What is a potential drawback of relying heavily on PQIs for asphalt paving?

Relying heavily on Pavement Quality Indicators (PQIs) for asphalt paving has the potential drawback in that they cannot completely replace manual inspections. PQIs are valuable tools for monitoring and assessing pavement conditions, but they are inherently limited in their ability to detect issues that may require human evaluation.

Manual inspections can provide insights that PQIs might miss, such as specific visual defects, underlying structural concerns, or environmental factors affecting pavement performance. Trained personnel can interpret nuances that automated systems might overlook. While PQIs can inform maintenance and paving decisions, they should be viewed as a complement to, rather than a substitute for, traditional inspection methods.

This perspective emphasizes the importance of integrating both PQIs and manual inspections to ensure comprehensive monitoring and maintenance of asphalt pavements, thus enhancing overall pavement longevity and performance.