Mobile paving system using an aggregate moisture sensor and method of operation

A mobile paving system operable to produce paving material while the mobile system proceeds over a surface, comprising:

• an aggregate hopper operable to hold aggregate for use in producing paving material;
• a mixer operable to mix aggregate with remaining ingredients to produce paving material;
• a conveyor positioned to receive aggregate from the aggregate hopper and operable to convey the aggregate to the mixer;
• a scale associated with the conveyor, the scale operable to measure and provide a signal representing a weight of the aggregate being conveyed;
• a moisture sensor associated with the aggregate, the moisture sensor operable to measure moisture in the aggregate and to provide an output representing an amount of moisture measured;
• and
• a processor operable to receive the signal from the scale and an input representing the amount of moisture measured, the processor operable to determine a dry weight of the aggregate being conveyed from the weight of the aggregate being conveyed and the amount of moisture measured.

A method of operating a mobile paving system to produce paving material, comprising:

• providing aggregate to be used in producing paving material;
• measuring an amount of moisture in the aggregate;
• determining a dry weight of aggregate used to produce paving material by converting from volume to dry weight using bulking effect data for the aggregate corresponding to the amount of moisture measured;
• controlling a flow of the aggregate to a mixer in response to the determined dry weight;
• and
• mixing remaining materials with the aggregate to produce the paving material.