A combined approach to the optimisation of tyre and pavement interaction

Abstract

The development of pavement surfacing technology with regard to skid resistance, and advances in the understanding of tyre to pavement interaction are reviewed. The influence of these advances on the construction of pavement surfaces and design of tyres in Great Britain is discussed. In order to control some of the variables present in roadhold measurements and to develop and test pavement surfacings and tread compounds under laboratory conditions a Variable Speed Internal Drum Machine has been built and is described. Pavement texture studies made with the aid of the scanning electron microscope have shown how pavement surfaces polish due to traffic action and roughen due to climatic changes. These changes are related to skid resistance measurements. The various types of tread compound abrasion are reviewed and the parameters influencing their occurrence listed. Recent work on a special form of abrasion termed “reversion” discusses the conditions governing its formation. The concept of the three zone contact path is discussed with regard to recent developments in tyre construction, tread patterns and pavement surfaces. Special reference is made to the development of pavements using artificial aggregates and use of natural aggregates of the gritstone group. The introduction of such surfaces will have important effects on tread abrasion rates. The work described in this paper shows the need to combine the knowledge of pavement and tyre technologists in order to design the pavement and tyre as a unit and hence to optimise the general tyre and pavement performance.