Hydroplaning
on Pavements
If you have increased accident rates or vehicles have experienced hydroplaning on either concrete or asphalt pavements, you need to perform:
Longitudinal Grooving
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Automobile accidents tend to increase when there is a loss of friction between the tire and pavement surface due to slippery
conditions. Highway departments have found that the best way to decrease accidents during inclement weather is to remove water from the surface and increase the traction between the tire and the road.
Experience has shown that grooving a pavement’s surface is a very effective method to increase traction, reduce hydroplaning and minimize splash and spray as well as provide a more effective braking surface. This easily constructed and economical surface treatment provides the superior traction needed for vehicles to maintain control while driving in wet, dangerous conditions.
Municipalities and departments of transportation world wide are finding that grooving has a two-fold benefit: it increases a driver’s safety while driving in wet conditions and at the same time, saves on the costs of replacing or overlaying the pavement surface.
Resources
Diamond Saw Cut Textures: Improving Pavement Performance and Customer Satisfaction
This study highlights the advantages of diamond grinding in optimizing pavement performance and customer satisfaction. Diamond grinding significantly reduces road noise by providing a longitudinal texture, enhancing surface macrotexture and skid resistance. Additionally, the study touches on diamond grooving, which involves sawing discrete drainage channels into the pavement to improve safety, particularly in wet conditions. The Next Generation Concrete Surface (NGCS) is also explored, combining diamond grinding and longitudinal grooving to create a quieter, more durable pavement surface
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Fact Sheet
Highway, City/Municipal, Bridge
Diamond Grinding, Next Generation Concrete Surface (NGCS)
Tire/Pavement Noise, Hydroplaning, Friction/Safety, Smoothness
CPR: Rebuilt to Last: FDR Ramp at RFK Bridge, Manhattan, NY
The Franklin D. Roosevelt (FDR) ramp at the Robert F. Kennedy (RFK) Bridge in Manhattan, NY, was in need of surface repairs. The solution came in the form of longitudinal grooving of the pavement. The project involved milling, paving and grooving.
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Case Study
City/Municipal
Diamond Grooving
Friction/Safety
Safety Grooving: ODOT uses longitudinal grooving for safety on asphalt as well as concrete pavements
The superior safety performance of grooving on bridge decks encouraged the ODOT to use the technique on several sections of asphalt pavement, all located on high-speed roadways and tight curves where wet weather safety was a concern. Diamond grooving on three Ohio highways (SR 126 in Hamilton County, I-90 in Cuyahoga County and I-75 Montgomery county) significantly reduced wet-weather accident rates.
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Case Study
City/Municipal, Highway
Diamond Grooving
Friction/Safety
Asphalt Pavement Preservation & Diamond Grinding
When the asphalt surface of Missouri U.S. 412 required pavement preservation to repair cracking and increasing roughness, MoDOT scoped diamond grinding as the primary preservation treatment.
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Case Study
Highway
Diamond Grinding
Friction/Safety, Smoothness
Safety Grooving for Safer Runways: Ottawa International Airport, Ottawa, Canada
The Ottawa International Airport (OIAA) in Canada was experiencing runway skidding incidents. Wet pavement conditions were considered to be a major contributing factor. Diamond grooving was added to the pavement for the entire length of the runway.
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Case Study
Airport/Airfield
Diamond Grooving
Friction/Safety
Five Airports in Canada Adopt Runway Grooving to Reduce Hydroplaning
Diamond grinding and grooving airport runways is common in the United States; Canada has made limited use of the technique. This is changing, due to overwhelming evidence that diamond grooving is a proven strategy for reducing the risk of hydroplaning and improving runway safety. Grooving works by providing channels for water to escape, helping eliminate standing water and restoring tire friction coefficients on wet pavement.
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Case Study
Airport/Airfield
Diamond Grinding, Diamond Grooving
Hydroplaning, Friction/Safety