ROAD ROUGHNESS EFFECTS ON VEHICLE PERFORMANCE

This research is concerned with establishing a correlation between the measured roughness of a road surface and the penalties imposed on the driver-vehicle system as a consequence of using the rough road. Three aspects of performance penalty--vehicle wear, driver discomfort, and traction loss-were selected for study. The specific research objectives were to: (a) Find out how the wear and service life of critical vehicle parts are related to the measured profile roughness of the road on which the vehicle operates; (b) Find out how passenger comfort is related to roughness-induced vehicle vibrations; and (c) Study the mechanism by which tire traction available to accelerate and brake the vehicle is reduced through operation on a rough road. The results of field test and laboratory measurements of these performance variables are related to particular features characterizing the roughness description of the test roads employed. The correlation of test results is expressed in terms of wear, discomfort, and traction-loss indices. /Author/

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Research sponsored by Penna. Dept. of Transportation, Bureau of Materials, Testing and Research.
• Corporate Authors:

  Pennsylvania State University, University Park

  Pennsylvania Transportation and Traffic Safety Center
  University Park, PA  United States  16802
• Authors:
  • Brickman, A D
  • Park, W H
  • Wambold, J C
  • Zimmerman, J R
• Publication Date: 1972-8

Media Info

• Features: Figures; References; Tables;
• Pagination: 219 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Drivers; Durability tests; Field tests; Laboratory tests; Passenger comfort; Pavements; Reaction time; Roughness; Service life; Surface course (Pavements); Texture; Traction; Vehicle capacity; Vehicle performance; Wear
• Uncontrolled Terms: Driver reaction
• Subject Areas: Design; Highways; Pavements;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00264007
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Safety Council Safety Research Info Serv
• Report/Paper Numbers: TTSC 7207 Final Rpt.
• Files: TRIS, ATRI
• Created Date: Dec 31 1974 12:00AM