After doing preliminary research scan (lots and lots of semi-relevant research), I am still looking for research on motorway conditions where pavement quality generally good, and the variation in roughness (IRI), regulation, micro- and macrotexture are fairly small. Is there still a detectable effect on safety outcomes? If so, for which crash types? Seminal and leading research leads will be appreciated.
Please read papers from Fred Mannering (http://ce.eng.usf.edu/facultyandstaff/fredMannering.htm). He has number of research publications where he has discussed the association between pavement ride quality and crash risk.
All things being equal, what may increase crash rates is wet pavement surfaces especially at horizontal curves, entrance and exit ramps of freeways/expressways. Evaluation of accident history with weather data at the time of accident will tell you if surface friction (roadway condition) was a contributory factor. improving the surface friction by suitable treatment can mitigate this.
You might find help, at least on the methodology, in this study of accidents on all types of roadways (not just highways), their geometry and detailed surface conditions (ch 9, enclosed).
If you want more details, you have to look at the final table in the detailed paper, enclosed also. The last variables in the list (Groups 13 and 14) are all surface quality variables. But the source of the data, the French technical road services, forced us to hide the detailed results for eight variables (A...H) in that section. They were afraid of lawsuits, as were occurring in Germany at the time, based on the idea that better surfaces increase speed and perhaps accident risk or severity.
Hoping this helps. Marc Gaudry
Many thanks. This is a different approach from the one seen often in AAP and similar journals. I will seek some advice from our statistician to understand this :)
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