on this page
-
Markets
Transportation
-
Location
Raleigh, NC
-
Client
North Carolina Department of Transportation
-
Completion date
Ongoing
Ted Hull Ryde
VP, Business Development and Strategy, DOT, Dallas, Texas, United States of America contact form+1 972 588 3208
One-third of wet-weather crashes on high-speed roadways in the United States are attributed to hydroplaning. The most cost-effective design preference usually includes widening roadway sections by expanding lanes to the outside with a continuous cross slope. However, this increases the water-film thickness along the cross slope, raising concerns about its contribution to hydroplaning accidents. To address this issue, transportation agencies are looking for ways to assess the risk of hydroplaning and implement necessary safety improvements on their roadway networks.
In North Carolina, we have partnered with the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) and research institutions to help create a comprehensive hydroplaning policy. Recognizing the safety and financial impacts of hydroplaning design for high-speed roadways, our team was asked by the NCDOT Hydraulics Unit to transform their approach for managing hydroplaning risk by adding robust, new policy language focused on identifying concerns early in the design process and mitigation strategies. They also wanted to develop a new computer program to better predict and assess potential hydroplaning risk areas.
We created an Excel-based Hydroplaning Assessment Tool (HAT) to analyze areas of concern on state roadways. HAT enables designers to input geometric data to understand if a proposed configuration represents a hydroplaning risk or assess the hydroplaning risk at existing locations. Our tool provides an averaged water-film thickness approach, regionally specific pavement types, adjustments for modern tire pressure and treads, a factor to assess the maximum water-film thickness in superelevation transitions, and a modified application of the PAVDRN hydroplaning speed formula that adjusts to the specific mean texture depth and eliminates the effects of a formula discontinuity.
By using HAT, NCDOT has been able to better identify designs containing hydroplaning risk and implement mitigation measures such as geometric modifications, pavement overlays and treatments and appropriate signage. Our approach has also fostered conversations nationwide around furthering the foundational research behind hydroplaning. States are discussing how to better mitigate hydroplaning risk through new pavement designs aimed at shedding water and connected vehicle technology, including leveraging real-time, rainfall data and dynamic messaging signs to alert drivers of wet roadway conditions.
Please note that you are now leaving the AtkinsRéalis website (legal name: AtkinsRéalis Group inc.) and entering a website maintained by a third party (the "External Website") and that you do so at your own risk.
AtkinsRéalis has no control over the External Website, any data or other content contained therein or any additional linked websites. The link to the External Website is provided for convenience purposes only. By clicking "Accept" you acknowledge and agree that AtkinsRéalis is not responsible, and does not accept or assume any responsibility or liability whatsoever for the data protection policy, the content, the data or the technical operation of the External Website and/or any linked websites and that AtkinsRéalis is not liable for the terms and conditions (or terms of use) of the External Website. Further, you acknowledge and agree that you assume all risks resulting from entering and/or using the External Website and/or any linked websites.
BY ENTERING THE EXTERNAL WEBSITE, YOU ALSO ACKNOWLEDGE AND AGREE THAT YOU COMPLETELY AND IRREVOCABLY WAIVE ANY AND ALL RIGHTS AND CLAIMS AGAINST ATKINSRÉALIS, AND RELEASE, DISCHARGE, INDEMNIFY AND HOLD HARMLESS ATKINSRÉALIS, ITS OFFICERS, EMPLOYEES, DIRECTORS AND AGENTS FROM ANY AND ALL LIABILITY INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO LIABILITY FOR LOSS, DAMAGES, EXPENSES AND COSTS ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH ENTERING AND/OR USING THE EXTERNAL WEBSITE AND/OR ANY LINKED WEBSITES AND ANY DATA AND/OR CONTENT CONTAINED THEREIN.
Such waiver and release specifically includes, without limitation, any and all rights and claims pertaining to reliance on the data or content of the External Website, or claims pertaining to the processing of personal data, including but not limited to any rights under any applicable data protection statute. You also recognize by clicking “Accept” that the terms of this disclaimer are reasonable.
The information provided by Virtua Research cited herein is provided “as is” and “as available” without warranty of any kind. Use of any Virtua Research data is at a user’s own risk and Virtua Research disclaims any liability for use of the Virtua Research data. Although the information is obtained or compiled from reliable sources Virtua Research neither can nor does guarantee or make any representation or warranty, either express or implied, as to the accuracy, validity, sequence, timeliness, completeness or continued availability of any information or data, including third-party content, made available herein. In no event shall Virtua Research be liable for any decision made or action or inaction taken in reliance on any information or data, including third-party content. Virtua Research further explicitly disclaims, to the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, any warranty of any kind, whether express or implied, including warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose and non-infringement.
The consensus estimate provided by Virtua Research is based on estimates, forecasts and predictions made by third party financial analysts, as described above. It is not prepared based on information provided by AtkinsRéalis and can only be seen as a consensus view on AtkinsRéalis' possible future results from an outside perspective. AtkinsRéalis has not provided input on these forecasts, except by referring to past publicly disclosed information. AtkinsRéalis does not accept any responsibility for the quality or accuracy of any individual or average of forecasts or estimates. This web page contains forward-looking statements based on current assumptions and forecasts made by third parties. Various known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors could lead to material differences between AtkinsRéalis' actual future results, financial situation, development or performance, and the estimates given here.
Downloads
Trade releases