Pavement Texture - Smoothness - Pavements

Portland Cement Concrete Pavement Surface Texturing

DESCRIPTION: A Technical Working Group (TWG) on PCC Surface Texture has developed improved guidance in the area of maintaining high friction values while minimizing pavement/tire noise. The TWG is composed of members from the Federal Highway Administration, State Highway Agencies, Industry, and Academia. The issues being addressed by the TWG include: skid resistance of various surface textures; noise and its impact on residences adjacent to the roadway and persons inside the vehicle; surface drainage of the various textures and particularly when longitudinally or transversely tined; durability of PCC vs. AC surfaces; associated ride on the various textures; economy of construction; specification of desired texture; and verification of texture quality.

BACKGROUND: There have been a number of complaints made about pavement/tire noise from adjacent residents, and a smaller number of complaints from motorists, concerning the PCC transverse tining pavement/tire whine. These complaints have raised concerns about the adequacy of existing guidance to assure adequate friction characteristics while minimizing pavement/tire noise.

STATUS: On June 10, 1993, preliminary guidance was furnished Regional Administrators until further efforts could be completed. The TWG initially met on September 27, 1993 to develop a work plan and a field test plan. Preliminary plans for this effort were presented at a special session of the annual Transportation Research Board meeting in January 1994. The work plan and field testing plan was finalized and distributed on March 14, 1994. A second meeting of the TWG was held on November 1 and 2, 1994. On February 9, 1995, ACPA distributed to the TWG a synthesis, &Optimizing Surface Texture of Concrete Pavement&, prepared by Construction Technology Laboratories for the Portland Cement Association (PCA). This synthesis summarized past U. S. efforts and also recent European activities. A Draft PCC Surface Texturing Issues Paper and Current Status Report was furnished by FHWA to the TWG for comments on April 11, 1995. On November 1, 1995, FHWA reaffirmed its position on PCC Surface Finishing in a memorandum to Regional Administrators that included a Preliminary Summary of the PCC Surface Texture Technical Working Group Findings.

On January 31, 1996, a final meeting of the TWG was held to discuss recent developments and provide comments and recommendations on the final report to close out the TWG's activities. On February 14, 1996, a meeting was held to discuss related issues with tire industry representatives. The Final Report, FHWA-SA-96-068, dated May 1996 is now published. It was distributed by a November 12, 1996 memorandum to FHWA Regional Administrators.

In January 1997, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation published their Final Report, Impacts Related to Pavement Texture Selection, WI/SPR-06-96. This report discussed the development of a noise measurement and analysis procedure capable of detecting textures with objectionable tire pavement whine. Under the High Performance Concrete Pavement Project, TE-30, FHWA recently funded a continuation study to validate this procedure in Wisconsin and the States of Colorado, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, and North Dakota in 1997. Field testing to determine noise levels have been completed. Texture measurements are being made by Wisconsin researchers using the recently FHWA developed Road Surface Analyzer (Vehicle based) - ROSAN. The various State Highway Agencies have been requested to perform friction testing on these sections. This will allow the evaluation of a large number or surface textures in different States using the same noise measurement and analysis procedures and the same texture measuring equipment. This evaluation will help validate the proposed procedure before revising existing interim guidelines on PCC surface texturing.

In a related effort, Dr. Roger L. Wayson, University of Central Florida, is preparing a NCHRP Synthesis of Highway Practice for NCHRP Project 20-5, Topic 26-05, &Relationship Between Pavement Surface Texture and Highway Traffic Noise&. A NCHRP panel reviewed an initial draft report on February 28, 1997. A revised final draft was received in February 1998 with publication expected about June 1998.

FHWA's existing Technical Advisory T 5140.10, &Texturing and Skid Resistance of Concrete Pavements and Bridge Decks&, dated September 18, 1979, will be updated as appropriate to reflect the findings of the TWG and follow-up evaluations planned in Wisconsin and other States in 1997 and 1998.

TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER AIDS: A workshop to discuss the surface texture procedures found most effective and to describe the revised in-vehicle and pass-by noise data collection and analysis procedure developed by Wisconsin researchers was conducted in Wausau, WI on August 3, 1998.

PUBLICATIONS: PCA Research and Development Bulletin RD111T, "Optimizing Surface Texture of Concrete Pavement", February 1995 is currently available. The Final Report of the TWG, FHWA-SA-96-068, May 1996, has been completed and distributed. An updated FHWA Technical advisory will be prepared in 1998. NCHRP Synthesis 26-05, "Relationship Between Pavement Surface Texture and Highway Traffic Noise", is published and available through NCHRP.

Design and Analysis Materials and Construction Technology Management and Preservation Surface Characteristics Construction and Materials Quality Assurance Environmental Stewardship	Portland Cement Concrete Pavement Surface Texturing DESCRIPTION: A Technical Working Group (TWG) on PCC Surface Texture has developed improved guidance in the area of maintaining high friction values while minimizing pavement/tire noise. The TWG is composed of members from the Federal Highway Administration, State Highway Agencies, Industry, and Academia. The issues being addressed by the TWG include: skid resistance of various surface textures; noise and its impact on residences adjacent to the roadway and persons inside the vehicle; surface drainage of the various textures and particularly when longitudinally or transversely tined; durability of PCC vs. AC surfaces; associated ride on the various textures; economy of construction; specification of desired texture; and verification of texture quality. BACKGROUND: There have been a number of complaints made about pavement/tire noise from adjacent residents, and a smaller number of complaints from motorists, concerning the PCC transverse tining pavement/tire whine. These complaints have raised concerns about the adequacy of existing guidance to assure adequate friction characteristics while minimizing pavement/tire noise. STATUS: On June 10, 1993, preliminary guidance was furnished Regional Administrators until further efforts could be completed. The TWG initially met on September 27, 1993 to develop a work plan and a field test plan. Preliminary plans for this effort were presented at a special session of the annual Transportation Research Board meeting in January 1994. The work plan and field testing plan was finalized and distributed on March 14, 1994. A second meeting of the TWG was held on November 1 and 2, 1994. On February 9, 1995, ACPA distributed to the TWG a synthesis, &Optimizing Surface Texture of Concrete Pavement&, prepared by Construction Technology Laboratories for the Portland Cement Association (PCA). This synthesis summarized past U. S. efforts and also recent European activities. A Draft PCC Surface Texturing Issues Paper and Current Status Report was furnished by FHWA to the TWG for comments on April 11, 1995. On November 1, 1995, FHWA reaffirmed its position on PCC Surface Finishing in a memorandum to Regional Administrators that included a Preliminary Summary of the PCC Surface Texture Technical Working Group Findings. On January 31, 1996, a final meeting of the TWG was held to discuss recent developments and provide comments and recommendations on the final report to close out the TWG's activities. On February 14, 1996, a meeting was held to discuss related issues with tire industry representatives. The Final Report, FHWA-SA-96-068, dated May 1996 is now published. It was distributed by a November 12, 1996 memorandum to FHWA Regional Administrators. In January 1997, the Wisconsin Department of Transportation published their Final Report, Impacts Related to Pavement Texture Selection, WI/SPR-06-96. This report discussed the development of a noise measurement and analysis procedure capable of detecting textures with objectionable tire pavement whine. Under the High Performance Concrete Pavement Project, TE-30, FHWA recently funded a continuation study to validate this procedure in Wisconsin and the States of Colorado, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, and North Dakota in 1997. Field testing to determine noise levels have been completed. Texture measurements are being made by Wisconsin researchers using the recently FHWA developed Road Surface Analyzer (Vehicle based) - ROSAN. The various State Highway Agencies have been requested to perform friction testing on these sections. This will allow the evaluation of a large number or surface textures in different States using the same noise measurement and analysis procedures and the same texture measuring equipment. This evaluation will help validate the proposed procedure before revising existing interim guidelines on PCC surface texturing. In a related effort, Dr. Roger L. Wayson, University of Central Florida, is preparing a NCHRP Synthesis of Highway Practice for NCHRP Project 20-5, Topic 26-05, &Relationship Between Pavement Surface Texture and Highway Traffic Noise&. A NCHRP panel reviewed an initial draft report on February 28, 1997. A revised final draft was received in February 1998 with publication expected about June 1998. FHWA's existing Technical Advisory T 5140.10, &Texturing and Skid Resistance of Concrete Pavements and Bridge Decks&, dated September 18, 1979, will be updated as appropriate to reflect the findings of the TWG and follow-up evaluations planned in Wisconsin and other States in 1997 and 1998. TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER AIDS: A workshop to discuss the surface texture procedures found most effective and to describe the revised in-vehicle and pass-by noise data collection and analysis procedure developed by Wisconsin researchers was conducted in Wausau, WI on August 3, 1998. PUBLICATIONS: PCA Research and Development Bulletin RD111T, "Optimizing Surface Texture of Concrete Pavement", February 1995 is currently available. The Final Report of the TWG, FHWA-SA-96-068, May 1996, has been completed and distributed. An updated FHWA Technical advisory will be prepared in 1998. NCHRP Synthesis 26-05, "Relationship Between Pavement Surface Texture and Highway Traffic Noise", is published and available through NCHRP.	Events View all Upcoming Pavements Events More Information Pavement Publications Contact Mark Swanlund Office of Pavement Technology 202-366-1323 E-mail Mark
	This page last modified on 06/08/06

Portland Cement Concrete Pavement Surface Texturing

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