Surface Characteristics and Driving Comfort on two Swedish Concrete Roads

In Sweden there is an increased interest in the performance based specifications of concrete roads, such as wearing resistance, friction and noice. Recently two concrete roads have been constructed with the special intention to improve the surface characteristics. Both roads were constructed with concrete that is resistant to wear and has a high compressive strength (65-80 MPa). The surface of one of the roads was ground which improved the longitudinal evenness. Also the noise level decreased temporarily during the first year. On the other road the aggregate was exposed in the surface which resulted in a low noice surtace and a very good trictuon.