Citation

Molenaar AAA, Sweere GTH. Transp. Res. Rec. 1981; 836: 41-49.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1981, Transportation Research Board, National Research Council, National Academy of Sciences USA, Publisher SAGE Publishing)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This paper describes the evaluation of road roughness and its influence on driving comfort and pavement deterioration. Distinction is made between an inventory and a diagnostic survey. The equipment used for both surveys is described. They are a ridemeter for the inventory survey and a high-speed profilometer for the diagnostic survey. Since the ride index, which is given by the ridemeter, is dependent on the measuring vehicle, relations are established between the ride index and fundamental indicators of road roughness as determined with the high-speed profilometer. Based on measurements with the high-speed profilometer, the impact of road roughness on the structural deterioration of the pavement and on the riding comfort is calculated. Also, the impact of road roughness on the safety of the road user is described. By using the results of these calculations and the relation that exists between ride index and fundamental indicators of road roughness, acceptance levels for the ride index were established. These acceptance levels can be used as a guide in the evaluation of the results of the inventory survey.