In-vehicle evaluation of milled rumble strips at pre- and post-chip sealed maintenance periods : final report.

Tufuor, Ernest; Rilett, Laurence R.; LeFrois, Christopher · 2017 · ROSA P / Nebraska Transportation Center

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Summary

This study addresses the operational effectiveness of milled rumble strips (RS) following pavement maintenance, specifically chip-sealing, which tends to reduce RS depth. Driver fatigue and drowsiness increase the risk of lane departure crashes, and RS serve as critical countermeasures by providing audible and tactile warnings. However, it was unclear whether the reduction in RS depth caused by chip-sealing significantly diminishes their alerting capability. The research aimed to determine if a specific reduction in depth necessitates re-milling the strips, thereby informing maintenance policies for the Nebraska Department of Roads. The researchers conducted a controlled experiment measuring in-vehicle noise and vibration levels across varying RS depths, vehicle speeds, and vehicle types. Data were collected on three highways in Nebraska using two vehicles: a passenger car and a pickup truck. The study tested five RS depths (1/8", 1/4", 3/8", 1/2", and 5/8") to simulate the impact of chip-sealing, along with three RS configurations: shoulder, single centerline, and double centerline. Vehicles traveled at speeds of 45, 55, and 65 mph. A portable data collection system was employed, utilizing a Cel-63X sound meter to record A-weighted decibels (dBA) and an Xsens MTi-G inertial measurement unit to capture vertical acceleration. Video cameras provided visual confirmation of tire contact with the strips. The results demonstrated that a 1/8-inch reduction in the current milled RS design depth, resulting from chip-sealing, does not produce a practical reduction in the RS’s effectiveness. Statistical analysis of the sound and vibration data indicated that the audible and tactile warnings remained sufficient to alert drivers despite the minor depth loss. The study found that while RS depth, width, and vehicle speed influence noise and vibration levels, the specific 1/8-inch decrease did not cross the threshold required to maintain driver alertness. Based on these findings, the authors conclude that re-milling rumble strips after chip-sealing is not recommended if the maintenance operation reduces the strip depth by only 1/8 inch. This recommendation supports cost-effective maintenance strategies by eliminating unnecessary re-milling procedures while ensuring continued safety performance. The study provides empirical evidence to guide transportation agencies in managing RS maintenance, confirming that existing RS can remain functionally effective even after standard chip-seal applications.

Key finding

A 1/8" reduction in milled rumble strip depth resulting from chip-sealing does not significantly reduce in-vehicle noise or vibration levels, maintaining the strips' effectiveness as driver alerts.

Methodology

field_study

Provenance

The full processing record for this entry. Every stage of this paper's journey through the pipeline is logged — what ran, with which tool and model, how many attempts it took, and when it last completed. Discovered via bulk_ingest_rosap on 2026-05-23 (6 acquisition events logged).

Summary generated by qwen3.6-27b-prismaquant on 2026-06-10; verification: verified.

Topics

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• perceptual countermeasures