SKID RESISTANCE OF HIGHWAY PAVEMENT SURFACES

The major objectives of the project were: (1) to acquire a skid trailer, (2) to develop standard operating procedures, (3) to study pavement polishing and loss of skid resistance, both in the laboratory and field, and (4) to evaluate restorative treatments. The skid trailer was obtained and several automated aids were developed, the major modifications being an automatic data coding unit and a skid averaging unit. Proper training of operators was possibly the most important factor in obtaining consistently good results. The State Route System of 36,000 lane miles was completely skid tested and computer coded. Correlations of skid resistance to wear index were developed for various pavement-aggregate combinations. Aggregate usage policies were developed from these correlations. A polishing machine was developed to study surface frictional degradation in the laboratory.