An X-Ray Before You Operate: Introducing the World’s Most Innovative Solution to Pavement Deficiencies and Land Surveying

They say that first impressions last a lifetime; this is still the case when it comes to buildings. A property’s parking lot is typically the first thing a visitor sets foot on, and a cracked, uneven surface speaks volumes. The condition of the asphalt shows how well a building is cared for and maintained, and hints of healthy financial planning.

Potholes, pooling water, dips and depressions: it’s inevitable these issues will arise. When the time comes to repave your parking lot the work is dependent on budget and weather conditions.

From a contractor’s perspective, a paving project typically begins with a manual survey and stake-out of the current asphalt conditions. This takes time, and involves taking photos, reviewing site maps, and evaluating square footage by using measuring wheels.

Now, new technology is changing the playing field for surveying mechanisms. An innovation known as “SmoothRide” is now available in Ontario, allowing for very accurate, 3D surface scanning of paved areas. Forest Contractors Ltd. are the first in Ontario to offer SmoothRide scanning for roads and are believed to be the first worldwide to be using the innovation to redesign parking lots!

Originally designed for roadways, SmoothRide is the first tech to combine Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and the Global Positioning System (GPS) into a unique paving solution. SmoothRide is designed to optimize the planning, design and execution of road and parking lot repaving projects, making them easier, more cost-effective, consistently better quality, and less hassle to manage from a disruption perspective.

How it works:

• Lidar scanning components are installed on Forest Contractor trucks. Using laptops to collect data, the full scope of the paved area is driven at the speed of moving traffic. Over 8500 data points per second are gathered.
• After the parking lot or roadway is scanned, the data is uploaded into the SmoothRide software. The information is then provided to a designer who manually designs the paving requirements based on desired thickness, final grading and smoothness requirements, and who can then optimize how much asphalt is initially removed and later put back.
• Milling, Paving, and Compacting work begins. Machines equipped with GPS are used to perfect grading to the nearest millimetre, to optimize elevations, and ensure that the thickness of asphalt and sub-base assures its maximum lifespan. Increasing the lifespan of asphalt means less asphalt repair long-term!

SmoothRide can increase a paving project’s efficiency through:

1. Quicker production speed

Cumbersome and expensive manual surveys are no longer needed; the time to mill, grade and pave is shorter, and there’s greater confidence in the work being undertaken.

2. Improved Accuracy and Visual Reporting

Elevations are optimized and accurately designed at a 1.5-2% slope towards local drainage. Smoothness levels can be made-to-measure using SmoothRide’s adjustable settings. GIS and GPS technologies reduce risks of human error and deficiencies.

The software provides mapped reporting of the existing paving’s condition, allowing Property Managers a better understanding of issues, and a detailed report to share with stakeholders, engineers and consultants.

SmoothRide reports provide a benchmark which can be referred to in follow-up years to see how the successfully repair work has sustained.

3. Reduced Costs & Timelines

With a better understanding of what’s below the surface, the amount of asphalt removed and subsequently dumped at waste facilities is significantly lowered, and less new asphalt is used for the repaving process. This is better for the environment, and better for the budget.

The improved fuel economy reduces each project’s carbon footprint, and since the mapping designs provide better project certainty, it is easier to schedule the project within a firm timeline, making it less burdensome for those affected by the work.

4. Increased Sustainability

SmoothRide Solutions optimizes the removal of old asphalt, minimizing the disposal of millings, and reducing the use of excess asphalt. The prolonged lifespan of the asphalt, coupled with the elimination of deficiencies and efficiency optimization, results in reduced overall waste on each project. The enhanced efficiency in work completion times also contributes to increased fuel economy and improved air quality, ultimately mitigating Forest’s asphalt plant emissions, and Forest’s environmental impact associated with construction activities.

In cases where there are specific problem areas which may not warrant a full repaving project, SmoothRide makes it possible to complete a partial asphalt removal without removing asphalt in low areas, thus allowing for a sufficient slope to be created. This can significantly decrease overall costs to a client and is almost impossible to achieve using traditional surveying methods.

Forest Contractors Ltd. are the first to offer this unique, innovative technology in Ontario. 

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