Chip seals are a common treatment for extending pavement service life and improving surface texture and friction.
State transportation agencies use a variety of methods to evaluate the quality of a chip seal application, including an estimation of percent embedment (PE). To explore the relationship between surface texture and PE, the Illinois Department of Transportation collected texture measurements on highway test sections and validated these against core samples pulled from the same pavements. Researchers also developed regression models that estimate the deterioration of the PE values and eliminate the need for coring.
Read the final report: Chip Seal Quality Assurance Using Percent Embedment, December 2023
Image source: Illinois Department of Transportation