AQUAPLANING
AQUAPLANING ON WET ROADS CAN RESULT IN LOSS OF VEHICLE CONTROL AND CAUSE SERIOUS ACCIDENTS. IT CAN OCCUR AT VERY HIGH VEHICLE SPEEDS IF THERE IS A COAT OF WATER ON THE SURFACE /SOME MILLIMETERS/. IN TOTAL AQUAPLANING CONDITIONS THE TYRE IS COMPLETELY WATER-BORN. THE RISK OF AQUAPLANING RISES WITH INCREASING WATER DEPTH AND INCREASING VEHICLE SPEED, WITH DECREASING GROOVE DEPTHS IN THE TYRE TREAD AND DECREASING TYRE INFLATION PRESSURE. UNDER MOST UNFAVOURABLE CONDITIONS /SMOOTH TYRES ON SMOOTH, CLOSE-TEXTURED SURFACES/ AQUAPLANING CAN OCCUR ALREADY AT SPEEDS OF 80 OR 100 KM/H AND WITH A WATER DEPTH AS LOW AS 1 MM. THE DRIVER CAN MINIMIZE THE HAZARDS OF AQUAPLANING FIRST ABOVE ALL BY KEEPING HIS SPEED DOWN. TECHNICAL IMPROVEMENTS ARE MORE EFFECTIVE TYRE TREAD DESIGNS AND A MORE OPEN-TEXTURED ROAD SURFACE. NOT ONLY BY AQUAPLANING THE GRIP OF THE TYRE ON THE ROAD CAN BE REDUCED WHEN THE ROAD IS WET' LUBRICATION EFFECTS OF THIN WATER FILMS CAN RESULT IN SKIDDING OF VEHICLES ALREADY AT MEDIUM SPEEDS /BELOW 80 KM/H/ AND ALSO ON THE CLEAN WET ROAD SURFACE. THE SKID RESISTANCE OF ROADS UNDER WET CONDITIONS DEPENDS MAINLY ON THEIR SURFACE TEXTURE AND VARIES WIDELY ON EXISTING ROADS. /FG/RRL/
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Supplemental Notes:
- Vol11, No1, PP50-54, 3FIG, 8REF
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Authors:
- Schulze, K H
- Publication Date: 1965-1
Media Info
Subject/Index Terms
- TRT Terms: Films (Coatings); Highways; Hydroplaning; Inflation; Moisture content; Pavements; Pressure; Skid resistance; Skidding; Slipperiness; Speed; Texture; Tire treads; Tires; Vehicles; Water
- Uncontrolled Terms: Wet conditions
- Old TRIS Terms: Water film
- Subject Areas: Highways; Pavements; Safety and Human Factors; Vehicles and Equipment;
Filing Info
- Accession Number: 00222642
- Record Type: Publication
- Source Agency: Road Research Laboratory /UK
- Files: TRIS
- Created Date: Jul 1 1994 12:00AM