Friction Enhancements to Asphalt Pavement Surfaces

Maintaining the appropriate amount of pavement friction is critical for safe driving. Missouri Department of Transportation (MoDOT) has used high friction surface treatment (HFST) since 2013 to restore pavement surface friction where traffic has worn down pavement surface aggregates and to improve wet crash locations. Conventional HFST application consists of a polymer resin layer, which is used to bond the pavement with high abrasion, high angularity and texture, and polish resistant aggregates (e.g., Calcined Bauxite (CB) / (chat, slag)). Construction routines and pre-existing pavement conditions affect the performance of HFST made with polymer resin. Highway agencies examine existing pavement surface conditions before determining whether HFST can be used, as it is not intended as a repair for surface distress conditions, such as rutting. The relatively high cost of constructing, and removing, HFST with polymer resins along with the durability concerns due to existing pavement conditions, has led state agencies to consider high friction surface treatment with asphalt-based binders as an alternative. This research evaluates alternative asphalt binders for use in surface friction treatments. The research program evaluated the friction performance of HFST applications made with asphalt-based binders including newly developed modified asphalt binders. An updated Life-Cycle-Cost (LCC) EXCEL program was developed to conduct cost analysis based on the performance of the tested binder-aggregate combinations. The study showed acceptable asphalt-based binders for HFST applications and recommended continuing the development of asphalt-based binders to enhance the performance of HFST applications.

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Report number: cmr 24-015
Published: August 2024

Project number: TR202206

Authors: Alireza Roshan and Magdy Abdelrahman

Performing organization: Missouri University of Science & Technology