Observational Study on the Pavement Performance Effects of Shoulder Rumble Strips on Shoulders

Abstract

Rumble strips implementation has shown a constant increase due to its safety benefits. Rumble strips are milled into the roadway shoulder to produce noise and vibrations when driven on. With the milling process, the shoulder depth is being decreased and could ultimately impact the shoulder pavement performance. The pavement performance is expected to be negatively impacted, though not mathematically quantified, by the decreased depth. Using methods defined by the Long Term Pavement Performance Program, the severity of the shoulder site’s distresses, with and without shoulder rumble strips, will be quantified and compared. The quantification of this impact would allow for a design to compensate for this expected negative impact. The full utilization of roadways becomes increasingly important each year and understanding every aspect that may possibly harm the roadway needs to be studied. This study aims to quantify this impact of rumble strips on the performance of the roadway pavement.