THESIS ABSTRACT

Abstract

While skid resistance represents the frictional properties necessary for safe vehicle operation, the Pavement Condition Index (PCI) is frequently used to assess the structural and surface condition of pavements based on apparent distresses. Effective pavement management techniques and safety regulations are hampered by the paucity of thorough studies examining the connection between PCI and skid resistance. In order to ascertain if surface condition ratings may accurately reflect frictional performance, this study examines the connection between PCI and skid resistance. This research relies on data obtained through direct observations in the field. The selected study area includes the main roads linking the ring-road outside of Kathmandu district nearby developing regions, covering 23.6 km of road, consisting of 236 sample data points, each divided into segments of 100 m. To accomplish this, primary data regarding PCI and Skid resistance, measured through the skid number, was derived manually collected from field survey conducted in those sections. This was performed to enhance the numerical forecasts of data with such variability, creating satisfactory correlations between the PCI and Skid resistance. According to the PCI assessment, 49.57% of the evaluated roads were rated as good, 18.22% as fair, and 4.66% as poor. According to skid resistance, 16.52% of the road was excellent, 20.33% was good, 19.49% was medium, and 16.10% fell into the low category. Notable regression associations were found between the two indices, PCI and skid number. The R² value for the correlation is determined to be 0.481. The R² value identified for the established relationship is statistically significant at the 5% level of significance. The R² value shows that skid number is influenced by various factors, with PCI being a significant contributor. The established connection between PCI and SN enables the estimation of various indices, aiding in pavement classification concerning skid resistance and assisting in efficient maintenance and rehabilitation planning.

Keywords

Pavement Condition Index, Skid resistance, British Pendulum Tester, Regression Analysis.