fitted with the latest technology including GPS, infra-red sensors and a data recording unit. All will automatically log high-quality data before, during and after the surfacing process.

This will minimise the risk to employees during pavement construction by replacing the need for a human technician to carry out the highly dangerous task of data capture, explains Neil Leake, national technical manager at 2297 Aggregate Industries. “Traditionally, the road surfacing process requires at least one technician with each surfacing gang, working manually to gather and record data on everything from material temperatures to ride profile,” says Leake.

“During this task, technicians are not only exposed to the dangers of working in close proximity to live traffic and construction vehicles but also face a myriad of other risks including lone working and hot material interface.”

Extensive trials, he says, have proved that it has made the road surfacing process infinitely safer. Pavers and rollers can be linked together to manage the compaction process by recording the rolling temperature and the number of passes.

At the same time, it will also go a long way in plugging the industry-wide skills shortage, as it means data capture operatives can now be redeployed to other contracting areas in urgent need of skilled staff.

Meanwhile, the final element of the AIT procedure is surface texture and rolling straight edge testing of the finished pavement. Laser scanning and video recording can now be completed with improved accuracy and without the need for a human technician, meaning zero risk to employees.

“We are now using it on a number of contracts and have seen marked improvements in safety across the board. Importantly it provides enhanced  asset management data for our customers that also meets Building Information Management (BIM) compliance.”

Asphalt milling, paving & compaction

For more information on companies in this article

Related Content

  • The use of concrete cutting tools and tips for users
    October 8, 2015
    Despite the proven importance of identifying metal targets and electrical lines before cutting into concrete, every day there are stories about mishaps that happen when the necessary reconnaissance is not done. In this article, a few firms that provide concrete scanning services weigh in on the critical importance of locating embedded and or buried obstructions by scanning for these features using ground penetrating radar (GPR). Also offered are tips for selecting the best GPR equipment and best practices f
    Read More
  • Novel concrete paving method used in Germany
    January 25, 2017
    A novel dual-layer concrete paving technique has been used on jobsites in Germany on the country’s high-speed Autobahn network This technique allows the construction of a strong and durable roadway structure able to cope with heavy traffic loads and offer a long working life. In four German states, Wirtgen SP-1500 slipformers have been employed by four different contractors to carry out dual-layer paving. The method allows a noise-reducing, non-skid exposed aggregate surface to be placed over a bottom
    Read More
  • How data mining and the intelligence it creates is helping sites run more effectively and efficiently
    December 13, 2022
    In this, the third in our series of top-level roundtable discussions led by World Highways, editor Mike Woof and roundtable host Nadira Tudor talk machine control technology with three world-class experts from Leica Geosystems (part of Hexagon), Topcon, and Trimble. There’s never been a more exciting time to be in construction as innovation makes us more productive, more efficient, more sustainable, and better connected. Autonomy means opportunity.
    Read More
  • Importance of road/tunnel drainage systems
    April 10, 2012
    A variety of systems are available for quickly and efficiently removing water from roads as Patrick Smith reports The presence of water in a highway layer reduces the bearing capacity of the road, and in doing so it also reduces the structure's lifetime. Indeed, the recent extremely cold winter in many parts of Europe has shown that in colder climates there is a risk of frost damage when water is present resulting in costly potholes, so drainage systems performing properly are important in road design.
    Read More

Highlighted Content