Effect of Speed Bumps on Pavement Condition. Issue 9 (September 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Goenaga, Boris; Underwood, Shane; Fuentes, Luis
• Is Part Of: Transportation research record. Volume 2674:Issue 9(2020)
• Page Start: 66
• Page End: 82
• Publication Date: 2020-09
• Subjects: Transportation -- Periodicals; Roads; Transport -- Périodiques; Routes -- Périodiques; Routes -- Conception et construction -- Périodiques; Roads; Transportation; 388.05
• DOI: 10.1177/0361198120927005
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0361-1981

Abstract

Speed bumps are efficient traffic calming devices that allow transport authorities to control vehicle speeds and improve safety in specific locations. Though frequently used in residential areas, they have become increasing prevalent in other higher volume roadways (particularly in developing countries), because of their effectiveness, low-cost of implementation, and easy installation process. However, in these countries there is no proper technical guidance for speed bump design and implementation, which is why one can often find these devices placed on an arterial highway or on roads where the proportion of trucks is high. The most important consequence of placing a speed bump on a road with large numbers of trucks is that the pavement deterioration process will accelerate as a result of the induced vibrations and bouncing of a truck's suspension. In this paper the relationship between the bump geometry—length and height—and the dynamic load transmitted to the pavement is studied. A full truck model has been used to simulate the vehicle dynamics while passing over the bump, to estimate the demand imposed over the pavement. Damage was calculated for each simulation scenario using a combination of linear-elastic analysis and empirical damage functions. The geometry that leads to less damage is the circular, with a minimum length of two meters and a maximum height of ten centimeters.