Pedro Aliseda Pérez de Madrid
Head of Division of Infrastructure Management
Acciona Ingeniería, SA (Madrid)

ABSTRACT
Historically, the auscultation of surface characteristics such as the regularity, texture and ruts of roads has been associated with user comfort thereof, by itself this application should be sufficient to give importance to the study of such characteristics.

But surface characteristics such as longitudinal regularity (IRI), texture (MPD) and ruts are not only useful as indicators of comfort of use; also help assess and quantify, among others the cost of infrastructure use, safety or the structural characteristics of the firm, thereby increasing the possible uses of these indicators.

The article describes the evolution of the different indicators used in recent years to evaluate the surface characteristics of the detailed firm. Also describes the indicators currently used at national and international level and the possible ways forward are in use to allow roads get better quality standards are.

KEYWORDS
Auscultation, Regularity, Rut, Texture, MPD, International Regularity Index IRI, Profilometer, Laser, Surface characteristic, Longitudinal profile, cross profile.