Intelligent Compaction Implementation Advice & Support

Intelligent Compaction (IC) is roller mounted real-time compaction monitoring.

Rollers fitted with Intelligent Compaction technology are used for granular soils, cohesive soils, aggregate bases and subbase and asphalt materials. You can find out more about Intelligent Compaction here.

Intelligent Compaction provides the direct link between pavement design parameters (modulus), roller compaction (stiffness / modulus indication) and testing (field and laboratory). Our expertise covers all these areas, which is unique in Australia and New Zealand.

Through our global network, we benefit from strong technical relationships with roller OEM’s, Intelligent Compaction retrofit kit OEM’s and OEM in country distribution partners / vendors.

Insitutek provides Intelligent Compaction (IC) implementation advice and support which helps our clients:

Understand

  • IC and its nuances including the systems available and in development and the levels of IC sophistication
  • Potential benefits
  • Alignment of pavement design parameters (modulus), IC outcomes (stiffness / modulus indication) and testing regimes (field and laboratory)
  • Global IC landscape and case studies – what is being done where
  • Who are the right people to talk to
  • Implementation steps
  • How to specify IC into the design and construction specifications
  • Practicalities of IC implementation from the design, compaction equipment and testing perspectives
  • Cost implications
  • How to mitigate the risks of compaction and compaction evaluation

Develop

  • Develop an integrated compaction system that allows design, compaction and compaction evaluation to be aligned and bridged
  • Develop an approach to compaction that aligns pavement design parameters (modulus), IC measurements (stiffness / modulus metrics) and testing regimes (field and laboratory).
  • Evaluate IC roller capability versus conventional lift thicknesses
  • Define research requirements and research briefs and establish an indicative cost.
  • Develop a test regime for real time in-situ calibration of IC results, enabling continuous placement of earthworks with confidence without waiting for conventional laboratory test results to become available. Establish the associated costs.
  • In parallel, calibrate IC results with parallel conventional earthworks testing with the view of convincing the client to relax the quantum of testing as soon as sufficient confidence is reached.
  • Review of current roller fleet and IC options available
  • IC system lease and procurement requirements /maintenance plan
    • Develop the IC system selection criteria (technical and economic)
    • Suitable IC systems from roller manufacturers (OEM’s) and /or retrofit systems will be evaluated against a set of agreed technical and economic criteria.
    • Once the quantity of the IC systems are established, suitable IC systems will be costed.
  • Training plan to grow in-house IC project management and technical capability
  • Cost / benefit analysis
    • Through our contacts and network of connections, as well as desk-based research, identify suitable case studies of successful IC implementation. Collate cost / benefit data.
    • For tender purposes, establish the budget including costs associated with implementation of the IC systems (including GPS and other IC accessories), training etc.
    • Formulate cost / benefit analysis
  • Implementation plans, detailing how to go about implementation, together with resources/ personnel/ timelines
  • Tender response by contributing to and reviewing tender submission write-up and presentation.
  • Criteria for appropriate field project selection

Implement

  • IC technical specification development/refinement/review for asphalt and soils
  • Protocol creation for project planning to ensure time on site for pilot and full field projects is effective and efficient with clear activities, roles, responsibilities and communications.
  • Protocol creation for data management to ensure IC and associated data and derivative files are properly collected, stored, managed and reported. This includes checklists and standard forms.
  • Training
    • High-level IC awareness workshops for executives and senior managers
    • Onsite mid-level IC training for project managers and supervisors
      • Understanding IC technologies
      • Integration of IC outcomes (stiffness / modulus indication) and testing regimes (field and laboratory)
      • In-house project planning and data management protocols
    • Onsite low-level IC training for field construction crew
      • Hands-on exercise and case studies with the Veta software
      • IC equipment training
  • Pilot field projects with onsite IC support
    • Renting IC equipment/system (evaluation of vendor proposals)
    • Collecting and reviewing field data results
    • Troubleshooting
    • Executive reporting
    • Implementation plan adjustment (if necessary)
  • Full field projects with onsite and/or remote IC support
    • Procurement of IC equipment/system (requirements refinement and evaluation of vendor proposals)
    • Collecting and reviewing field data results
    • Troubleshooting
    • Executive reporting
    • Implementation plan adjustment (if necessary)
  • Establishment of in-house database for IC
    • Optimised IC applications for different types of materials and construction layer thickness, etc.

In May 2018, Insitutek organised the first ever one day workshop on Intelligent Compaction in Australia; Intelligent Compaction: Working Towards Achieving Compaction Uniformity. The event attracting over 150 participants from contractors,  road authorities, industry bodies, design consultants, geotechnical testing specialists, universities and OEM roller / IC retrofit kit manufacturers and distributors.

In July 2020, the National Asset Centre of Excellence (NACoE) presented ‘Implementation of Intelligent Compaction in Queensland’. You can listen to the webinar and download the slides.

In September 2021, Insitutek’s Robin Power was an invited panelist at the SPARC International Workshop on Intelligent Compaction 2021 and chaired the final panel discussion.

  • SPARC is the Smart Pavements Research Collaboration, led by Monash University. The SPARC Hub is providing an unprecedented opportunity for the Australian pavement industry to solve problems, innovate, advance practice and drive commercial benefits. The SPARC Hub brings together local and overseas researchers, road and other transport agencies, local councils, infrastructure managers and contractors, and material suppliers in a five-year program of research and development, training and technology transfer.

To find out more, Contact Us.