Systems and methods for adjusting crown to remediate road mat anomalies

Abstract

A paving machine includes a machine frame, a screed system, a mat striping sensor, and a controller. The screed system is connected to the frame and includes a mat crown system. The mat striping sensor is connected to the paving machine and configured to detect anomalies in an asphalt mat laid by the screed system. The controller is communicatively connected to the mat striping sensor and the mat crown system and configured to control the mat crown system to adjust a crown of the asphalt mat in response to the mat striping sensor detecting one or more anomalies in the asphalt mat.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A paving machine comprising:
 a machine frame;   a screed system connected to the frame and including a mat crown system;   a mat striping sensor connected to the paving machine and configured to detect anomalies in an asphalt mat laid by the screed system; and   a controller communicatively connected to the mat striping sensor and the mat crown system and configured to control the mat crown system to adjust a crown of the asphalt mat in response to the mat striping sensor detecting one or more anomalies in the asphalt mat.   
     
     
         2 . The paving machine of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to control the mat crown system to produce a positive crown of the asphalt mat in response to the mat striping sensor detecting one or more anomalies in the asphalt mat. 
     
     
         3 . The paving machine of  claim 2 , wherein the controller is configured to control the mat crown system to incrementally increase the crown of the asphalt mat in response to the mat striping sensor detecting one or more anomalies in the asphalt mat. 
     
     
         4 . The paving machine of  claim 3 , wherein the controller is configured to control the mat crown system to increase the crown of the asphalt mat until the mat striping sensor ceases to detect the one or more anomalies in the asphalt mat, and, thereafter, the controller is configured to control the mat crown system to maintain the crown of the asphalt mat. 
     
     
         5 . The paving machine of  claim 3 , wherein the controller is configured to control the mat crown system to incrementally increase the crown of the asphalt mat in increments approximately equal to one millimeter (0.03937 inches). 
     
     
         6 . The paving machine of  claim 3 , wherein the controller is configured to control the mat crown system to incrementally increase the crown of the asphalt mat up to and including a threshold positive crown. 
     
     
         7 . The paving machine of  claim 6 , wherein the threshold positive crown is approximately equal to 0.125 inches (3.175 millimeters). 
     
     
         8 . The paving machine of  claim 1 , wherein the mat striping sensor is configured to detect variation in one more characteristics of the asphalt mat. 
     
     
         9 . The paving machine of  claim 8 , wherein the mat striping sensor comprises an infrared sensor configured to detect variation in temperature of the asphalt mat. 
     
     
         10 . The paving machine of  claim 8 , wherein the mat striping sensor comprises a density sensor configured to detect variation in density of the asphalt mat. 
     
     
         11 . The paving machine of  claim 8 , wherein the mat striping sensor is a photoelectric sensor configured to detect variation in reflectivity of the asphalt mat. 
     
     
         12 . The paving machine of  claim 8 , wherein the mat striping senor comprises a camera configured to capture image data of a portion of the asphalt mat indicative of mat striping. 
     
     
         13 . The paving machine of  claim 1 , wherein the screed system comprises at least one screed plate and the mat crown system comprises a crown mechanism configured to move the at least one screed plate between a planer condition in which the screed plate is substantially planer, a convex condition in which the at least one screed plate is convex, and a concave condition in which the at least one screed plate is concave. 
     
     
         14 . The paving machine of  claim 13 , wherein the screed system comprises first and second screed plates pivotally connected at and configured to pivot about a forward-to-backward centerline of the paving machine. 
     
     
         15 . The paving machine of  claim 14 , wherein:
 the controller is configured to control the mat crown system to produce a positive crown of the asphalt mat in response to the mat striping sensor detecting one or more anomalies in the asphalt mat; and   the crown mechanism of the mat crown system produces the positive crown of the asphalt mat by pivoting the first and second screed plates about the forward-to-backward centerline of the paving machine.   
     
     
         16 . A paving machine comprising:
 a machine frame;   a screed system connected to the frame and including a mat crown system;   one or more mat striping sensors connected to the paving machine and configured to detect striping in an asphalt mat laid by the screed system; and   a controller communicatively connected to the one or more mat striping sensors and the mat crown system and configured to control the mat crown system to increase a crown of the asphalt mat in response to the one or more mat striping sensors detecting striping in the asphalt mat.   
     
     
         17 . A method comprising:
 laying an asphalt mat using a paving machine;   detecting one or more anomalies in the asphalt mat using one or more mat striping sensors connected to the paving machine; and   adjusting a crown of the asphalt mat in response to detecting the one or more anomalies.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein detecting the one or more anomalies comprises detecting variation in at least one of temperature, density, and reflectivity in the asphalt mat. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein detecting the one or more anomalies comprises detecting striping in the asphalt mat. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 17 , wherein adjusting the crown of the asphalt mat comprises incrementally increasing the crown of the asphalt mat up to and including a threshold positive crown or until the one or more mat striping sensors cease to detect the one or more anomalies.