Where the Rubber Meets the Road (Source: Roads & Bridges)

By Hossein Roshani and Sareh Kouchaki

Proper tire–pavement interaction is essential for the safety of motorists. Pavement surface texture is a major contributing factor to tire–pavement friction. Understanding the texture-friction relationship is valuable for transportation agencies, engineers, and contractors for proper pavement design and maintenance, especially when higher skid resistance is needed.

The direct force developed in the tire-pavement interface is known as skid resistance, a parameter defined by the properties of the tire, the vehicle speed, and the pavement condition and texture. The extent of skid resistance on any given pavement depends on the design of the surface texture, specifically its micro- and macro-texture. The surface texture can affect the skid resistance, splash-and-spray, rolling resistance, and tire wear. Pavement design can adjust surface pavement properties to provide the safety needed.