Application of the Empirical Mode Decomposition to Pavement Profile Analysis

Abstract

This paper uses the Empirical Mode Decomposition (EMD) to analyze the road surface profile of two flexible pavements in varying conditions. It is also used in the fundamental derivation of roughness. EMD is part of a larger method known as the Hilbert-Huang Transform (HHT). Previous studies have indicated that road profiles are inherently non-Gaussian and non-stationary; this makes the EMD a very appropriate method. The central idea of HHT is the EMD, which is then decomposed into a set of intrinsic mode functions (IMF). The Hilbert transforms can then be applied to the IMF. The EMD appears to be more appropriate than other methods that have been used. A simple example of two pavement profiles with different degrees of "profile" was analyzed and the EMD was used for both quantitative and qualitative identification of the type of profile.