Pavement friction tester

This is the pavement friction tester that we have been using for a while at 3ipe Solutions and 3ipe Engineering. We chose it after having had experiences with several others. We love and recommend the "Traction Watcher One" because:

• It mounts to a vehicle and can be easily taken out. This way the vehicle is free for other use, and the friction tester is securely stored until the next job. And the data quality is not compromised at all.
• It is lowered to the ground -by software- to conduct the pavement evaluation, and raised to transport position when it is not testing. That makes it easy and safe to drive around at the job site.

• The wheel in the back is partially locked, to measure friction coefficient by the fix-slip method, while the wheel in the front removes standing water (if there is), which makes the test the most repeatable in the industry. The two-wheel system allows for greater stability, and the odometer in the front wheel makes it independent from the vehicle.
• As opposed to small trailers that bounce up and down, the #3ipeTWO applies a vertical force, ensuring a minimum value that turns into friction results that are always valid, even on rough pavements. As everyone who has ever used a griptester or a mu-meter knows, these units "go flying" on uneven pavements, forcing the operator to slow down, or to report wrong results, or not being able to report friction. friction coefficient is the ratio of dragging horizontal force divided by the normal (vertical) force. If the vertical force approaches zero, then ... you get the idea.

• It is an approved CFME (Continuous Friction Measurement Equipment) by the US Federal Aviation Administration. It meets ICAO requirements for runway friction testing, and these requirements are exactly what the FAA verified before granting the approval, ten years ago.
• Offers flexibility in friction testing mode: airport mode to report by thirds of the runway, or roadway mode to report by short intervals. Roadway mode can still be used on airports for detailed inspection, and to efficiently evaluate large road networks, it can be set to "inspect mode" (saving test tire while collecting data on 100% of the pavement) or "spot mode" (sampling at defined intervals).
• It has an independent watering system able to precisely apply the selected depth of water film right in front of the measuring wheel. The water flow is controlled according to the travel speed, so if you are applying 1mm water, that´s is exactly what you get, regardless of going fast or slow. And the nozzle ensures the full width of the test tire get a uniform water application.

You can find this robust, easy to use, friction testing equipment in operations in many countries, included Norway (where it´s manufactured and where there are dozen of units), other countries in northern Europe, Canada, the US, Poland, Netherlands, Spain, Dominican Republic, Saudi Arabia and Chile. It´s owned by road maintenance contractors, airport operators, road agencies, air forces and the military, and pavement engineering consultants.

#3ipeTWO