Use of Rolling Wheel Rut Testers
Rut testers, properly calibrated, have been utilized by some agencies as effective proof testers. However, they should not be used to predict actual pavement performance because of actual differences of in-service temperature and loading conditions. The devices use empirical evaluation of some measured response to a loaded wheel(s) as an indicator of performance. Local criteria from one region are not applicable to another. As such, each potential user needs to develop their own evaluation of wheel test results using local conditions.
For more information on the activities of the FHWA Superpave Mixtures
Expert Task Group, contact John R. Bukowski at: john.bukowski@fhwa.dot.gov.