Evaluation of the impact of pavement degradation on driving comfort and safety using a dynamic simulation model

The dynamic effects induced by vehicles on road pavement have been thoroughly analysed over years [1]. The main reason of such focus is the major influence exerted on the propagation and worsening of pavement damages by the dynamic loads rather than the static ones [2]. To date, the modelling theories of systems have evolved, along with the computational capability of modern calculators. To this effect, three-dimensional simulations of the tire-surface interaction [3, 4] are commonly used. The simulations take into account both the dynamics of the load and the consequent deformation of the pavement. However, previous studies aimed at analyzing the above interaction for the optimisation strategies of the maintenance activities within the context of effective road asset management. On the contrary, this work focuses on the safety-related issues by the dynamic effects suffered by the vehicle, when passing on different road defects. The goal of this study is to numerically analyse the kinematic and dynamic impacts of the pavement degradations (and in particular rutting) on the driving safety. The simulation of the main characteristics and evolution of the pavement damages over the time, such as the simulation of the tire-pavement contacts and the dynamic response on the vehicles, is a useful tool for developing safe and comprehensive rehabilitation programs. These are of paramount importance to limit the accident rates. The impact on driving safety was analysed using a simulation model for the simulation of the vehicles behaviour in the case of damaged pavements. Specifically, different road geometries and vehicle’s typologies were considered to evaluate the rutting effects on safety, as a function of the evolution stage of this pavement damage. In more detail, the performance characteristics of the vehicles, the dynamic and cinematic parameters (e.g. the vehicle trajectory and the vertical acceleration), were collected for increasingly rutted pavement conditions. The study proposes qualitative relationships between differing stages and location of rutting, and the consequent impacts on driving safety for different types of vehicles (passenger cars and powered two wheelers). It is important to emphasize how this analysis could be helpful to the road agencies in prioritizing maintenance actions on large-scale road assets. Prioritization will be mainly focused on the level of risk associated with pavement degradations