Modeling Hydroplaning and Effects of Pavement Microtexture

Hydroplaning on wet pavement occurs when a vehicle reaches a critical speed and causes a loss of contact between its tires and the pavement surface. This paper presents the development of a three-dimensional finite volume model that simulates the hydroplaning phenomenon. The theoretical considerations of the flow simulation model are described. The simulation results are in good agreement with the experimental results in the literature and with those obtained by the well-known hydroplaning equation of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The tire pressure-hydroplaning speed relationship predicted by the model is found to match well the one obtained with the NASA hydroplaning equation. Analyses of the results of the present study indicate that pavement microtexture in the 0.2- to 0.5-mm range can delay hydroplaning (i.e., raise the speed at which hydroplaning occurs). The paper also shows that the NASA hydroplaning equation provides a conservative estimate of the hydroplaning speed. Th...