Comparative Performance Analysis Of Thermoplastics And High-Build Pavement Markings
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Date
2015
Department
Transportation
Program
Master of Science
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This item is made available by Morgan State University for personal, educational, and research purposes in accordance with Title 17 of the U.S. Copyright Law. Other uses may require permission from the copyright owner.
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Abstract
Performance data was collected and analyzed for the following pavement marking materials: Waterborne High-Build Paints, Forty (40) mil High-Binder Thermoplastics, and Ninety (90) mil Thermoplastics for life expectancy, application procedures, and governing policies. The data was obtained from the National Transportation Product Evaluation Program (NTPEP), a nationally accredited program that test pavement marking materials. Several key controlling measures used in the data collection include in-situ data from the same geographical location experiencing the same type of weather conditions, annual average daily traffic (AADT), and whether or not the materials were installed at the same time. This research will assist the Maryland Department of Transportation in selecting pavement marking materials for application throughout Maryland's highway infrastructure. A qualitative methodology was used to conduct this study. The basis for selecting a qualitative methodology is due to its versatility involving emic and/or etic components. The emic component refers to the views of other individuals or groups, while the etic component involves the views of the researcher. This research employed the etic component as it involved a qualitative review of pre-existing data. The primary objective of the data analysis was to determine the life expectancy of three different pavement materials for the same time and geographical location. Data on weather conditions were collected as well to facilitate better understanding of the observation of the pavement marking materials. The analysis of pre-existing data from NTPEP, evaluated under the same conditions, confirms that 40 mil high-binder thermoplastic is an outlier vis-à-vis other evaluated materials. The results show that 40 mil high-binder thermoplastic not only meets the requirements of Maryland State Highway Administration (MDSHA), but also exceeds the standards for MDSHA qualified product list criteria.