Towards Efficient Prediction of Highway Friction on an Annual Basis on Texas Network

Texas roads see a significant number of wet-weather crashes; therefore, ensuring adequate skid resistance (skid number) is of utmost importance for public safety. Recent laser technology allows quick, efficient, and high-resolution skid resistance measurement. However, contractors collect macrotexture only in terms of mean profile depth—a poor predictor of skid. Consequently, TxDOT personnel have to collect the additional skid data necessary, covering about 33% of the network on an annual basis (approximately 50% of the Interstate System and 25% of the non-Interstate system). This project will develop an instrument that can collect high-resolution surface profiles to determine macrotexture and microtexture under different conditions and on different surface types. This information will be used to develop equations to predict friction and skid numbers with a high degree of accuracy. This instrument will be able to collect data at highway speed, allowing accurate texture data collection on the entire network on an annual basis. Because this instrument will be small enough to attach to any surveying vehicle, texture data can be collected as part of other operations, eliminating the need for an independent data collection effort. This will provide not only savings but also enhance operational safety.

Record URL:

Language

English

Project

Status: Active
Funding: $348740
Contract Numbers:
0-7031
Sponsor Organizations:
Texas Department of Transportation

11th and Brazos Streets
Austin, TX United States 78701
Managing Organizations:
Texas Department of Transportation

125 E. 11th Street
Austin, TX United States 78701-2483
Project Managers:
Kuhr, James
Performing Organizations:
Center for Transportation Research

3925 W. Braker Lane
Austin, TX United States 78759
Principal Investigators:
Prozzi, Jorge
Start Date: 20190927
Expected Completion Date: 20211231
Actual Completion Date: 0

Subject/Index Terms

TRT Terms: Macrotexture; Microtexture; Pavements; Skid resistance; Testing equipment; Texture
Subject Areas: Pavements;

Filing Info

Accession Number: 01723853
Record Type: Research project
Source Agency: Texas Department of Transportation
Contract Numbers: 0-7031
Files: RiP, STATEDOT
Created Date: Sep 10 2019 4:28PM