Course Overview
This 4-part webinar series provides a comprehensive introduction to pavement friction and its critical role in roadway safety performance. Participants will gain a practical understanding of how pavement surface characteristics, friction principles, and measurement methods influence vehicle performance and crash risk, along with how these concepts are applied in real-world transportation systems.
The series begins with foundational concepts of pavement design performance and roadway surface characteristics, then builds into the relationship between pavement friction and safety performance. Topics include friction principles such as adhesion and hysteresis, microtexture and macrotexture, friction demand versus availability, and factors that influence friction on the roadway.
Later sessions focus on how pavement friction is measured using various testing methods and equipment, as well as how to interpret and apply this data. The series concludes with an overview of friction enhancement treatments, safety performance analysis, and the development and implementation of pavement friction management programs. Throughout the series, participants will explore how agencies use friction data to prioritize improvements and enhance safety across the transportation network.
This training series is sponsored by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) Safety Office and brought to you through the Florida Local Technical Assistance Program (LTAP) Center. The FDOT’s safety training workshop aims to equip FDOT employees, as well as local agency staff and consultants, to establish a safety culture, increase safety knowledge, and develop the skills needed to effectively improve safety and reduce fatalities, injuries, and crashes in Florida.
Target Audience
This webinar series is intended for transportation professionals involved in pavement design, maintenance, and safety analysis, including pavement engineers, materials engineers, traffic engineers, planners, public works staff, and local and state agency personnel. It is especially relevant for those responsible for pavement management, safety performance, and roadway maintenance decision-making.
Instructor
Priscilla Tobias, PE, RSP2IB is the Vice President of Midwest Operations for Arora and Associates, P.C. and has over 30 years of diverse transportation experience. She is a graduate of Virginia Tech, a licensed professional engineer, and a certified Road Safety Professional. Priscilla served as the first Illinois State Safety Engineer for the Illinois DOT. She brings unique leadership and practitioner experience strategically developing, implementing, and managing innovative data-driven, multi-disciplined safety programs, initiatives, and research in Illinois and across the nation.
RECORDING, CERTIFICATES, and CREDITS
To earn Professional Development Hours (PDHs) or a Certificate of Completion for each recorded webinar, you must view the entire webinar. After viewing, please fill out the web form at the link below to request your certificate. The Florida LTAP Center will follow-up within 2-3 weeks.
Each session will award 2.0 PDHs. A total of 8 PDHs can be earned for fully viewing all recordings.
Click the tabs below to view the recorded webinars.
Part 1 of 4 – Pavement Friction Fundamentals
In this first session, we will establish the foundation of a pavement friction management program and the relationship between friction and roadway safety. The following topics will be covered: pavement policy and performance measures; roadway surface characteristics condition; the principles and characteristics of pavement friction, the relationship between pavement friction and roadway safety, friction availability versus friction demand, and the factors influencing pavement friction.
Handouts
- Coming soon
Part 2 of 4 – Pavement Friction and Safety Performance
In this second session, we will cover how pavement friction is measured and evaluated. The following topics will be covered: friction testing methods and equipment (including skid testing and side-force measurements); macrotexture measurement techniques; continuous versus spot measurement approaches; and advantages and limitations of different testing methods.
Handouts
- Coming Soon
Part 3 of 4 – Current FDOT Practices
In this third session, we will cover current FDOT’s procedures and standards currently in use related to friction measurement and management. The following topics will be covered: FDOT’s current practices for measuring and managing pavement friction and the friction enhancement treatments (such as surface mixes, high friction surface treatments, and concrete pavement surface treatments) used.
Handouts
- Coming soon
Part 4 of 4 – Potential Future Approaches – Friction Management and Safety Applications
In this final session, we will introduce emerging concepts such as continuous pavement friction measurement and friction – based rating frameworks associated with pavement friction management. The following topics will be covered: safety performance analysis methods; economic considerations; and the development and implementation of pavement friction management programs to support proactive roadway safety improvements.
Handouts
- Coming soon