Aggregate Characteristics-Based Preventive Maintenance Treatments for Optimized Skid Resistance of Pavements

Skid resistance of pavements plays a significant role in roadway safety. Preventive maintenance (PM) treatments have been used to restore pavement condition and retard future deterioration. As aggregate is the main component of such treatments, this study assessed the skid resistance of pavements in Oklahoma following PM treatment application to evaluate whether skid resistance is maintained or improved and economics are optimized, and presents a methodology to assist pavement engineers manage skid resistance. The 13 commonly used sources of aggregates in Oklahoma were acquired for aggregate morphological characterization in the laboratory in relation to shape, angularity, and surface texture-related index properties, using the Aggregate Imaging System before and after Micro-Deval abrasion. Accordingly, a systematic experimental design was developed to include 45 field testing sites constructed with typical Oklahoma PM treatments and the common aggregate sources. Multiple rounds of field data collection were performed during a 3-year period using the most recent three-dimensional (3D) laser imaging technology for pavement surface characteristics and a Grip Tester for skid resistance. The impacts of aggregate properties and pavement surface characteristics on the skid resistance were investigated and used to develop statistical deterioration models. Subsequently, life cycle cost analysis and performance-based sensitivity analysis were conducted using the developed deterioration model. This study presents a detailed analysis of aggregate characteristics and its relationship to skid resistance of pavements. An understanding of these relationships and application of the presented methodology can result in improvements in pavement safety with enhanced stewardship of financial resources.