COMPARISON OF SEVERAL METHODS OF MEASURING ROAD SURFACE FRICTION

A CORRELATION STUDY WAS CONDUCTED ON MEASURING ROAD SURFACE FRICTION TO : (1) COMPARE THE TEST RESULTS OBTAINED BY THE VARIOUS MACHINES EQUIPPED AND USED BY RESPECTIVE AGENCIES, (2) COMPARE THE TEST RESULTS WHEN THE TIRE VARIABLE WAS MINIMIZED BY USING THE SAME KIND OF TIRE ON EACH VEHICLE, AND (3) OBTAIN INFORMATION ON OTHER ASPECTS OF MEASUREMENT INCLUDING COMPARISON OF THE RESULTS FROM A STOPPING DISTANCE METHOD AND A DECELEROMETER, SLIDING, INCIPIENT, AND SIDEWAY FORCE COEFFICIENTS, THE INFLUENCE OF SPEED ON THE LOCKED-WHEEL AND TO COMPARE A PORTABLE LABORATORY AND FIELD METHOD WITH A STOPPING DISTANCE METHOD. FOUR TEST SITES WERE SELECTED, EACH HAVING A DIFFERENT LEVEL OF FRICTION, RANGING FROM DANGEROUSLY LOW TO VERY HIGH WITH TWO INTERMEDIATE LEVELS UNIFORMLY SPACED. ALL KNOWM TEST EQUIPMENT IN USE WAS TESTED. TEST RESULTS SHOW THAT: (1) THE COEFFICIENTS OF PAVEMENT FRICTION OBTAINED BY THE DIFFERENT MACHINES DIFFERED SUBSTANTIALLY, BOTH STATISTICALLY AND FROM A PRACTICAL STANDPOINT, (2) RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN MEASUREMENTS MADE BY TRAILERS AND MEASUREMENTS MADE BY THE STOPPING DISTANCE METHOD WERE NOT CLARIFIED, (3) THE LOCKED-WHEEL COEFFICIENTS OBTAINED WITH DIFFERENT TYPES OF TIRES INDICATE THAT RESULTS FROM DIFFERENT TIRES CAN BE CORRELATED BY AN ADDITIVE FACTOR, (4) THERE WERE IMPORTANT DIFFERENCES BETWEEN MACHINES IN TERMS OF THE VARIABILITY OF SUCCESSIVE MEASUREMENTS OF THE SAME PAVEMENT, AND (5) THE VARIABILITY OF MEASUREMENTS WAS NOT INFLUENCED BY LEVEL OF FRICTION.

• Record URL:
  • http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/hrbbulletin/219/219-006.pdf
• Supplemental Notes:
  • No 219, pp 25 - 51, 23 FIG, 8 TAB, 6 REF, 1 APP Distribution, posting, or copying of this PDF is strictly prohibited without written permission of the Transportation Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences. Unless otherwise indicated, all materials in this PDF are copyrighted by the National Academy of Sciences. Copyright © National Academy of Sciences. All rights reserved.
• Authors:
  • Dillard, Jack H
  • Allen, Terrence M
• Discussers:
  • McConnell, W A
  • Whitehurst, E A
  • Sawyer, Richard H
  • Giles, C G
• Publication Date: 1959

Media Info

• Media Type: Digital/other
• Pagination: 27p
• Monograph Title: Skid prevention research, 1959
• Serial:
  • Highway Research Board Bulletin
  • Issue Number: 219
  • Publisher: Highway Research Board

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Accelerometers; Alternatives analysis; Canal lock operations; Coefficient of friction; Deceleration; Friction; Measurement; Skid resistance tests; Sliding friction; Speed; Stopping distances; Surface course (Pavements); Tires; Trailers; Wheels
• Old TRIS Terms: Test results
• Subject Areas: Highways; Pavements; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00206947
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS, TRB
• Created Date: Sep 16 1994 12:00AM