Quantification of skid resistance seasonal variation in asphalt pavements

Abstract

The present study deals with the quantification of skid resistance seasonal variation in asphalt pavements. Consequently, skid resistance data were collected twice per year (after “wet” and “dry” seasons) along four trial sections of an urban highway with a GripTester system (during a six-year field experiment). For the estimation of a percentage reference change (%) between wet and dry skid resistance data, a methodology is developed based on distribution fitting of the percentage change of skid resistance index due to seasonal variation impact. The outcome of the analysis is applied and successfully validated through a set of skid resistance data collected from an interurban highway pavement section with different traffic and environmental conditions. As such the developed methodology can be considered as a promising tool for accommodating the seasonal variation of skid resistance. Further, the resulting percentage reference change (%) enables the estimation of skid resistance level for the dry period based on the wet period measurements. Overall, it seems that the proposed quantification process may constitute a practical yet efficient tool for road authorities and highway operators on how to estimate the effect of seasonal variation on skid resistance levels and schedule well-ahead necessary actions for enhancing driving safety. Keywords: Asphalt pavement, Skid resistance, Seasonal variation, Quantification, Road safety