Road texture

Road surface term Road surface textures are deviations from a planar and smooth surface, affecting the vehicle/tyre interaction. Pavement texture is divided into: microtexture with wavelengths from 0 mm to 0.5 millimetres (0.020 in), macrotexture with wavelengths from 0.5 millimetres (0.020 in) to 50 millimetres (2.0 in) and megatexture with wavelengths from 50 millimetres (2.0 in) to 500 millimetres (20 in). Microtexture Microtexture (MiTx) is the collaborative term for a material's crystallographic parameters and other aspects of microstructure: such as morphology, including size and shape distributions; chemical composition; and crystal orientation and relationships. Macrotexture Macrotexture (MaTx) is partly a desired property and partly an undesired property. Short MaTx waves, about 5 mm, act as acoustical pores and reduce tyre/road noise. On the other hand, long wave MaTx increase noise. MaTx provide wet road friction, especially at high speeds. Excessive MaTx increases rolling resistance and thus fuel consumption and CO2 emission, contributing to global warming. Proper roads have MaTx of about 1 mm Mean Profile Depth. Macrotexture is a family of wave-shaped road surface char