Investigation of skid-resistance of the Yapei - Tamale and Tamale - Bolgatanga trunk roads

Abstract

Skid resistance plays crucial role in road safety. The ability of a road surface to resist the sliding of a vehicle tyre greatly enhances traction and for that matter the stability of the vehicle. The results of the study of the skid resistance of Yapei – Tamale and Tamale - Bolgatanga trunk roads in Northern Ghana are reported and discuss-ed. The values for the wet skid resistance are comparable with the minimum values suggested in the United Kingdom standards for roads of that category. Even though the two major roads have been classified as high-speed roads, the results obtained indicate that the roads do not satisfy the additional requirement of a minimum texture depth of 0.65 mm. The study has confirmed the need to investigate prevailing skid resistance values on all major roads in Ghana and set the standards for designating the roads into high, medium or low speed categories and guidelines for road surface skidding resistance criteria to ensure safe traffic operation.


Journal of Applied Science and Technology (JAST), Vol. 7, Nos. 1 & 2, 2002, pp. 1 – 7