Roughometer II User Manual PDF

USER MANUAL
ROUGHOMETER II
¾ Installation
¾ Collecting Roughness Data
¾ Data Processing
Optional GPS Receiver
© ARRB Group Ltd 2002 - 2007
• Part No: UM-RM-USR-I2.4

2 February 2007
CUSTOMER SUPPORT CONTACT DETAILS
Product Manager
ARRB Technology
ARRB Group Ltd

500 Burwood Highway
Vermont South
Victoria 3133
AUSTRALIA
Telephone: + 61 3 9881 1555

Fax: + 61 3 9887 9820
Email: productsupport@arrb.com.au
Although the Manual is

believed to be correct at
the time of publication,
ARRB Group Ltd, to the
extent lawful, excludes all
liability for loss (whether
arising under contract, tort,
statute or otherwise)
arising from the contents of
the Manual or from its use.
Where such liability cannot
be excluded, it is reduced
to the full extent lawful.
Without limiting the
foregoing, people should
apply their own skill and
judgement when using the
information contained in
the Manual.
i
ARRB Roughometer II User Manual I2.4
Document Change Record

Issue Date Change Details Approved
1.0 November First release. Covers Controller Firmware V1.0 and Office Cynthia
2002 Software V1.0 Cheah
1.1 September Maximum survey distance reduced from 412 km to 275 km. Roland
2003 Covers Controller Firmware V1.1 and Office Software V1.0 Leschinski
1.2 February Controller Firmware and Office software modified to include Roland
2004 imperial units for distance and IRI Leschinski
2.1 May 2004 Roughometer II release. Improved resolution of results and Roland
new features in Office processing and reporting. This covers Leschinski
Controller Firmware V1.2 and Processing software version 2.1
2.2 July 2005 Update to ARRB Group format Ian Levell
2.3 August Added Section 8 on GPS Receiver. Instructions for mounting Ron Elliott,
2006 of sensor to vehicles with IRS (Independent Rear Suspension) Craig
Blackburn
2.4 2-Feb-07 Added section on the use of a USB – Serial converter. Data Chris
processing section re-written to reflect the new software. Re- Stephens
organised layout.
i
!
Important Safety Notice
WARNING: To prevent damage which may result in a fire hazard do not expose the electronic
components to rain or moisture.
WARNING: Interfacing to any part of a vehicle’s electronics, in particular engine management

systems must only be done by a qualified automotive electrician.
WARNING: Any unauthorised changes to the ARRB interface hardware or misuse of the hardware
could interfere with the vehicle’s electronic systems. This may result in serious injury, or damage to
the vehicle and equipment. Any unauthorised changes or modifications void the user’s authority to
operate.
CAUTION: Test to ensure safe and correct vehicle operation before driving on open roads.
POWER SUPPLY: The hardware supplied is designed to operate on a 12V DC (negative ground)
vehicle supply only.
ii
Safety Precautions
Setting-Up
The equipment must only be installed by experienced or qualified personnel and must not
interfere with any of the vehicle’s systems or operation.
• Improper installation can result in interference with the vehicle’s management and safety
systems or result in damage to the vehicle. If in doubt, ask a qualified person to carry out
installation work such as permanently wiring into the vehicle’s power or engine management
systems.
The equipment must be installed securely and placed where there is no danger to the
operator and driver in the event of a collision.
• In the event of a collision, poorly installed equipment can become a dangerous object inside
the vehicle which may result in serious injury or death. Ideally, all equipment should be
properly secured with fixed equipment installed behind an approved safety barrier.
The vehicle must first be tested at low speed under safe conditions to determine correct
vehicle operation before using on roads with other vehicles, or at high speed.
• When modifications to a vehicle are made or equipment is installed it must always be tested
under controlled conditions before driving on open roads.
When In Use
Ensure that the equipment is operated in such a way that it does not distract or obstruct
the driver.
• The full attention of the driver should be focussed on driving safely. For some surveys this will
require a passenger to operate the equipment. The equipment should also be installed and
stored well away from the driving position to ensure there is no interference with the driver.
Ensure that electronic components are kept dry and well ventilated. Never cover the
equipment.
• Electronic equipment generally requires ventilation to avoid the risk of overheating, damage to
the equipment, and/or fire. Avoid spills, rain and moisture and ensure all air outlets are
unobstructed.
Do not do anything that might damage the cables or equipment. If in doubt, return to ARRB
for service.
• Take particular care with mounting cables and ensure that they cannot become damaged by
closing doors etc. If in doubt return the equipment or cables to ARRB for checking or
servicing.
If Problems Occur During Use
If a problem occurs, for instance if smoke or an abnormal odour starts to come from the
equipment, immediately disconnect the power and inspect the equipment for damage.
• If in doubt consult a qualified automotive electrician or return to ARRB.
Do not tamper with the equipment, or attempt to repair it yourself.

• Tampering, repair or modifications can damage the equipment and/or the vehicle. This may
result in serious injury.
Please Drive Safely !
iii
Notice to Customers
CONFIDENTIAL
This document may only be used for the purpose for which it was intended and may not be reproduced,
stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical,
photocopy, microfilm, recording or otherwise, without written prior permission from ARRB Group Ltd.
COPYRIGHT
© ARRB Group Ltd 2002 - 2007
ARRB Group Ltd retains copyright and other intellectual property rights including the right to develop
enhancements or updates of the equipment and software at any time without notice. All software is
copyright and must not be modified, copied (except for back-up by the purchaser), or distributed in any
form without the written permission of ARRB Group Ltd and the purchaser shall not sell nor re-sell the
software.
SOFTWARE
All software can only be used on a single computer at any one time. This means that any software should
be loaded on only one hard disk drive at a time.
WARNING
ARRB Group Ltd makes no warranty that its software products will work in combination with any hardware
or applications software products provided by third parties, therefore additional software packages and/or
applications not related to this data acquisition/processing system MUST not be loaded as they may
interfere with the operation of this product.
ARRB Group Ltd does not accept any responsibility if additional software packages and/or applications are
installed.
iv
Conditions of Use
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY
The software described in this manual is the property of ARRB Group Ltd and is protected by copyright
laws and international copyright treaties, as well as other intellectual property laws and treaties. The
software and all information embodied in the software is confidential.
DISCLAIMER
ARRB Group Ltd makes no representations or warranties with respect to any ARRB Group Ltd software,
and specifically disclaims any express or implied warranties of merchantability, title, or fitness for a
particular purpose. Distribution of any ARRB Group Ltd software is forbidden without the express written
consent of ARRB Group Ltd. Further, ARRB Group Ltd reserves the right to discontinue distribution of any
ARRB Group Ltd software.
WARRANTY
ARRB Group Ltd shall at its absolute discretion determine whether any defective item shall be repaired or
replaced and shall accept, within the warranty period, costs of return shipment to ARRB Group Ltd or its
designated representative only under circumstances of prior express approval by ARRB Group Ltd of the
shipping method.
Software upgrades do not extend or modify the warranty on equipment already provided.
Subject always to the provisions of the subsequent clauses, ARRB Group Ltd warrants that:
(a) the software will perform substantially in accordance with the accompanying written materials for a
period of 12 months from the date of purchase; and
(b) the hardware will be free from defects in materials and workmanship (under normal use and service in
accordance with instructions for use) for a period of 12 months from the date of purchase.
CUSTOMER REMEDIES
ARRB Group Ltd’s entire liability under contract, tort, equity, breach of statutory duty or any other law,
regulation or rule and your exclusive remedy in respect of any rights accrued to you and your successors in
title and permitted assigns against ARRB Group Ltd, its officers, employees and agents pursuant to any of
the foregoing arising from your use of the equipment or software shall be repair or replacement of the
software or hardware that does not meet ARRB Group Ltd’s limited warranty (as described above) and
which is returned to ARRB Group Ltd with your purchase documents within the warranty period.
NO OTHER WARRANTIES
To the extent permitted by law, ARRB Group Ltd disclaims all other Warranties, either express or implied,
including but not limited to implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose, with
respect to the product, the accompanying written materials or the accessories supplied.
NO LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES

In no event shall the officers, employees and agents of ARRB Group Ltd or its suppliers be liable for any
damages whatsoever (including, without limitation, damages for loss of business profits, business
interruption, loss of business information, or other pecuniary loss) arising out of the use or inability to use
this product or associated data.
v
Contents
Page
CUSTOMER SUPPORT CONTACT DETAILS I
DOCUMENT CHANGE RECORD II
IMPORTANT SAFETY NOTICE III
SAFETY PRECAUTIONS IV
NOTICE TO CUSTOMERS V
CONDITIONS OF USE VI
1. Introduction 1
2. Hardware Installation 3
2.1 Data acquisition components 3
2.2 Data processing components 4
2.3 The Roughometer II Controller 4
2.4 GPS Receiver (optional) installation 6
2.5 Connecting the GPS Receiver 6
2.6 Roughness sensor installation 6
2.6.1 Vehicle without IRS (independent rear suspension) 6
2.6.2 Vehicle with IRS (independent rear suspension) 7
2.6.3 Routing the sensor cable 8
2.7 Distance measurement 8
2.7.1 Using vehicle odometer output 8
2.7.2 Installing a temporary DMI 9
2.8 Data acquisition connections 9
2.9 Power on 10
2.10 Controller menu 10
Although the Manual is
3. System Calibration 11 believed to be correct at
the time of publication,
3.1 Calibrating the Roughness Sensor 11 ARRB Group Ltd, to the
extent lawful, excludes all
3.2 Setting the measurement units (metric or imperial) 12 liability for loss (whether
arising under contract, tort,
3.3 Distance calibration 12 statute or otherwise)
4. Performing a roughness survey 15 arising from the contents of
the Manual or from its use.
4.1 Introduction 15 Where such liability cannot
be excluded, it is reduced
4.2 Performing a survey 16 to the full extent lawful.
Without limiting the
5. Ancillary Functions 19 foregoing, people should
apply their own skill and
5.1 Memory check 19 judgement when using the
information contained in
5.2 Deleting data 19 the Manual.
5.3 Diagnostics 19
5.4 Error messages 20
6. Fault Finding 23
6.1 Controller appears dead 23
6.2 No distance pulses in the Diagnostics display 23
6.3 No output from the Roughness Sensor 23
6.4 Nonsensical Survey Numbers or Memory Remaining 24
6.5 Error. Could Not Write Data, and Error. Aborting Survey 24
6.6 Mouse pointer moves randomly when GPS receiver is connected 24
7. Data Processing 27
7.1 Processing hardware setup 27
7.1.1 Roughometer II Controller 27
7.1.2 GPS Receiver 27
7.1.3 Using a serial port to USB adaptor 28
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7.1.4 Minimum processing computer requirements 28

7.2 Installing the software 28
7.3 Starting the software 29
7.4 Roughometer II toolbar 30
7.5 Survey setup 31
7.5.1 Setting the GPS option 31
7.5.2 GPS setup 31
7.5.3 Roughometer II setup 33
7.6 Retrieving survey data 34
7.6.1 Roughometer II data retrieval 34
7.6.2 GPS data retrieval 35
7.6.3 Roughometer II data files 36
7.6.4 GPS data file 36
7.7 Processing survey data 36
7.7.1 Setting the result output folder 36
7.7.2 Setting Roughness and Distance units 37
7.7.3 Selecting the reporting interval 37
7.7.4 Low speed IRI correction 37
7.7.5 The assessment criteria 38
7.7.6 Processing 39
7.8 Reports 40
7.8.1 Files and reports generated by processing 40
7.8.2 Condition Assessment Report 40
7.8.3 Roughness Report 41
7.8.4 Roughness Graph 43
7.8.5 Survey Map 44
7.8.6 Opening an existing report 46
7.8.7 Editing event information 47
7.8.8 Editing header information 48
7.8.9 Printing reports 48
vii
Page 1
1. Introduction
The ARRB Roughometer is designed to measure the roughness of sealed and unsealed roads.
Typical users include Local Government, Forestry and National Parks Management, etc. These
organisations have a need for objective and repeatable assessments of their roads with a simple and
portable system. The results of the measurements taken by the ARRB Roughometer II can be used to
more effectively utilise maintenance resources.
Conventional laser based survey equipment employed for profilometry of sealed bitumen surfaces is
unnecessarily precise and often expensive. The ARRB Roughometer II is a cost effective tool for this
purpose.
The Roughometer II is very simple to use and can be easily and quickly fitted to most vehicles. All
operations are controlled by five buttons and a two line LCD display.
The ARRB Roughometer II is designed to provide an objective and repeatable indication of road
roughness. The output is in units of International Roughness Index (IRI) or NAASRA counts and
typically correlates to the true value of IRI to within one IRI.
The accuracy of the results is dependent on the vehicle axle faithfully following the road surface profile
at a relatively constant speed. Consequently, there is a dependence on vehicle mass, suspension and
survey speed which may result in some survey results being outside the normal uncertainty limits.
Note: There is a GPS option available for the Roughometer II and this User Manual is written for
the Roughometer II with GPS option. However, the Roughometer II can be operated without the
GPS option and in this case, ignore the various discussions on the GPS option.
Roughometer II User Manual I2.4

Page 2
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Page 3
2. Hardware Installation
2.1 Data acquisition components

The major acquisition components are a distance measuring instrument (DMI), and the items shown in
Figure 2-1 and Figure 2-2. The vehicle odometer may be used instead of a DMI.
Figure 2-1 : Data acquisition hardware connections (excluding GPS option)
The optional GPS Receiver connections are shown in Figure 2-2.

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Figure 2-2: GPS Receiver (optional) data acquisition connections
2.2 Data processing components

The data processing components are shown in Section 7.1.
2.3 The Roughometer II Controller

The Controller is used by the surveyor to perform all the set up and survey functions. It provides
operator feedback during the survey, accepts Control Point and Event inputs from the operator, and
acquires Distance, Time and Roughness data. All data is stored in non-volatile internal memory. The
Controller is operated using five keys (see Figure 2-3).

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Figure 2-3 : Roughometer II Controller
The actions of the keys are described in detail throughout this manual but, briefly:
• Esc returns to the main menu
• Yes marks reference points during a survey and selects menu items
• Start/Stop starts and stops the collection of survey data
• The scroll keys e and f mark Events during a survey and scroll through menu items.
The Controller displays information and instructions relating to the various functions of the
Roughometer II on the LCD Display. A typical message is shown in Figure 2-4.
Figure 2-4: Typical display text
Survey data is obtained from three devices:

• The Roughness Sensor
• The Distance Measurement Instrument (DMI) or the vehicle odometer
• Optional GPS Receiver (This operates independently of the Roughometer II Controller and has no
connection to it)

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2.4 GPS Receiver (optional) installation

The GPS receiver operates in isolation from the Roughometer II data logger, recording position
information in its internal memory. Roughometer I and early versions of Roughometer II will require a
firmware upgrade.
Place the receiver on the roof or dashboard of the vehicle at the commencement of the survey. It turns
on and starts logging GPS data when power is applied, and ceases to record information when the
power is turned off.
2.5 Connecting the GPS Receiver

Connections for data acquisition are shown in Figure 2-2. Power is supplied from the vehicle electrical
system via a 5V DC regulator. The RS232 (DB9) connector is not used during data acquisition.
Note: Do not use an adjustable 5 Volt regulator device in case of inadvertent selection of a voltage
other than 5 Volts.
Note: If you use a laptop computer to power the GPS Receiver, it is recommended that the power
saving options are disabled for the duration of testing.
2.6 Roughness sensor installation

Read the relevant installation instructions through fully before proceeding.
Note: For best results, the roughness sensor should be calibrated prior to mounting on the vehicle.
The calibration procedure is described in Section 3.1.
2.6.1 Vehicle without IRS (independent rear suspension)

It is recommended that the sensor bracket is installed onto the vehicle’s rear axle, as close as
possible to the driver’s side wheel (see Figure 2-5).
Position the sensor so that it is orientated as near to vertical as possible. Secure the bracket to the
vehicle axle using the hose clamp supplied. A small bubble level can be used to correctly orientate the
sensor.
The arrow printed on the sensor face should face downward (see Figure 2-6).
Figure 2-5 : Sensor fitted to rear axle

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Figure 2-6 : Orientation of Roughness Sensor
2.6.2 Vehicle with IRS (independent rear suspension)
Figure 2-7 : Sensor fitted to vehicle with IRS (Independent Rear Suspension)
1. Attach the sensor to the flat plate of the mounting bracket with the two socket head cap screws.
Use a 3mm Allen key to tighten the screws up to the point where the sensor can still be moved
by hand relative to the bracket.
2. Check that the two parts of the mounting bracket are assembled with a flat M8 washer under
both the screw head and the nut. An M8 star washer should be placed in-between the two parts
of the bracket where they touch. Tighten the screw up to the point where it is firm, but where the
two parts of the bracket can still be moved by hand. A 13mm open ended spanner and 6mm
Allen key should be used for this.
3. Select two appropriately sized hose clamps (supplied). Use a flat bladed screwdriver to fully
unscrew both.
4. Thread the bands of the two hose clamps through the two pairs of slots on the U shaped
section of the mounting bracket. The bands will be tightened later, when the bracket is placed
on the shock absorber.
5. Drive the vehicle up on ramps or place on a hoist, etc, to gain access to the rear wheel where
the kit is to be fitted.
6. Place the hose clamps around the shock absorber (see Figure 2-7).
7. Thread the bands back into the clamps and tighten them loosely with the screwdriver.
8. It is essential that the sensor is mounted so that its sensitive axis is vertical. The arrow marked
on the side of the sensor should point straight down. A bubble level or small spirit level can be
used to measure whether the sensor is mounted correctly. The mounting bracket is designed to
provide adequate adjustment in the position of the sensor. The bracket can be rotated around
the shock absorber, as well as tilted in both “north-south” and “east-west” planes.

Page 8
9. Position the mounting bracket as required and tighten up all screws. After tightening up the
screws, use a level to check that the sensor has not moved.
10. Note that at least 40mm at the end of the shock absorber is required for successful mounting of
the bracket. The installer should check that the bracket will not be hit by the shock absorber
when the vehicle is driven.
Note: The device must be secured to the vehicle in such a way that it does not foul the operation of
the vehicle. It is the responsibility of the installer of the device to ensure that the shock absorber, or
any other part of the vehicle, does not hit the bracket or the roughness sensor attached to it.
Note: The length of travel for a serviceable shock absorber can be obtained from the vehicle
manufacturer. This can be used to determine whether the device will foul the shock absorber. A
minimum of 40mm at the end of the shock absorber is required for successful mounting of
the device.
2.6.3 Routing the sensor cable
Note: It is essential that the sensor cable is safely and securely attached to the vehicle.
The following points should be considered:
• Ensure that the cable is routed in such a way that it does not interfere with any vehicle functions
and is not exposed to exhaust heat
• Secure the cable using nylon cable ties (do not tie around hot items such as the exhaust pipe)
• It is recommended that the cable be sheathed in a suitable jacket such as split plastic flexible
conduit supplied with the mounting kit
• For a temporary installation the cable can be routed to enter the vehicle through the rear window
in the case of a sedan or under the tailgate in the case of a station wagon (estate car). Typically
the cable is attached to the vehicle bodywork using adhesive pads and nylon cable ties.
2.7 Distance measurement

Distance measurement pulses are produced by either the vehicle’s odometer or an externally fitted
sensor such as the ARRB Distance Measuring Instrument which is a rotary encoder. Each pulse
represents a certain distance which is measured by the Controller’s Distance Calibration Procedure.
The Roughometer II Interface Module is designed to readily accept inputs from several different types
of distance sensor.
2.7.1 Using vehicle odometer output

The standard configuration of the Roughometer II kit is for distance pulses to be available from the
vehicle odometer. This is the recommended connection for a permanent or longer term installation.

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Figure 2-8 : Vehicle ODO connection
Figure 2-8 shows the connection to the vehicle’s odometer pulses. The distance interface cable is
supplied with quick connect terminals. The interface will accept pulses with an amplitude of between 2
and 12 volts.
Note: If the signal is from a transistor Open Collector or Open Drain, Link HD1 in the Interface
Module must be inserted in position B.
In a small percentage of vehicles, the available distance pulse is less than 2 volts in amplitude. For
these installations an in-line pulse amplifier (ARRB Part No. BF-SEN/VDO411096) is available to
boost the signal. The amplifier is supplied with separate installation instructions.
Important Safety Notice: Connection to the vehicle’s odometer system should only be done by a
qualified auto electrician. Incorrect connections to the vehicle’s electronics may affect the vehicle’s
speed measurement and/or engine management system.
2.7.2 Installing a temporary DMI

For a temporary application or where an electronic odometer signal is unavailable, a Distance
Measurement Instrument (DMI) is available (see Figure 2-9). A variety of wheel mounted encoders
with mounting kits are available from ARRB. Installation instructions are included in the DMI kit.
Figure 2-9 : Photo showing Rotary Wheel Encoder mounted on wheel
2.8 Data acquisition connections

For data acquisition, the equipment connections are as shown in Figure 2-1 and, if you are using the
optional GPS Receiver, Figure 2-2.
Page 10
Make all connections before connecting power to the system.

12V DC power can be obtained from the vehicle cigarette lighter socket, or from the vehicle battery or
a suitable accessory connection. Direct wiring is a better option as cigarette lighter connections can be
unreliable.
2.9 Power on
Switch the power on at the Interface Module and check that:
• The green light (LED) on the Interface Module is illuminated
• The display on the Roughometer II Controller has cycled through the startup checks and the “New
Survey” message is displayed
• The Roughometer II Controller has emitted an audio signal (2 beeps) indicating that the Controller
is ready to collect Roughness data.
2.10 Controller menu

When the Roughometer II Controller has gone through its startup checks, the screen will display “New
Survey”. The menu has seven items and the f and e scroll keys will take you in opposite
directions around the cyclical menu.
The Menu items are:
• New Survey (see Paragraph 4.2)
• Memory Available (see Paragraph 5.1)
• Delete Data (see Paragraph 5.2)
• Calibrate Sensor (see Paragraph 3.1)
• Diagnostics (see Paragraph 5.3)
• Units – Metric (or Imperial) (see Paragraph 3.2)
• Distance Calibration (see Paragraph 3.3)

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3. System Calibration
Before commencing a roughness survey, it is necessary to calibrate the devices that collect the survey
data. Calibration is carried out in the vehicle that will be used for the survey. The quality of the data
collected will depend on these calibrations; therefore the procedures should be followed carefully.
3.1 Calibrating the Roughness Sensor

The roughness sensor is sensitive to vertical motion. When correctly installed, it will accurately
measure the vertical motion induced by the road surface profile as the vehicle is driven along the road.
Calibration of the roughness sensor involves measuring the output from the sensor in both the normal
and inverted orientations.
Calibrate Sensor
Yes to Select
Press YES to select the sensor calibration mode.
Sensor at 0 degs.
Esc or Yes
Hold the sensor against a vertical surface with the sensor arrow pointing downward (see Figure
3-1), and press YES .
Figure 3-1: Roughness sensor calibration
Sensor = 2.52V
Esc or Yes
The output from the sensor is continuously measured and displayed. Adjust the sensor’s vertical
alignment (small movements) to achieve the maximum output voltage reading, then press YES .
Rotate 180 degs.

Esc or Yes
Rotate the sensor 180 degrees (arrow up, see Figure 3-1), then press YES .
Sensor = 1.68V
Esc or Yes

Page 12
The display will change to show the sensor output voltage. The displayed voltage in this position will
be less than the voltage displayed for the 0 degrees position. Adjust the sensor’s vertical alignment to
achieve the minimum output voltage reading, then press YES .
Old 3.11 New 2.44

Esc or Yes
The calibration value will vary from unit to unit but should be around 2.6. If the ‘new’ value differs
greatly from the ‘old’ value or is greater than 3.5 or less than 2.0, press ESC and repeat the
procedure.
If the calibration value remains outside the recommended values or is not repeatable, there may be a
fault. Refer to Chapter 6. Fault Finding.
If the ‘new’ value is acceptable, press Yes and the Controller will be updated with the new calibration
parameters.
Updating
Please wait . . .
The Controller will update the calibration value. This will take several seconds to complete and then
the Controller will return to the New Survey mode.
Note: In practice, the calibration value does not vary significantly between sensors. A controller with
a valid calibration factor may be used with more than one sensor. However, the sensor calibration
routine must be performed with every new controller to ensure a valid calibration factor is stored in
the controller.
3.2 Setting the measurement units (metric or imperial)

The Roughometer II Controller can be set to display survey distances in units of kilometres or miles.
The appropriate units are also used in the calibration routines.
Select the Units change mode using the Scroll buttons.
Units – Metric
Yes to change
To change from Metric units to Imperial units (or Imperial to Metric) press YES .
Units – Imperial
Yes to save
To keep the current units setting, press ESC . The updating process will take several seconds to
complete and the keypad is locked during this process.
Updating
Please wait . . .
3.3 Distance calibration

Accurate distance measurement is dependent upon the distance calibration. The Distance Calibration
will vary considerably depending on the distance sensor, the vehicle type, wheel diameter and tyre
pressure. A Distance Calibration must be performed whenever the system is installed on a vehicle.

Page 13
Important: The calibration factor is stored in the Controller. If a new or different Controller is used,
a calibration must be performed. A distance calibration involves driving the survey vehicle along a
marked and measured track. The track can be from 100 metres to 2000 metres in length. When set
to imperial units, the calibration distance is between 0.1 mile and 1.0 mile. A greater length of track
will produce a more accurate calibration.
1. Position the vehicle at the start marker of the calibration track and select the distance calibration
mode using the Scroll buttons.
Distance Cal.
Yes to select
Press Yes to select the Distance calibration mode.
Cal. Distance
1000m Scroll/Yes
Press Scroll to select the required calibration distance and press Yes .
At Start Point
Press Start
Press START/STOP to start the calibration.
Distance
Stop at end
2. Drive the vehicle along the measured calibration track at a steady speed and ensure that the
vehicle wheels track as straight as is practical. The displayed distance will increment to show
the distance measurement produced by the distance calibration settings.
3. Slow the vehicle as it approaches the end of the track and stop the vehicle precisely at the end
marker. Press START/STOP .
Old 1002 New 1000

Yes Save or Esc
The selected Calibration Distance was 1000m. The Old value shown is the distance as measured
using the current calibration parameters. The New value shown is the distance measured using
the newly calculated calibration parameters.
Press YES to save the new calibration or press ESC if the New value indicated is not to be
saved, for example because of inaccurate start or end positioning, or if for some reason the
vehicle deviated from the true track.
The updating process will take several seconds to complete and the keypad is locked during this
process.
Updating
Please wait . . .
The distance calibration procedure is now concluded.
On completion of the distance and roughness sensor calibrations, the Roughometer II is ready to
be used in a roughness survey.

Page 14

Page 15
4. Performing a roughness survey
4.1 Introduction
Before using the Roughometer II for the first time, it is important that the correct date and time is set in
the Controller. The procedure for this is described in Paragraph 7.5. When the data is subsequently
downloaded, it is stored in folders which are named according to the survey date and time.
The simplest survey is one section from point to point with no events noted during the survey.
Figure 4-1: A single section survey
A more complex survey is one where the survey is divided into a number of sections.
Figure 4-2: A three section survey
During the survey, it may be desirable to note the location of events of interest. For example, if the
vehicle needs to cross a railway line or if there are some road works. These events will influence the
roughness of that particular section and it is useful to have the events recorded along with the data to
help explain any unusually high results. For example:
Figure 4-3: A three section survey with two marked events
During the Data Processing, Events 1 and 2 can be renamed as ‘Rail crossing’ and ‘Roadworks’ (for
instance).
To optimise the processing of data, it is recommended that the survey include ‘Lead-in’ and ‘Lead-
out’ sections. The Lead-in is effectively data acquired before the first section, which allows the
processing algorithm to prime the numerical filtering with some historical data before the first section
of interest. The Lead-out improves data processing at the end of the survey.
Figure 4-4: A three section survey with lead-in and lead-out sections
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4.2 Performing a survey

Important Note: The synchronisation process described in Section 7.5 must be performed every
survey day, before surveying begins, particularly if you are using the GPS option.
At switch on or after Escaping from any menu item, the Controller indicates the Survey Mode.
New Survey
Yes to select
Press YES to select the survey mode. The display will briefly show the amount of survey data
memory available (displayed as km or miles of Survey),
275km of Survey
Memory Left
and then advance to the survey number.
Survey 1
Yes or Esc
The Controller will always display the number of the next survey.
For example, if 5 surveys had been completed and the Controller Unit turned off, the next time the
Controller Unit is turned on, the survey number displayed would be Survey 6.
Press YES to prepare for the start of a survey.
Important Note: To improve accuracy and to ensure repeatability, it is important that wherever
possible, a constant survey speed is maintained. Actual survey speed will depend on the road, but
generally, a speed of 40 – 60 km/h (25 – 37 mph) has been shown to provide good results. The
speed should be above 25 km/h (15 mph). The driver should reach the survey speed before
pressing START/STOP . A survey speed below 25 km/h can result in significantly higher
Roughness results. For sealed roads, a survey speed of up to 70 km/h is generally acceptable.
Note: There are inevitably situations where the driver will need to slow down to negotiate a turn or
to allow for traffic conditions. The processing software can detect these occurrences and
compensate to ensure the low speed results do not influence the surrounding valid results. See
Paragraph 7.7.4 for more details.
Note: It is important that the vehicle speed be up to the survey speed as you cross the start point,
and is still travelling at the survey speed as you cross the end point.
Press START/STOP approximately 50 metres (yards) or more before the start (if possible) of the
section to be surveyed. This ensures that the data processing software has enough information to
perform the roughness calculations and is referred to as the Lead In. The display will change to
indicate the distance travelled.
To Start Survey
Press Start
Metres . . . .
Yes Stop or Esc
During the survey it is possible to enter control points and event markers into the data. Control points
are typically used to mark the start point of the survey (after the Lead In) and to separate sections
within the survey.
Event Markers are used to show the location of points of interest along the survey route.

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Press the YES button to enter a single Control Point.

Press either Scroll button to enter an Event Marker.
If conditions allow, accuracy at the end of the survey can be improved by inserting a Control Point at
the end of the survey section. Press Yes then continue for approximately 50 metres (or as far as is
practical) past the end point before pressing START/STOP .
This additional information is required by the data processing software and is referred to as the Lead
Out. At the end of the Lead Out, press START/STOP .
The Controller will automatically complete the data saving process and ready itself for the next survey.
New Survey
Yes to select
The Roughometer II has storage capacity for up to 275 kilometres (171 miles) of survey. This can
consist of up to 100 individual surveys.
The survey operations are shown diagrammatically below.
Figure 4-5: Example of survey operations
To provide an audible confirmation of the progress of the survey, the Controller emits a ‘beep’ every
100 m during the survey. The ‘beep’ is purely for operator feedback and is not related to the
roughness processing interval. The beep can be disabled or enabled by pressing both Scroll buttons
simultaneously.

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5. Ancillary Functions
The Roughometer II has a number of other functions which are used to check the functionality of the
unit as well as assist in diagnosing faults. They can be accessed by Scrolling to them in the Main
Menu. The functions are listed below.
5.1 Memory check
Memory Available
Yes to select
Press YES to see how many kilometres or miles of survey memory are available.
275km Of Survey
Esc to Return
5.2 Deleting data

Once all data has been uploaded, the memory space should be cleared.
Delete Data
Yes to select
This will erase all survey data.
Are you sure?

Yes or Esc
Press YES .
Erasing Page :0
Block:1 OK
The data memory consists of 8 pages (Page 0 – 7) and each page has 16 blocks (Block 0 – 15). The
program checks each block and erases all data. The process takes about one minute and then the
following screens will display briefly.
Writing
Calibration Data
Survey Log
Created.
The unit is then initialised in readiness for the new survey data.
5.3 Diagnostics
The Diagnostics mode enables the user to check that the sensor signals are valid and that they are
being received by the Controller.

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Diagnostics
Yes to select
Before commencing a new day’s surveying it is a good idea to check the distance pulses and the
Roughness Sensor output.
Press YES .
Pulses 1998
Sensor 2.50V
The distance sensor count should show roughly 2000 counts (Pulses xxxx) per rotation of the tyre
(depending on the size of the wheel). This assumes a distance calibration has been performed. The
number of counts will also be different for the vehicle odometer and a DMI sensor.
The Sensor Voltage should be around 2.5V +/- 0.2V.
5.4 Error messages

When the Roughometer II system is switched on, a number of setup procedures and tests are carried
out by the internal program in the Controller.
The first message displayed is the product name and program revision.
ARRB Roughometer
Version 2.3
Then:
Reading
Calibration Data
If any problem is found with the calibration:
Cal. Not Valid

Re-calibrate
Applying Default
Settings
Setting Distance
Pulse Interface
At this point in the setup, the Controller memory is checked. The following message indicates there
was a problem with the check:
Memory Fault. Pls

Power OFF and ON
Follow the displayed instruction (switch the power to the Controller off and on again). The Controller
will cycle through the above checks and messages accordingly.
If the memory fault message persists, please contact ARRB for service (see details on Page i).
At this point all hardware tests have been completed successfully.
The Controller is now ready for survey preparation.

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Reading Current
Survey Setup Log
If, for example, the Controller power supply is interrupted, this may temporarily corrupt the various
information fields in the Controller memory. The program examines the information fields. If an error is
found:
Current Survey
Log Not Valid
followed by the beeper sounding.
The various memory parameters are then reset.
Setting Default
Log Parameters
Log Not Valid

Reset Survey
Searching for
Free memory
The Controller has now completed the test and setup procedures necessary for reliable survey data
collection.

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6. Fault Finding
The following section describes a number of fault scenarios which may be encountered by a user,
either at installation or after the unit has been in service for some time.
6.1 Controller appears dead

Problem: Unit plugged in but no sign of life on the Controller:
• Check all connections into the Interface Unit and confirm that the power switch is on. The vehicle
ignition may need to be in the Accessory position.
• Check that the main power LED is illuminated.
• If the main power LED is not illuminated, first check the fuse in the Interface Module, and then in
the vehicle fuse box.
• If the fuse in the Interface unit is blown and a replacement blows as well, contact ARRB.
• If the vehicle fuse is blown, remove the Roughometer II Interface unit power connector from the
cigarette lighter plug and replace the fuse. If it blows again, check with an Auto Electrician. If the
vehicle fuse only blows when the Roughometer II interface is plugged in, there may be a fault with
the unit or the power cable. Check the power cable and/or contact ARRB.
6.2 No distance pulses in the Diagnostics display

Problem: Controller appears to be working, but no distance pulses are evident in the Diagnostics
display:
• Check if the Distance LED on the front panel flashes as the vehicle rolls forward. With a high
resolution wheel transducer, the pulses will be very quick and it may appear that the LED is
permanently on, whereas with the vehicle odometer, they will be much slower.
• If there are Distance LED flashes on the interface, but no distance indication on the Controller’s
diagnostics display, then the most likely fault is the controller cable. Try a spare or contact ARRB.
• If there are no Distance LED flashes on the interface, then the distance transducer connection
could be faulty. Check the cable.
• If the distance pulses are from the vehicle’s ODO, it may be possible to check the presence of the
pulses at the connection between interface box and the vehicle wiring (see Figure 2-8).
• If the distance pulses are from the optional wheel encoder, check by swapping with a spare.
6.3 No output from the Roughness Sensor

Problem: Controller appears to be working, but no output evident from the Roughness Sensor:
• Check if the Roughometer II sensor LED flashes on the Interface Module as the vehicle is driven
over some bumps.
• If there are Roughness Sensor LED flashes on the interface, but the Roughness voltage indication
on the Controller’s diagnostics display is static, then the most likely fault is the controller cable. Try
a spare or contact ARRB.
• If there are no Roughness Sensor LED flashes on the Interface, then the Roughness sensor
connection could be faulty. Check the cable.
• Plug a spare Roughness sensor into the Interface Module and check for a signal. With the sensor
vertical and the arrow pointing down, the Controller should display around 2.5V. With the sensor
inverted it should display around 1.7V. If there is still no signal, there may be a fault with the
Interface Unit. Contact ARRB.

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6.4 Nonsensical Survey Numbers or Memory Remaining

Problem: The display shows nonsensical Survey Numbers or Memory Remaining:
• The Controller may have received a power glitch during acquisition which has corrupted the file
pointer. Check the cigarette lighter connection.
• If possible, download data from Controller.
• Delete all data in the Controller to reset memory pointers.
6.5 Error. Could Not Write Data, and Error. Aborting Survey
Problem: The display alternates between ‘Error. Could Not Write Data’ and ‘Error. Aborting Survey’:
• The data memory may be full and the Controller is unable to write to an empty location;
• A section of data memory may not have been erased completely;
• There may be a faulty memory chip.
• If possible, download data from Controller.
• Delete all data in the Controller to reset memory pointers.
• Contact ARRB (see details on Page i) if these error messages persist.
6.6 Mouse pointer moves randomly when GPS receiver is

connected
In some cases, the Windows mouse pointer may move randomly about the display and behave as
though buttons are being pressed whenever a GPS receiver is connected and switched on. This is
caused by Windows misidentifying the GPS receiver as a serial mouse. This problem is acknowledged
by Microsoft, and is discussed in Microsoft Knowledge Base article 283063.
This problem may be solved either by adding a registry key to prevent Windows from misidentifying
the GPS receiver as a mouse (discussed in the Microsoft Knowledge Base article), or by disabling the
mouse device.
To disable the mouse device:
• Disconnect the GPS receiver to restore normal mouse pointer behaviour. If the GPS receiver is
connected via some kind of adaptor, such as a USB to serial adaptor, leave the adaptor
connected to the computer, and just disconnect the GPS receiver itself.
• Open the System control panel. (select Start | Settings | Control Panel | System or right-click
My Computer), and select Properties from the menu.
• Select the Hardware tab and click the Device Manager… button (see Figure 6-1).

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Figure 6-1: System Control Panel
• The Device Manager will open (see Figure 6-2), showing a list of the kinds of devices installed in
the system. Expand the Mice and other pointing devices section by clicking the small plus sign
to the left. Any pointing devices connected to your computer will be shown.
• If the GPS receiver was connected directly to a serial port on the PC or via a USB to serial
adaptor, a non-existent Microsoft Serial BallPoint or Microsoft Serial Mouse device will appear
in the list. If the GPS receiver is connected to the PC via USB, it must be reconnected before the
device will appear. Note that the mouse pointer may move randomly as soon as the GPS receiver
is connected.
• Select the non-existent Microsoft Serial BallPoint or Microsoft Serial Mouse device and click
the disable button in the toolbar (see Figure 6-2). Windows will display a dialog asking whether the
device should really be disabled. Click the Yes button.
Figure 6-2: Device Manager showing non-existent Microsoft™ Serial Mouse
• The non-existent mouse device will have a small, red “x” superimposed on its icon to indicate that
it has been disabled (see Figure 6-3).

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Figure 6-3: Device Manager showing disabled mouse device
• Reconnect the GPS receiver if necessary.

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7. Data Processing
7.1 Processing hardware setup

The major data processing components are a computer (not supplied), the processing software CD,
and the items shown in Figure 7-1 and Figure 7-2.
7.1.1 Roughometer II Controller

The Roughometer II Controller is powered by a plug pack with a 9V DC output and the RS232 data
output is connected either to an RS232 port on the computer, or to a USB port via an RS232 – USB
converter.
Figure 7-1: Data processing connections (Roughometer II Controller)
7.1.2 GPS Receiver

The GPS Receiver is powered from a spare PS2 port on the computer (a PS2 splitter can be used to
create a spare port), or a USB port via a PS2 – USB adaptor.
The RS232 data output is connected to either an RS232 port on the computer, or a USB port via an
RS232 – USB adaptor.

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Figure 7-2: Data processing connections (GPS Receiver)
7.1.3 Using a serial port to USB adaptor

As stated in Paragraph 7.1.1 and Paragraph 7.1.2, an RS232 serial port to USB adaptor can be used
with the Roughometer II Controller and/or the GPS Receiver.
Ensure you have installed a driver for the USB to Serial Port adaptor and that Windows recognises it.
This is not Roughometer II software related. If the adaptor is not recognised, the Roughometer II
program will be unable to download from it.
7.1.4 Minimum processing computer requirements

The minimum recommended computer requirements are:
• IBM1 Compatible PC
• Pentium II 300 MHz CPU
• 128 MByte RAM
• 1 GByte free hard disk space
• Microsoft Windows2 98, 2000 or XP operating system.
Note: If you use a laptop computer to power the GPS Receiver, it is recommended that the power
saving options are disabled for the duration of testing.
7.2 Installing the software

The Roughometer II processing software is provided on a CD and is very easy to install and use.
Note: If any previous version of the Roughometer II software exists on the computer, it should be
‘uninstalled’ before the installation of the new software.
To install the software on the processing computer:
1. Insert the Roughometer II CD into the drive.
2. Choose Run from the Start menu, browse to the CD Drive and enter setup in the dialog box,
OR
1
IBM is a registered trademark of International Business Machines Corporation
2
Microsoft and Windows are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.

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Use My Computer or Windows Explorer to go to the CD drive, and then double click on
setup.exe.
3. Click Install (see Figure 7-3) then follow the on-screen instructions to complete the installation.
4. When the software installation is complete, drag the Roughometer II program icon onto the
Windows desktop.
Figure 7-3: Installing Roughometer II processing software
7.3 Starting the software

Double click on the Roughometer II program icon and the About Roughometer II screen will open
together with a GPS Option dialog (see Figure 7-4).
Figure 7-4: GPS option question
Click Yes or No , as appropriate, and the main window will open (see Figure 7-5).
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Note: If you check the Do not ask me again box, this GPS option question will never appear again.
The only way to get it back is to edit the “Roughometer Configuration.xml” file. Use a text editor to
change the line <AskAboutGPS>True</AskAboutGPS> to
<AskAboutGPS>False</AskAboutGPS>.
Figure 7-5 : Main window
If you are not using the GPS option, you will not see a Map tab in the bottom left corner of the window.
7.4 Roughometer II toolbar

The Roughometer II toolbar (see Figure 7-6) consists of six buttons which provide fast access to the
data retrieval and processing functions. The buttons are repeated as items in the File menu.
Figure 7-6 : Desktop tabs
The desktop buttons (and File menu items) are:
• Setup Survey - used to set up the Roughometer II and GPS Receiver before a survey
• Retrieve - used to upload survey data from the Roughometer II and the GPS Receiver
• Process - used to process uploaded survey data.

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• Open - used to open previously generated reports.
• Print - used to print graphs and reports.
• Exit - will close the application.
7.5 Survey setup

Before starting a survey, it is necessary to synchronise the Roughometer II time and GPS time to the
processing computer time so that survey data from the Roughometer II and GPS receiver can be
merged.
Note: The computer that is used to synchronise the Roughometer II and the GPS receiver must be
the same one that is subsequently used to Retrieve the data from them after a survey.
Note: Synchronisation must be performed every survey day, before beginning surveying,
particularly if you are suing the GPS option.
7.5.1 Setting the GPS option
Select Tools | Application Options . . . to open the dialog of Figure 7-7.
Figure 7-7: Setting the GPS option
If you are using a GPS receiver, check the I am using the GPS option with my Roughometer, and
click OK .
7.5.2 GPS setup
Click Setup Survey on the toolbar or select File | Setup Survey from the main menu to open the
dialog of Figure 7-8.
Connect the GPS receiver to a serial or USB port on the computer, turn on the power to the GPS
receiver and wait for the computer to find the GPS receiver.
Note: If you are not using a GPS receiver, the setup will skip this section and go to the
Roughometer II setup (see Paragraph 7.5.3).

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Figure 7-8: Searching for the GPS receiver
When the receiver is found, the Status will change as shown in Figure 7-9 while communications are
established.
Figure 7-9: Establishing communications with the GPS receiver
Once communications are established, the GPS receiver will begin searching for satellites (see Figure
7-10). This may take up to 15 minutes if the receiver is tracking satellites for the first time in a new
region. After the first time, it should only take 2 – 3 minutes.
Note: The GPS receiver must be in the open air with a clear view of the sky or it will not track
satellites. Cables are supplied to enable the GPS receiver (outside) to be up to 20m from a desk top
computer inside the building.
Figure 7-10: Searching for satellites

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When the search is completed, all data will be erased from the GPS receiver in preparation for the
next survey (see Figure 7-11).
Figure 7-11: Erasing data from the GPS receiver
The Next button will then become available and you can proceed to the Roughometer setup.
7.5.3 Roughometer II setup
Click Setup Survey on the toolbar or select File | Setup Survey from the main menu to open the
dialog of Figure 7-12. Connect the Roughometer II to a serial or USB port on the computer, turn on the
power to the Roughometer II and wait for the computer to find it.
Figure 7-12: Searching for Roughometer
When the Roughometer II has been found and synchronised to the computer (see Paragraph 7.5.3),
click Finish to end the setup. The Roughometer II is ready for surveying.
Figure 7-13: Finishing Roughometer synchronisation

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7.6 Retrieving survey data

After a survey, data must be retrieved from the Roughometer II and the GPS receiver for archiving and
report processing.
7.6.1 Roughometer II data retrieval
Click Retrieve on the toolbar or select File | Retrieve from the main menu to open the Retrieve
Roughometer Survey/s dialog of Figure 7-14.
Connect the Roughometer II to a serial or USB port on the computer and turn the Roughometer II
power on. The computer will search for the Roughometer.
Note: The computer that is used to Retrieve the Roughometer II and the GPS receiver data must
be the same one that was used to synchronise them prior to the survey.
Figure 7-14: Searching for the Roughometer
The default folder for the retrieved data is “C:\Roughometer\Survey Data”. To change the folder, click
Browse to open the standard Windows dialog, and select a new folder.
When the Roughometer has been found, click Select to open the survey selection dialog (see Figure
7-15). Check the files that you want to upload or check Select ALL files (default) to upload all files in
the Roughometer II. Click OK to close the dialog.
Figure 7-15: Selection of survey files to retrieve

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Important Note: If any of the listed surveys has an excessive and obviously incorrect length, de-
select it. If the software attempts to retrieve such a file, it may stall (hang up).
Click Start retrieval to upload the data. Progress of the upload is displayed on the Retrieval
progress bar at the bottom of the dialog
Figure 7-16: Retrieving Roughometer survey files
When retrieval is finished, click Next to proceed to the GPS data retrieval. If you have not used a
GPS receiver, click Finish to end data retrieval. Note that the Next and Finish buttons are the
same button.
Note: GPS data files are deleted by the Roughometer II software in Survey Setup (see Paragraph
7.5.2) but Roughometer II data files can only be deleted by the Roughometer II device itself (see
Paragraph 5.2).
7.6.2 GPS data retrieval

If you have used a GPS receiver for the survey, the GPS data retrieval dialog (see Figure 7-17) will
open after Roughometer II data upload has completed. If there is no GPS data available, click Skip
to end data uploading without losing the Roughometer II data.
Connect the GPS receiver to a serial or USB port on the computer and connect power to the GPS
receiver. The computer will automatically find the GPS receiver and start the data upload. Retrieval
progress is displayed on the bar at the bottom of the dialog.
Click Finish to end data retrieval.

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Figure 7-17: Retrieving GPS data
7.6.3 Roughometer II data files

Two files are generated by the Roughometer II. The names of both are formatted in the following way:
“YYYY-MM-DD HHhNNmEEs Survey V” where
YYYY is the year, MM is the month, DD is the day of the survey
HH is the hour, NN is the minute, EE is the second of the start of the survey, and
V is a survey number which is assigned by the Roughometer II
An example is:
2006-12-07 11h39m27s Survey 3
The file with the extension .cpt contains the survey data while the file with the extension .ipt contains
survey configuration data.
7.6.4 GPS data file

The GPS receiver generates a single file formatted as follows:
“YYYY-MM-DD HHhNNmEEs GPS.pos” where
YYYY is the year, MM is the month, DD is the day of the survey, and
HH is the hour, NN is the minute, EE is the second of the start of the survey
An example is:
2006-12-07 11h39m27s GPS.pos
7.7 Processing survey data
7.7.1 Setting the result output folder
To set the result output folder, select Tools | Processing Options from the main menu to open the
Processing Options dialog (see Figure 7-18). Click Browse to find the folder into which the files and
reports will be saved. The default folder is “C:\Roughometer\Survey Results”.

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7.7.2 Setting Roughness and Distance units

Roughness data can be processed to produce results and graphs in metric or imperial units.
If Metric units are selected, then roughness is expressed in units of metres/kilometre correlating to the
International Roughness Index (IRI), or in Roughness Counts/kilometre from a vehicle based
Response Type Road Roughness Measuring System (RTRRMS). In Australia, these RTRRMS counts
are known as NAASRA counts. For both units, the rougher the road, the higher the roughness result.
The Roughometer II processing software can produce result tables and graphs in either IRI or
NAASRA counts. Distance is displayed in metres or kilometres depending on the length of the survey.
If Imperial units are selected, then roughness is expressed in units of inches/mile correlating to the
International Roughness Index (IRI). Distance is displayed in miles and Roughness is displayed in
NAASRA counts/mile.
In the Processing Options dialog, select either Metric or Imperial from the Units combo box.
Figure 7-18 : Setting processing options
Click OK to save this option. The selected units will be the default next time the program is launched.
Select the desired Roughness measurement units by choosing either IRI or NAASRA from the
Result type combo box.
7.7.3 Selecting the reporting interval

Typically, Roughness of a road section is reported in 100 metre intervals. It may be desirable to vary
this reporting interval, for instance to report a more localised feature (shorter reporting interval) or to
get an overall roughness number for a whole road section.
In the Processing Options dialog (see Figure 7-18), enter a new reporting interval into the Processing
interval box.
If a single Roughness result is required for each section, then check the Whole Section box. Click
OK when complete. Survey data can then be reprocessed using this new Reporting Interval.
7.7.4 Low speed IRI correction

While it is desirable to maintain a constant survey speed above 25 km/h, it is inevitable that the driver
will occasionally need to slow down to negotiate a corner or allow for traffic conditions. This low speed
data can produce unrealistically high IRI results and influence surrounding valid data. By default, the
processing program detects the low speed data and compensates to ensure it does not produce
peaks in the IRI results.
During the survey, the operator should enter an Event to signify where the slow-down occurred. In
examining the report, IRI results around the event of low speed should be treated with caution and
most likely, disregarded.
In the Processing Options dialog (see Figure 7-18), toggle the automatic Low Speed IRI Correction
on/off by checking/unchecking the Low Speed IRI Correction box. The default setting is Low Speed
IRI Correction on.

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7.7.5 The assessment criteria

To assist in the quick assessment of a road survey, a report is available which sorts the Roughness
results into a number of categories or ‘bins’. The table below (Figure 7-19) shows the Roughness
Categories and their corresponding IRI and NAASRA ranges.
Roughness IRI IRI NAASRA

Category (Metric) (Imperial) (Metric)
Very Good 0–2 0 – 157 0 - 66
Good 3–4 158 – 284 67 – 119
Fair 5–6 285 – 411 120 – 171
Poor 7 – 10 412 – 664 172 – 277
Bad 11 + 665 + 278 +
Figure 7-19 : Roughness Categories vs IRI and NAASRA
The criteria will vary from user to user. A logging track carrying low speed trucks through a state forest
would be assessed as fair with a roughness of, say 6, but an unsealed road in a rural shire carrying
relatively high volumes of traffic at speeds of around 80 km/h would regard the same road as poor or
bad.
The criteria can be varied to suit the location and road type. Note that the actual IRI values calculated
will not vary, only the assessment ‘bins’ into which they are sorted.
These criteria are used in the generation of the Road Condition Assessment report (see Paragraph
7.8.1) and the survey route map (see Paragraph 7.8.5).
To edit the Assessment Criteria, select Tools | Assessment Criteria from the main menu and enter
the desired upper limits for each category. Click OK to close the dialog.
Figure 7-20 : Assessment criteria

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7.7.6 Processing
After all necessary processing options have been set, click Process on the toolbar or select File |
Process from the menu. Navigate to the desired folder (the default is “C:\Roughometer\Survey Data”)
then select the survey to be processed (see Figure 7-21).
Select the required file and click Open to start processing.
Figure 7-21 : Data file selection
A Report Header dialog will open, into which details of the survey can be entered (see Figure 7-22).
Press Tab or use the mouse to move between fields. Click OK when the desired report header
details have been inserted. Data processing will commence, with progress being displayed on the
progress bar along the bottom of the screen.
Figure 7-22 : Enter Header Information

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Note: Filling in the Report Header fields is optional. Processing will continue if OK or Cancel is
pressed to bypass this step. The Report Header information can be entered at any time during or
after processing.
7.8 Reports
7.8.1 Files and reports generated by processing

Processing generates a number of files and reports that can be viewed and printed directly from the
Roughometer II program, or they can be accessed using programs such as Microsoft Word and Excel.
The reports are stored automatically in the folder “C:\SurveyResult”. This is the default folder which
can be changed by selecting Tools | Processing Options . . . (see Paragraph 7.7.1).
Roughness reports can be produced in either IRI (metric or imperial) or NAASRA (metric only) format
(see Paragraph 7.7.2).
The files produced are:
• YYYY-MM-DD HHhNNmEEs Survey P.csv - IRI and NAASRA roughness and vehicle speed data
in a comma separated variable (CSV) file suitable for importing into Microsoft Excel. Does not
contain any header information.
• YYYY-MM-DD HHhNNmEEs Survey P.rst - Complete IRI results file including header information
and file folder information. Note: this file is not formatted for readability.
• YYYY-MM-DD HHhNNmEEs Survey P IRI.rtf - Formatted IRI results file. Includes all header,
section and events information. The file is in rich text format (RTF) suitable for text editing
programs such as Microsoft Word.
• YYYY-MM-DD HHhNNmEEs Survey P NAASRA.rtf - Formatted NAASRA roughness counts
(NRC). Includes all header, section and events Information. The file is in rich text format (RTF)
suitable for text editing programs such as Microsoft Word.
• YYYY-MM-DD HHhNNmEEs Survey P Road Condition.rtf - Assessment file containing IRI results
sorted into ‘Assessment Bins’ (see Paragraph 7.7.4 for details of the assessment criteria used).
The file is in rich text format (RTF) suitable for text editing programs such as Microsoft Word.
• YYYY-MM-DD HHhNNmEEs Survey P GPS.csv - IRI and NAASRA roughness, vehicle speed and
GPS position fix data in a comma separated variable (CSV) file suitable for importing into
Microsoft Excel. Does not contain any header information.
The format of the file names is the same as described in Section 7.6.3.
The reports produced are:
• Roughess Report
• Road Condition Assessment Report
• Graph of Roughness vs Distance
• Map of the survey route showing road condition assessment (available only if the GPS option is
being used)
These reports can be viewed and printed directly from the Roughometer II program. The report
displayed on the main screen is selected by clicking the relevant tab in the bottom left corner of the
screen. Figure 7-27 shows the Roughness Graph view.
7.8.2 Condition Assessment Report

The Condition Assessment view (see Figure 7-23) is a table showing roughness levels according to
the set Assessment Criteria levels (see Paragraph 7.7.5).
Full header details are shown at the top of the report.

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The fields in the table are:

• SecID - the section number of the record
• SubDist – cumulative distance within the section (in the selected units)
• TotDist – cumulative distance of the survey (in the selected units)
• Excell – Good – Fair – Poor - Bad – the condition assessment is marked with an X. The
assessment criteria are set as shown in Section 7.7.5.
At the base of the table is the Average Value of the condition assessment of the full survey (see
Figure 7-24).
Figure 7-23: Condition Assessment report view
Figure 7-24: Average Condition Assessment for whole survey
7.8.3 Roughness Report

The Roughness Report view (see Figure 7-25) is a table showing the calculated roughness levels in
the selected units.
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Full header details are shown at the top of the report.

The fields in the table are:
• SecID - the section number of the record
• SubDist – cumulative distance within the section (in the selected units)
• TotDist – cumulative distance of the survey (in the selected units)
• IRI or NAASRA – the roughness (in the selected units)
• Speed is the vehicle speed at that point (in the selected units)
• Event shows the events that were marked during the survey.
At the base of the table is the Average Value of the roughness for the full survey (see Figure 7-26).
Figure 7-25: Roughness Report view
Figure 7-26: Average Roughness value for whole survey

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7.8.4 Roughness Graph

Graph view is shown in Figure 7-27, together with its right click menu which provides extra options for
customising the view.
Graph view is a plot of Roughness (IRI or NAASRA, as selected) versus Distance. Event tags, Section
points, and Condition Assessment levels are also shown.
The graph can be zoomed in by left clicking and dragging down and left to create a box. The zoomed
view is rescaled appropriately. To return to the original view, click Restore chart in the top right
corner (only available when the view has been panned or zoomed).
The graph can be panned by right clicking and dragging the mouse in any direction. Axis scaling is
automatically adjusted as appropriate. To return to the original view, click Restore chart in the top
right corner (only available when the view has been panned or zoomed).
Figure 7-27: Roughness Graph view
To access the right click menu, position the mouse over the view and click the right button. The
functions provided are:
• Set vertical axis maximum opens the dialog of Figure 7-28 and allows customising of the vertical
axis of the graph. Enter any number for the maximum and click OK .

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Figure 7-28: Setting the graph vertical axis maximum
• Assessment criteria allows the assessment criteria to be customised (see Paragraph 7.7.5).
The graph may be split to cover a number of pages. In the case where a long survey has been
performed, it may be useful to expand the graph to display smaller sections in more detail.
Select Tools | Application Options from the main menu to open the dialog of Figure 7-29. Select a
number of pages for the graph and click OK . The graph will be redrawn and the first page will be
displayed.
Figure 7-29 : Selecting the IRI graph option
To view other pages, use the slider control in the bottom right corner of the dialog (see Figure 7-30).
Figure 7-30: Viewing multiple page graphs
7.8.5 Survey Map

Map view, which is available only if the GPS option has been used, is shown in Figure 7-31, together
with its right click menu which provides extra options for customising the view.
The map can be zoomed in by left clicking and dragging down and left to create a box. The zoomed
view is rescaled appropriately. To return to the original view, click Restore chart in the top right
corner (only available when the view has been panned or zoomed).
The map can be panned by right clicking and dragging the mouse in any direction. To return to the
original view, click Restore chart in the top right corner (only available when the view has been
panned or zoomed).

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Figure 7-31: Map view
The default map shows the route line colour coded to show the roughness according to the set
Assessment Criteria (see Paragraph 7.7.5), the Start and End points, the marked Events and the
Section start points
To access the right click menu, position the mouse over the view and click the right button. The
functions provided are:
• When the map is first drawn after opening the survey file, the vertical and horizontal scales are
such that the map occupies close to all of the map area in both directions. Selecting Apply
scaling applies the larger of the two axis scales to both axes.
• Release scaling returns the map to the original, unequal scales.
• Apply XY scaling applies one of five scales to both vertical and horizontal axes (the same scale
to both). Before selecting one of the five scales, you must double click on a point in the map to set
that point as the reference. The XY scaled map will be centred around the reference point.
In metric units, the five scales are 10m, 100m, 1km, 10km and 100km.
In imperial units, the five scales are 10ft, 100ft, 1 mile, 10 mile and 100 mile.
• Each section change, each event, and the start and end points are marked by a coloured dot or
point. The Point size can be selected to be minimum, small, medium or maximum. Note that the
event points and the start and end points change together and the section points change together
(see Show / hide selected below).
• Legend enables a legend to be added to the map at the bottom.
• Map title enables a title to be added to the map at the top.
• Clear map clears the map area.

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• Colour – The colour of a “series” (see Show / hide selected below) can be changed by clicking
on the series and then selecting Colour.
• Show all
• Show / hide selected – There are three “series” on a map. They are the line of the route, the
event and start and end points, and the section points. Click on one of the “series” to select it and
then hide or show, as required.
• Show / hide notes – Notes can be added that show the IRI in the selected units at each
calculation point along the route. NAASRA figures cannot be shown.
• Assessment criteria allows the assessment criteria to be customised (see Paragraph 7.7.5).
Measuring distances and direction

To measure distance and direction on the map, double click the map to select a reference point. The
line of sight distance and direction of the cursor to the reference point is report on the bottom line of
the view (see Figure 7-32). The map may be rescaled, panned or zoomed, as required, without
affecting the distance and direction display.
Figure 7-32: Measuring distance and direction on the survey map
7.8.6 Opening an existing report

Reports created during a previous processing session can be opened for viewing, printing and editing.
Click Open on the toolbar or select File | Open from the menu. Navigate to the required folder and
double click to select the report file (see Figure 7-33).

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Figure 7-33 : Opening an existing report
7.8.7 Editing event information

The events displayed in an open report file can be edited to provide more information about the event.
For example, an event may be a rail crossing, a cattle grid or slow down for traffic. This information
cannot be entered into the controller during the survey, but must be noted and edited into the report at
processing time.
To edit the events, select Tools | Edit Events in the main screen to open the Events Editor dialog
(see Figure 7-34).
Figure 7-34 : Editing events

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The first event will be highlighted. Type a description of the event (such as Railway). Tab to each of
the other events and type a description. Click on OK to complete the editing. The event description
will be updated in the reports.
Event labels can also be edited by clicking on the event in Graph and Map views.
7.8.8 Editing header information

Header information such as Road Name, Travel Direction and Operator Name is typically entered
before processing, but can also be edited during or after processing.
To edit the header Information, select Tools | Edit Header from the main screen to open the Report
Header dialog (see Figure 7-35).
Figure 7-35 : Editing Header Information
Tab to the fields to be edited (or click in the fields) and enter the new information. Click on OK to
complete editing. The header Information will be updated in the reports.
7.8.9 Printing reports
The Print button on the toolbar will print only the page currently on the screen.
------------------------- END of USER MANUAL -------------------------

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USER MANUAL

Optional GPS Receiver

© ARRB Group Ltd 2002 - 2007

• Part No: UM-RM-USR-I2.4

ARRB Group Ltd

Telephone: + 61 3 9881 1555

Although the Manual is

Document Change Record

2.2 July 2005 Update to ARRB Group format Ian Levell

WARNING: Interfacing to any part of a vehicle’s electronics, in particular engine management

If Problems Occur During Use

Do not tamper with the equipment, or attempt to repair it yourself.

Please Drive Safely !

NO LIABILITY FOR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES

7.1.4 Minimum processing computer requirements 28

Roughometer II User Manual I2.4

This page intentionally left blank.

Roughometer II User Manual I2.4

2.1 Data acquisition components

Figure 2-1 : Data acquisition hardware connections (excluding GPS option)

The optional GPS Receiver connections are shown in Figure 2-2.

Roughometer II User Manual I2.4

Figure 2-2: GPS Receiver (optional) data acquisition connections

2.2 Data processing components

2.3 The Roughometer II Controller

Roughometer II User Manual I2.4

Figure 2-3 : Roughometer II Controller

Figure 2-4: Typical display text

Survey data is obtained from three devices:

Roughometer II User Manual I2.4

2.4 GPS Receiver (optional) installation

2.5 Connecting the GPS Receiver

2.6 Roughness sensor installation

2.6.1 Vehicle without IRS (independent rear suspension)

Figure 2-5 : Sensor fitted to rear axle

Roughometer II User Manual I2.4

Figure 2-6 : Orientation of Roughness Sensor

2.6.2 Vehicle with IRS (independent rear suspension)

Roughometer II User Manual I2.4

2.6.3 Routing the sensor cable

2.7 Distance measurement

2.7.1 Using vehicle odometer output

Roughometer II User Manual I2.4

Figure 2-8 : Vehicle ODO connection

2.7.2 Installing a temporary DMI

Figure 2-9 : Photo showing Rotary Wheel Encoder mounted on wheel

2.8 Data acquisition connections

Make all connections before connecting power to the system.

2.10 Controller menu

Roughometer II User Manual I2.4

3.1 Calibrating the Roughness Sensor

Figure 3-1: Roughness sensor calibration

Rotate 180 degs.

Roughometer II User Manual I2.4

Old 3.11 New 2.44

3.2 Setting the measurement units (metric or imperial)

3.3 Distance calibration

Roughometer II User Manual I2.4

Old 1002 New 1000