LAUSR

Abstract Compaction is a crucial step in asphalt pavement construction, yet its consideration in pavement design remains limited, leading to a high occurrence of inadequate field density in current practice. Recently, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) reconstructed the Pavement Testing Facility (PTF) at the Turner Fairbank Highway Research Center (TFHRC), generating a comprehensive database on pavement construction that includes intelligent compaction (IC), field core density, and laboratory gyratory compaction. This study leverages the PTF construction data to develop a model that links laboratory and field compaction and predicts the as-constructed field density by integrating mixture compactability with field compaction effort characterization. Mixture compactability is characterised by laboratory gyratory compaction, while field compaction effort is quantified from IC data and converted to an equivalent laboratory gyratory compaction effort using the equivalent number of gyrations (NequN_{equ}) concept. Consequently, field density is modelled as the gyratory compaction density at NequN_{equ}. The PTF construction data reveal a proportional relationship between the field compaction effort and NequN_{equ}, effectively bridging laboratory and field compaction. The model supports potential applications in mix design optimization and field compaction planning to enhance construction quality and pavement longevity.