For several years, government agencies, contractors and universities have studied thermal segregation and its negative impacts on our asphalt highways.

One of the most advanced research studies at the time was conducted by the Texas Transportation Institute (TTI) at Texas A&M University. In early 2008, MOBA began working with TTI to commercialize their research born system, into a product available for everyday use on asphalt paving machines.

On November 10, 2009 the first MOBA Pave-IR system was purchased and put into service by APAC Texas. Since that time, MOBA has evolved Pave-IR significantly, based largely on feedback from our paving contractors and to meet various agency requirements.

Today’s Pave-IR System has greatly improved the user experience, by replacing the initial screed mounted sensor array with a single scanning sensor mounted above the operator. As more contractors began to use Pave-IR, the more they saw that it offers so much more than just thermal data. For example, there is data available to the contractor, which can be used to optimize trucking and reduce paving downtime. In addition, feedback from specifying agencies have influenced the way in which we handle Pave-IR data. The days of manually downloading thermal data to a computer have been replaced by remote data transmission (where it is available in real-time) during paving operations. Even more improvements have come from what we gained by working with our technology partners, vendors, and distribution partners.

April 2015 marks the month Pave-IR system number 100 was sold by MOBA in the U.S. While it is a milestone for defining paving quality in a totally new way, this still indicates a relatively low adoption rate of this technology (yet). The work needed to demonstrate the benefits of Pave-IR to more contractors and state agencies continues and our efforts to accomplish this, are growing. MOBA is committed to this technology and the benefits it provides to agencies, paving contractors, and most of all, the taxpayer. The momentum for broader adoption is increasing, as more is being learned from these first one hundred systems. PAVE-IR AASHTO specification, public funding projects by the Federal Highway Association, specifications and implementation of PAVE-IR in multiple states, and successful usage of PAVE-IR by contractors, are telling the same story.

“PAVE-IR significantly improves Paving Quality and is widely supported by different groups and road experts.”

Where do you stand? Do you believe in the future of Paving Quality?