National Concrete Pavement Technology Center

Project description

To accurately assess hydroplaning potential at the network-level, the following pieces of information are essential: transverse profile and rutting, macro- and micro-texture, pavement width, radius of curvature, superelevation, cross slope, and grade. To date, Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) possesses all these pieces of information except for cross slope, which is one of the most important variables. Therefore, the research teams will gather those data elements and compile a comprehensive project database. The research teams will also identify critical data gaps and develop both a system and methodology for determining cross slope. The research teams will: (1) Develop a set of two alternative models to calculate hydroplaning potential: (i) a model to predict water film thickness (WFT), and (ii) a model to predict hydroplaning speed (HS); (2) Determine hydroplaning potential at the network level across all 25 TxDOT Districts for all PMIS sections; (3) Establish correlations between hydroplaning potential and wet-weather crashes; (4) Generate heatmaps that illustrate hydroplaning potential and wet-weather crash occurrences highlighting areas where hydroplaning potential and wet-weather crashes intersect; (5) Establish correlations between highway geometry and the occurrence of crashes under both wet and dry conditions; and (6) Develop recommendations to be incorporated into TxDOT's Wet Weather Accident Reduction Program.