Weather condition effect on the road surface friction: A preliminary assessment based on sensor data

Abstract

Changes in weather condition have a significant influence on the road surface friction. Extreme weather conditions are considered during heavy rains, and ice accumulation or snow-fall for the study of road surface. This could modify the road surface friction, a decrease of the road surface friction due to extreme wet condition, and increase car accident rates. Weather condition related factors usually are water film thickness due to the rain, ice accumulation and major temperatures (pavement, ambient and freezing). Better understanding of the weather condition changes on the road surface friction coefficient considering real-scale data monitoring system is essential to acclaim a reliable maintenance solution for road transport infrastructures. Long term data collection is a key factor for assess the relation between weather conditions, road surface friction coefficient. In the current re-search study, a preliminary assessment of weather condition influence on the road surface friction is elaborated for eighteen months considering data-driven from a novel intelligent road-based passive sensor. Results show that the most extreme weather conditions could impact road surface friction coefficient over time in road transportation system; mostly due to an increase of water film thickness and possibility of ice accumulation on the road surface. In conclusion different friction thresholds are elaborated for traffic management procedures, mainly 0.80 friction coefficient is considered the most stable and standard conditions, 0.60 acceptable, and 0.30 is an urgent condition.