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AP-148 Robotics Technology in Highway Maintenance
Series of Demonstrations to Industry, to Market FHWA's Robotics ARMM
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Automated pavement crack sealing technology has been developed through a series of government and industry funded projects, culminating in a very promising prototype being tested at the University of Texas at Austin. The Automated Road Maintenance Machine (ARMM) follows like a trailer attached to a maintenance vehicle. The ARMM will scan the pavement area beneath the trailer and map any cracks on a computer in the maintenance vehicle. The operator, seated safely in the vehicle, can then use keyboard commands to initiate the automated crack sealing process.
Test results indicate that the ARMM can be twice as productive as the conventional, labor-intensive crack sealing method. Adoption of this new technology could produce significant savings. $200 million is spent annually on crack sealing operations nationwide.
Field trials of the equipment began in the late 1996. The Technology Marketing & Communication Team is funding work in 1998 with State partner Texas-DOT and industrial partner Crafco, to finish a commercial prototype ARMM and demonstrate its robotic practicality around the country in a series of exhibitions and field trials.
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