Relation between Sliding Friction and Snow/Ice on Winter Roads using Multi-Axial Sensing System Vehicle

Abstract

SYNOPSIS The purpose of this study is to investigate the validity of slide-friction measurement on winter roads by the MASS vehicle from joint tests using a slide friction-measurement bus with an instrument-embedded wheel mounted to its body (5th wheel bus) and to investigate the effect of physical properties of the snow/ice on a road surface on the sliding friction coefficient. It is concluded that the sliding friction coefficient by the MASS vehicle agrees with that by the 5th wheel bus on horizontal roads, and that the effect of road inclination on the sliding friction coefficient is negligible for the MASS vehicle but significant for the 5th wheel bus. Moreover, it is found from an indoor experiment and the present field tests that the value of sliding friction coefficient depends on the height of the sherbet layer on a road surface. In case of the no contact of tires and pavement surface because of a deep sherbet layer, the sliding friction coefficient decreases with the increment of the mass ice content in the sherbet.