Roadway Asphalt Damage Analysis: Dynamic Evaluation of Gouge Forces

In reconstruction of on-roadway vehicle accidents, roadway surface gouges and the forces and energy attributed to the related vehicle components become important keys to resolving accurate accident reconstructions. Accounting for the forces applied to vehicle components and the energy dissipated from such forces can be helpful where supporting data exists. Roadway gouge forces vary depending upon such factors as road surface temperature and the velocity of the gouging mechanism. Other factors that may affect roadway gouges are road surface age, differing gouge tooth geometry, and road surface construction but these factors are not addressed in this paper. Calculation and summation of individual contact forces and contact energies can be significant in the accounting of accident vehicle motion reconstruction.

This paper expands upon findings presented in SAE 2008-01-0173. Additional controlled pavement gouging tests were performed using roadway surface temperature and gouging velocity as main factors. The results of this testing and analysis are useful in quantifying gouge forces and energies and may be applied to accident reconstruction. Summary of experiments and techniques as applied to accident reconstruction are presented.