Investigative Study of the Italgrips System - Noise Analysis

The purpose of this study was to determine if Italgrip is a suitable technique to increase the safety and quality of Wisconsin roadways. The objective of this noise analysis is to identify and quantify any exterior noise impacts of the Italgrip anti-skid surface treatment on PCC pavements. Italgrip is a very thin surface treatment consisting of a two-part polymer resin placed on pavement and covered with re-worked steel slag. Although widely used in Italy, Italgrip has only been available in the United States since 1999. This study analyzes comparative data from three types of pavement surfaces: untreated transverse tined PCC pavement, pavement that was diamond ground to re-establish a smooth riding surface but not treated with Italgrip, and pavement that was diamond ground and treated with Italgrip. The effectiveness of Italgrip was tested using an exterior noise measurement procedure that has proven reliable in past Wisconsin Department of Transportation studies to evaluate different pavement structures