Hamm Compactors, a Wirtgen Group brand, has integrated the "Vibro-Sense" intelligent compaction system into its H18i series tandem asphalt rollers. In highway construction, base course transition zones frequently transition from stiff, compacted aggregate to softer, freshly laid asphalt. Traditional rollers operate at a fixed vibration frequency. When the drum frequency matches the natural resonance frequency of the stiffer underlying base, the drum "jumps," creating particle bridges and micro-fractures in the mat, destroying the structural integrity of the pavement.
The Vibro-Sense system integrates a "Ground-Penetrating Radar Array" into the front drum frame. The engineering breakthrough is the "Dynamic Centrifugal Force Modulation." The radar scans the soil and asphalt stiffness profile up to 1 meter ahead of the drum. The ECU calculates the exact natural resonance frequency of the material in real-time. It then continuously adjusts the rotational speed of the eccentric weights inside the drum to ensure the vibration frequency stays 15% above the material's resonance point.
If the radar detects a sudden transition to a softer, uncompacted base, the system automatically increases the drum amplitude and frequency to drive the aggregate particles together. By dynamically avoiding harmonic resonance, the Vibro-Sense system eliminates the double-jump drum effect, increasing final compaction density uniformity by 30% and preventing the micro-cracking that severely shortens pavement lifespan.
