Acquisition and evaluation of concrete pavement surface textures by means of 3D laser scanning technique

The surface texture of concrete pavements forms the direct interface between the vehicle tire and the pavement surface. It has a significant influence on the functional performance of the pavement, particularly skid resistance, noise emissions (tire-pavement noise), drainage capacity, rolling resistance and surface evenness. Consequently, it contributes substantially to road safety, driving comfort and the sustainability of road infrastructure.

In the German federal motorway network, exposed aggregate concrete has been used as the standard surface texturing method for concrete pavements since 2006 wherever noise-reduction requirements apply. This technique involves the targeted removal of the surface mortar layer, thereby exposing the coarse aggregate at the pavement surface and creating a non-directional, isotropic texture. With the introduction of texture grinding in 2026, a development of the conventional diamond grinding texture, the range of standard surface texturing methods was expanded. Texture grinding is a mechanical process in which the hardened concrete surface is ground to produce a directional, anisotropic texture consisting of land areas and grooves.

With growing traffic loads and higher demands for road safety and climate protection, the targeted design of pavement surface textures is becoming increasingly important. At the same time, the durability of these textures is of particular interest, as they continuously evolve and may deteriorate over their service life due to traffic loading and environmental influences. Therefore, the acquisition and evaluation of pavement surface textures and their temporal development are of crucial importance.

By using modern handheld 3D laser scanners and a specially developed measurement setup, various pavement surface textures can be measured in high resolution, non-destructively and reproducibly. Based on these measurements, dedicated evaluation routines enable the derivation of relevant texture parameters, the quantification of texture changes throughout the pavement life cycle and in the future the assessment of relationships between surface texture and functional pavement properties.