Three-dimensional surface texture of Portland cement concrete pavements containing nanosilica

Abstract

Pavement surface texture is critical to tire/pavement interaction. Texture characteristics of concrete containing nanosilica pavement surface has not yet been directly investigated, although researchers have found that nanosilica improved pavement friction values and durability. Specimens with various nanosilica content are tested for three-dimensional (3D) texture height maps which are decomposed using discrete wavelet transform for the calculation of 3D texture indices for macrotexture and microtexture. It is found that 3D texture indices increase correspondingly with the increment of nanosilica content. Significant relationship with R ² values between 0.80 and 0.99 is found between various texture indices and nanosilica content. The increased texture amplitude indicates enhanced pavement friction and then safety. The increment of core material volume implies more texture in the core region, which indicates better longevity of texture. The findings of this research agree with the results of other studies that nanosilica increased the abrasion resistance and frictional property of concrete surface.

Keywords:

• Pavement surface texture
• microtexture
• macrotexture
• 3D texture measurement
• 3D texture indices
• discrete wavelet transform
• concrete pavement
• nanosilica

Acknowledgments

The authors acknowledge the support and contribution of the Cement Association of Canada (CAC), particularly Rico Fung, the Director of CAC’s Markets and Technical Affairs in Ontario. The authors also acknowledge the support from the Natural Science and Engineering Research Council of Canada, and their Collaborative Research Development Programme. The contribution of the Chilean National Scholarship Programme from CONICYT is much appreciated.