Road Weather Management Program
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Best Practices for Road Weather Management Version 2.0

Best Practices > Publications > Publication Titles

Title:

Feasibility of using Friction Indicators to Improve Winter Maintenance Operations and Mobility (Final Report)

Abstract:

NCHRP initiated Project 6-14 to evaluate the feasibility of using friction indications as tools for improving winter maintenance operations and mobility. This study has found that the use of friction measurements to improve winter maintenance operations and mobility is feasible (especially when deceleration devices are used), but devices with an extra wheel may not represent a practical solution to friction measurement. Therefore, direct friction measurements may not be a viable operational tool in winter maintenance (although they will and should be used as research tools). The study recommends a two-phase follow-up study to validate both scenarios and translate the findings into technology that improves the efficiency and effectiveness of snow and ice control operations, thereby reducing costs, increasing safety, and improving mobility of the driving public.

Source(s):

Virginia Tech, Virginia Transportation Research Council, University of Utah, CDRM and University of Iowa, Final Report for NCHRP Project 6-14

http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/nchrp/nchrp_w53.pdf

Date: 2002

Author:

Al-Qadi, Loulizi, Flintsch, Roosevelt, Decker, Wambold, Nixon

Keywords:


Pavement friction
Winter maintenance
Mobility

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