01372782

Component

This study involved a quantitative field evaluation of the short-term impacts of centerline rumble strips on pavement condition, as measured by the rate of crack propagation over a two-year period. Visual reviews of pavement imagery data were conducted for a random sample of high-speed (posted speed limit of 55 mph), two-lane rural highways throughout the State of Michigan. Pavement condition was assessed by examining the increase in the number of cracks (or crack propagation) that crossed the roadway centerline over the analysis period. The rate of crack propagation was compared between a sample of road segments where rumble strips were installed and a sample of similar control segments where rumble strips were not installed. Rumble strips were not found to significantly impact the rate of crack propagation when accounting for the effects of other relevant factors, including annual average daily traffic, pavement age, and geographic region. Crack propagation tended to be greatest during the first few years a pavement was in service, regardless of whether rumble strips were installed or not, and these increases became less pronounced as pavement age increased. Road segments with annual average daily traffic of more than 4,000 vehicles per day were found to exhibit more extensive cracking than lower volume road segments and the southernmost region of Michigan was found to experience crack propagation at a higher rate than northern parts of the state.

This paper was sponsored by TRB committee AHD20 Pavement Maintenance

01362476

12-0270

English

14p

2012

Transportation Research Board 91st Annual Meeting

Digital/other

Figures; Maps; Photos; References; Tables

Annual average daily traffic; Field studies; Pavement cracking; Pavement performance; Rumble strips

Michigan

Highways; Maintenance and Preservation; Pavements; I60: Maintenance

Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting 2012 Paper #12-0270

TRIS, TRB

Feb 8 2012 4:53PM