Pavement Texture–Friction Relationship Establishment via Image Analysis Methods

Pavement surface texture is one of the prevailing factors for friction realization on pavement surfaces. In this paper, an overview of pavement texture properties related to the pavement frictional response is given. Image analysis methods used for pavement texture characterization are thoroughly analyzed together with their potential for the establishment of a pavement texture–friction relationship. Digital pavement surface models derived from photogrammetry or laser scanning methods enable the extraction of texture parameters comparable to the ones acquired by common pavement surface measuring techniques. This paper shows the results of a preliminary small-scale research study of the pavement texture–friction relationship. This research was performed in a laboratory which produced asphalt samples, primarily to analyze the potential of developing a methodology for the digital pavement texture model setup. Furthermore, the relationship between selected 2D texture parameters calculated from the digital texture model and measured friction coefficient expressed as SRT value was analyzed. A significant correlation was established for standard texture indicator mean profile depth (MPD) and SRT values (R = 0.81). Other texture parameters showed moderate correlation with the frictional response of the surface, with absolute values of correlation coefficients varying from 0.7 to 0.75. A further analysis of this relationship will be performed by inclusion of other texture parameters that can be determined from the digital texture model acquired by the established methodology.