Is the Road Quality Still Better?
Publication: Journal of Transportation Engineering
Volume 138, Issue 12
Abstract
This study quantifies and explains the paradox of a slow increase in road quality over time with a concomitant decrease in ride comfort or objective road quality. The study estimates the effect of road profile wavelength contents on the International Roughness Index (IRI) and planar personal half-car model vertical vibration response. Two cases are examined: (a) decrease in short-wave amplitudes () and (b) increase in long-wave amplitudes (). The wavelength-content change was modulated by a change in the road profile spectrum slope (i.e., waviness) in both analyzed wavebands. The results indicate a relative insensitivity of the IRI algorithm to a change in road quality in both cases, while the particular vibration responses (dynamic tire force, seat or car body vertical acceleration) are markedly changed. It is shown that the IRI algorithm calculated for the alternative velocities should be a more robust tool to detect the change in wavelength contents in the examined wavebands.
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Acknowledgments
This work was carried out under Grant No. 2/0075/10 of the VEGA Grant Agency of the Slovak Academy of Sciences. Further, the authors highly appreciate the voluminous work conducted by the LTPP team and additional information and data provided by the LTPP Customer Service Department.
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Information & Authors
Information
Published In
Journal of Transportation Engineering
Volume 138 • Issue 12 • December 2012
Pages: 1520 - 1529
Copyright
© 2012 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Jan 25, 2012
Accepted: May 24, 2012
Published online: May 29, 2012
Published in print: Dec 1, 2012
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