Hydroplaning
on Pavements
If you have increased accident rates or vehicles have experienced hydroplaning on either concrete or asphalt pavements, you need to perform:
Longitudinal Grooving
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Automobile accidents tend to increase when there is a loss of friction between the tire and pavement surface due to slippery
conditions. Highway departments have found that the best way to decrease accidents during inclement weather is to remove water from the surface and increase the traction between the tire and the road.
Experience has shown that grooving a pavement’s surface is a very effective method to increase traction, reduce hydroplaning and minimize splash and spray as well as provide a more effective braking surface. This easily constructed and economical surface treatment provides the superior traction needed for vehicles to maintain control while driving in wet, dangerous conditions.
Municipalities and departments of transportation world wide are finding that grooving has a two-fold benefit: it increases a driver’s safety while driving in wet conditions and at the same time, saves on the costs of replacing or overlaying the pavement surface.
Resources
The Next Generation Concrete Surface: The Quiet Pavement Solution
The Next Generation Concrete Surface (NGCS) is the quietest non-porous concrete pavement surface available. Developed by Purdue University in partnership with the Minnesota DOT (MNDOT), IGGA, American Concrete Pavement Association (ACPA) and Portland Cement Association (PCA), NGCS combines diamond grinding and longitudinal grooving, offering a smoother ride, increased safety and decreased noise.
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Fact Sheet
City/Municipal, Highway, Bridge
Next Generation Concrete Surface (NGCS), Concrete Pavement Preservation and Restoration, Diamond Grinding, Diamond Grooving
Friction/Safety, Smoothness, Tire/Pavement Noise, Hydroplaning, Sustainability/Environmental
Diamond Grinding: A Safe, Sustainable, Quiet and Cost-Effective Solution to Better Roadways
This white paper presents several case studies demonstrating the benefits of diamond grinding for maintaining and improving roadway conditions in Arkansas, California, Kentucky, and Phoenix. The importance of managing slurry/concrete grinding residue (CGR) for environmental compliance is also emphasized throughout the various case studies.
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Technical Info
City/Municipal, Highway, Bridge, Airport/Airfield
Diamond Grinding, Next Generation Concrete Surface (NGCS)
Smoothness, Friction/Safety, Tire/Pavement Noise, Hydroplaning
Analysis of Effectiveness of Longitudinal Grooving Against Hydroplaning
This paper analyzes the use of larger groove width and depth, and smaller groove spacing, to reduce hydroplaning risk.
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Technical Info
Bridge, City/Municipal, Highway
Diamond Grooving
Friction/Safety
Experimental Project: Enhanced Drainage by Use of Pavement Grooving - I-295 North, Rhode Island
This experimental project is to evaluate the effectiveness of diamond grooving on drainage of water from the pavement surface under traffic and to assess the impact of diamond grooving with pavement noise. The measured noise level was actually lower after grooving, but without a more rigorous and detailed experimental setup to reduce variables, it should be stated conservatively that the process had minimal impact on the tire noise.
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Technical Info
City/Municipal, Highway
Diamond Grooving
Friction/Safety
Effects of Pavement Grooving on Friction, Braking and Vehicle Control
Pavement diamond grooving is a technique by which longitudinal or transverse cuts are introduced on a surface to increase skid resistance and reduce the number of wet-weather accidents. The objective of the research was to determine the effect of pavement grooving on motorist safety by studying the effects of grooving on frictions, braking, and vehicle control by computer simulation and full-scale testing.
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Technical Info
City/Municipal, Highway
Diamond Grooving
Friction/Safety
Risk and Benefit Cost Analyses of Procedures for Accounting for Wet Runway on Landing
Degraded aircraft performance on wet runways has been a factor in the majority of aircraft accident overruns on landing. This study was conducted to determine the current risks of landing on a wet runway and the benefit-cost ratio of changes in procedures for accounting for wet runways on landing. It was found that the risks of landing on wet runways are greatly reduced if the runways are grooved or have a porous friction course (PFC) overlay. Risks for landings during heavy rainfall on un-grooved/non-PFC runways were found to be much higher than acceptable risks in aviation.
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Technical Info
Airport/Airfield
Diamond Grooving
Friction/Safety