Use of the ASTM Standard Reference Test Tire as a Benchmark for On-Board Tire/Pavement Noise Measurement 2009-01-2108

There is a growing interest in using a standard reference tire for both assessing changes in test track pavement over time and rank ordering of the performance of different highway pavements. Because of longer-term availability, the ASTM Standard Reference Test Tire (SRTT) is the primary candidate for these applications. Issues of concern for the SRTT include tire-to-tire variation, the relation of the SRTT to other tires currently in use, and the “break-in” period required for stable test tires. To address tire-to-tire variability, seven SRTT’s were tested on variety of asphalt concrete (AC) and Portland cement concrete (PCC) surfaces on two occasions. These included five new tires and two that had been in use for some time. Two of the new tires were re-tested with increasing use to examine any break-in period effect. For comparison to other tires currently in use, on-board sound intensity (OBSI) and controlled pass-by measurements were conducted with the SRTT and compared to pass-by levels measured for light vehicles operating on actual highways. To further evaluate the SRTT for use as a reference tire in OBSI measurements, its sensitivity to variations in temperature, tire inflation pressure, test vehicle type, perturbations in test speed, and load were also measured. Based on the evaluations performed, the SRTT appears to be well suited to be used as long-term reference tire for tracking pavement changes and comparing different roadway surfaces.