A Skid Resistance Predicting Model for Single Carriageways

Skid resistance, or friction, on a road surface is a critical parameter in functional highway assessments, given its direct relationships with safety and accident frequency. Therefore, road administrations must collect friction data across their road networks to ensure safe roads for users. In addit...

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Bibliographic Details
Authors: Isasa Gabilondo, Miren, Alonso Solórzano, Angela, Gurrutxaga Gurrutxaga, Itziar, Pérez Acebo, Heriberto
Format: article
Publication Date:2025
Country:España
Institution:Universidad del País Vasco
Repository:Addi. Archivo Digital para la Docencia y la Investigación
OAI Identifier:oai:addi.ehu.eus:10810/75053
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/10810/75053
Access Level:Open access
Keyword:skid resistance
pavement friction
road safety
SCRIM coefficient
pavement management system
Description
Summary:Skid resistance, or friction, on a road surface is a critical parameter in functional highway assessments, given its direct relationships with safety and accident frequency. Therefore, road administrations must collect friction data across their road networks to ensure safe roads for users. In addition, having a predictive model of skid resistance for each road section is essential for an efficient pavement management system (PMS). Traditionally, road authorities disregard rural roads, since they are more focused on freeways and traffic-intense roads. This study develops a model for predicting minimum-available skid resistance, which occurs in summer, measured using the Sideway-force Coefficient Routine Investigation Machine (SCRIM), on bituminous pavements in the single-carriageway road network of the Province of Gipuzkoa, Spain. To this end, traffic volume data available in the PMS of the Provincial Council of Gipuzkoa, such as the annual average daily traffic (AADT) and the AADT of heavy vehicles (AADT.HV), were uniquely used to forecast skid-resistance values collected in summer. Additionally, a methodology for eliminating outliers is proposed. Despite the simplicity of the model, which does not include information about the materials at the surface layer, a coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.439 was achieved. This model can help road authorities identify the roads for which lower skid-resistance values are most likely to occur, allowing them to focus their attention and efforts on these roads, which are key infrastructure in rural areas.