Skid Resistant, Noise-Reducing Concrete Roads

Concrete motorways providing high performance and durable operation have been manufactured for many decades; nevertheless, continuous advancements are necessary to fulfill changing boundary conditions. Major challenges here are posed by increases in the volume of traffic as special requirements of traffic safety, environmental compatibility and economy. In order to develop concrete motorways achieving high skid resistance and low noise over extended periods of time, several research programs have been and are being implemented in the Federal Republic of Germany to investigate dense and porous concrete. Some of the findings obtained so far have already been integrated into the revised set of rules concerning the manufacture of concrete pavements. Special importance has been attached to an optimization of texture through the introduction in 2002 of skid resistance tests during acceptance procedures and at the end of guarantee periods. The following details have been covered by the investigations so far: Different structures of fresh concrete surfaces, removal of surface mortar using techniques like that pertaining to exposed-aggregate concrete and installation of porous concrete on a special bonding course with a modified asphalt surface finisher as well as grinding with bumpcutter and scattered plastic coatings on older concrete pavements. As part of a new combined program titled „Quiet Traffic“ and financed by the Federal Ministry of Education and Research, one comprehensive research project is being executed under the supervision of the Federal Highway Research Institute together with 15 partners from the industrial and research sectors to advance and test entire tyre/road-surface systems in order to achieve further, notable noise-reductions on asphalt and concrete roads.