Panel Data Analysis of Factors Affecting As-Built Roughness of Asphaltic Concrete Pavements

This paper investigates the relationship between the as-built roughness of asphaltic concrete pavement and construction characteristics factors using panel (longitudinal) data analysis. This panel study utilizes as-built roughness measurements and pavement and contractor’s characteristics for reconstructed, replaced, and resurfaced pavement projects in Wisconsin from 1996 through 2000. Several panel models, both fixed and random effects models, were developed from the basic model proposed in the study. The research shows that the random effects model provides the best estimate of proposed models on the basis of Akaike’s information criterion (AIC). The results indicate that some pavement and construction characteristics significantly affect as-built pavement roughness. The findings also reveal that contractor’s quality history from past pavement projects is a statistically significant factor that affects as-built roughness and can possibly be converted to contractor’s accumulated performance indicator on pavement construction.