Introduction

The safety, comfort, and structural integrity of any road network are profoundly influenced by the condition of its Road Surface, with Skid Resistance, Roughness, and Rutting serving as critical indicators of pavement performance and user experience. Deterioration in these parameters can lead to increased accident risks, reduced ride quality, accelerated pavement degradation, and higher maintenance costs, underscoring the necessity for accurate and systematic evaluation. This training course is meticulously designed to equip civil engineers, pavement engineers, traffic safety specialists, maintenance managers, quality control personnel, and public works professionals with cutting-edge knowledge and practical skills in understanding the fundamental principles of skid resistance, roughness, and rutting, mastering various measurement techniques (both destructive and non-destructive), interpreting collected data for performance assessment, identifying root causes of distress, and developing effective maintenance and rehabilitation strategies to ensure safe and smooth road networks. Participants will gain a comprehensive understanding of how to effectively evaluate pavement surface characteristics, prioritize interventions, and contribute to the optimal management of road assets.

Target Audience

• Pavement Engineers
• Road Safety Engineers & Auditors
• Maintenance Managers
• Quality Control/Assurance Personnel
• Civil Engineers (Highway & Transportation)
• Transportation Planners
• Researchers in Pavement Engineering
• Public Works & Highway Agency Staff

Objectives

• Understand the fundamental concepts of skid resistance, roughness (IRI), and rutting.
• Master various methods and equipment for measuring these road surface characteristics.
• Interpret collected data to assess pavement condition and performance.
• Identify the root causes of low skid resistance, high roughness, and excessive rutting.
• Develop strategies for improving skid resistance on existing pavements.
• Design pavement mixes and surfaces to achieve optimal roughness and rutting performance.
• Understand the relationship between road surface characteristics and road safety.
• Apply data analysis techniques for network-level pavement management.
• Explore emerging technologies for automated and continuous road surface evaluation.
• Formulate effective maintenance and rehabilitation interventions based on surface condition.

Course Content

Module 1. Introduction to Road Surface Characteristics

• Surface Properties: Importance of skid resistance, roughness, and rutting for pavement performance
• Impact on ride quality, vehicle operating costs, and road safety
• Overview of common pavement distresses related to surface condition
• The role of surface evaluation in pavement management systems (PMS)
• Evolution of measurement techniques and standards

Module 2. Skid Resistance: Fundamentals and Measurement

• Skid Resistance Principles: Friction between tire and pavement surface
• Factors affecting skid resistance: texture, aggregate properties, weather, speed
• Measurement Methods: Locked-wheel trailer (ASTM E274), British Pendulum Tester (BPT)
• Dynamic Friction Tester (DFT) and Circular Texture Meter (CTM)
• Interpretation of skid number (SN), friction number (FN), and texture depth

Module 3. Skid Resistance: Design and Improvement

• Aggregate Properties: Polished Stone Value (PSV), Aggregate Crushing Value (ACV)
• Pavement surface texture: microtexture and macrotexture
• Mix Design: Designing asphalt mixes for optimal skid resistance
• Surface treatments for improving skid resistance (e.g., chip seals, slurry seals)
• Grooving and grinding of concrete pavements

Module 4. Pavement Roughness: Fundamentals and Measurement

• Roughness Definition: Deviations from a true planar surface
• Impact of roughness on ride quality, fuel consumption, and vehicle wear
• Measurement Methods: Profilometers (laser, inertial), Bump Integrator
• International Roughness Index (IRI) as a global standard
• Other roughness indices: PSI, RN, PI

Module 5. Pavement Roughness: Causes and Mitigation

• Causes of Roughness: Pavement distresses (cracking, rutting, potholes), poor construction
• Subgrade issues and differential settlement
• Roughness in Design: Designing pavements for initial smoothness
• Construction practices to minimize initial roughness
• Remedial measures: grinding, milling, overlays

Module 6. Rutting: Fundamentals and Measurement

• Rutting Definition: Permanent deformation in the wheel paths
• Causes of rutting: plastic flow in asphalt layers, subgrade deformation
• Impact of rutting on drainage, hydroplaning risk, and structural integrity
• Measurement Methods: Transverse profile measurement (laser profilers, straightedge)
• Interpretation of rut depth and rut area

Module 7. Rutting: Design and Mitigation

• Mix Design for Rutting: Superpave volumetric design for rut resistance
• Aggregate gradation and angularity for skeletal structure
• Binder selection (PG grade) for high-temperature performance
• Compaction: Importance of achieving target density in the field
• Remedial measures: milling and overlay, full-depth repair

Module 8. Relationship Between Surface Characteristics and Safety

• Skid Resistance and Accidents: Correlation between low friction and crash rates
• Hydroplaning risk and rutting depth
• Roughness and Driver Fatigue: Impact on driver comfort and alertness
• Visibility issues due to water ponding in ruts
• Designing for a "forgiving" road surface

Module 9. Data Collection Technologies for Road Surface Evaluation

• High-Speed Profilers: Multi-laser systems for continuous data collection
• Automated crack detection systems (computer vision)
• Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) for subsurface layer evaluation
• LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) for 3D pavement surface mapping
• Drones and remote sensing for network-level assessment

Module 10. Data Analysis and Interpretation for Pavement Management

• Data Processing: Filtering, smoothing, and analysis of raw sensor data
• Statistical analysis of skid, roughness, and rutting data
• Network-Level Analysis: Identifying critical sections for intervention
• Pavement condition indices (PCIs) incorporating surface data
• Integration of surface data into Pavement Management Systems (PMS)

Module 11. Pavement Condition Index (PCI) and Performance Modeling

• PCI Calculation: Methodology for determining PCI based on distress types and severity
• Using PCI for network-level prioritization and budgeting
• Performance Prediction Models: Forecasting future deterioration of surface characteristics
• Impact of maintenance interventions on PCI and service life
• Calibration of performance models with local data

Module 12. Maintenance and Rehabilitation Strategies

• Preventive Maintenance: Surface treatments (chip seals, slurry seals), crack sealing
• Corrective Maintenance: Patching, localized repairs
• Rehabilitation Techniques: Milling and overlay, cold in-place recycling, hot in-place recycling
• Full-depth reconstruction for severely distressed sections
• Selecting the most cost-effective intervention based on surface condition

Module 13. Quality Control and Quality Assurance in Paving

• Material Testing: Ensuring aggregates and binders meet specifications for surface performance
• Mix design verification and adjustments
• Construction Quality: Compaction control, layer thickness, surface smoothness
• Field testing for density and texture
• Post-construction evaluation and acceptance criteria

Module 14. Environmental Factors and Surface Performance

• Temperature Effects: Impact on binder stiffness, rutting, and thermal cracking
• Moisture and precipitation effects on skid resistance and moisture damage
• Aging of Asphalt: Oxidation and hardening of binder affecting cracking and roughness
• Freeze-thaw cycles and their impact on pavement integrity
• Designing for climate resilience in surface characteristics

Module 15. Future Trends and Innovations in Road Surface Evaluation

• Smart Pavements: Embedded sensors for real-time surface condition monitoring
• Artificial intelligence and machine learning for automated distress detection and prediction
• Digital Twins: Creating virtual replicas of road surfaces for simulation and analysis
• Integration of vehicle-based data (e.g., connected vehicle data) for crowdsourced monitoring
• Advanced materials and self-healing technologies for enhanced surface durability.

Training Approach

This course will be delivered by our skilled trainers who have vast knowledge and experience as expert professionals in the fields. The course is taught in English and through a mix of theory, practical activities, group discussion and case studies. Course manuals and additional training materials will be provided to the participants upon completion of the training.

Tailor-Made Course

This course can also be tailor-made to meet organization requirement. For further inquiries, please contact us on: Email: info@skillsforafrica.org, training@skillsforafrica.org Tel: +254 702 249 449

Training Venue

The training will be held at our Skills for Africa Training Institute Training Centre. We also offer training for a group at requested location all over the world. The course fee covers the course tuition, training materials, two break refreshments, and buffet lunch.

Visa application, travel expenses, airport transfers, dinners, accommodation, insurance, and other personal expenses are catered by the participant

Certification

Participants will be issued with Skills for Africa Training Institute certificate upon completion of this course.

Airport Pickup and Accommodation

Airport pickup and accommodation is arranged upon request. For booking contact our Training Coordinator through Email: info@skillsforafrica.org, training@skillsforafrica.org Tel: +254 702 249 449

Terms of Payment: Unless otherwise agreed between the two parties’ payment of the course fee should be done 7 working days before commencement of the training.