Investigation of friction metrics and surface characteristics evolution in pavement surfaces

Abstract: The friction performance of pavement surfaces, particularly under wet conditions, is crucial for maintaining road user safety. Significant efforts have been undertaken to assess pavement friction, with a focus on addressing the dual requirements of ensuring safety and maintaining driving comfort. A range of instruments are currently available for the evaluation of pavement friction, including the locked-wheel skid tester (LWST), dynamic friction tester (DFT), and British pendulum tester (BPT). Although these devices have enhanced the efficiency of friction measurements, equipment such as the locked-wheel skid tester—recognized as one of the most efficient and widely used tools for on-site testing—requires hard braking, which can result in considerable traffic disruption. Surface texture, as a key metric in the assessment of friction, is considered to have intricate and deeply interconnected relationships with pavement friction performance. In general, pavements with higher macrotexture are presumed to demonstrate superior friction performance. However, recent studies have shown that under certain conditions, increased texture can result in unexpected frictional behavior. This study seeks to investigate the distinct effects of both macrotexture and microtexture on pavement friction performance by analyzing data from a publicly available dataset. Through the analysis of this dataset, which contains comprehensive texture and friction measurements, the research will identify and establish relationships between various texture parameters and corresponding friction levels. The primary objective of this study is to develop a non-contact method for measuring pavement surface friction, offering a more efficient and less disruptive alternative to conventional approaches. The findings are expected to provide valuable insights into identifying appropriate pavement texture parameters that accurately represent friction performance, ultimately contributing to safer and more reliable road infrastructure.
Keywords: Pavement surface, Friction Metrics, Macrotexture, Microtexture