Feasibility of Accelerated Pavement Testing to Evaluate Long-Term Performance of Raised Pavement Markers

Raised pavement markers (RPMs) are used to provide long-range nighttime guidance to drivers. The visibility of these markers lessens over time, and they must be replaced. Thus, many state departments of transportation test various markers to provide the most durable marker available. One of the most critical approaches is the field test whereby markers are subjected to a roadway environment for a specified time. Because of the durability of typical RPMs, several years of field testing may be required before a product is qualified for state roadways. To shorten the product evaluation period, the feasibility of using the heavy vehicle simulator (HVS) to perform accelerated wear and deterioration testing of raised pavement markers was investigated. The HVS allows for controlled application of realistic wheel loads to a pavement system, simulating long-term, in-service loading conditions. This paper summarizes the initial results of HVS testing on four types of RPMs with regard to degradation of both the physical structure of the element and its level of retroreflectivity. Preliminary accelerated testing indicated similar degradation patterns to field testing, thus showing the potential for HVS accelerated testing to simulate existing field tests. Further evaluation is required to understand better the correlation between accelerated testing and actual in-service degradation rates.