Road roughness measurements using PSD approach

Abstract

The interest of the highway engineer is focused on road roughness in the frequency range of interest, which corresponds to a wave number range appropriate for the prevailing traffic speed. The effect of road roughness on the design and operation of road vehicles has been a subject of intensive research since 1960. In the literature considerable effort has been spent on the investigation of vehicle vibration excited by surface irregularity. Road profile measurement is an important step preceding vehicle development. The present paper deals with the measurement and analysis technique to evaluate road roughness in the form of power spectral density (PSD). A profile measuring trailer unit has been designed and developed. Measurements of road roughness have been taken on five types of Indian roads and one mosaic floor (for academic interest only) using an on-line system, and results are represented by power spectral density and compared with the standard results given by the International Standard Organization (ISO) to classify the type of road.