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.
Language
- English
Project
- Status: Active
- Funding: $348740
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Contract Numbers:
0-7031
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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
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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: 20221231
- 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