Assessment of Preformed 3D-Thermoplastic Road Markings for Long-Term Durability, Skid Resistance and Texture Functionality

Road Markings are an important safety feature for directing and guiding traffic without distracting its drivers. The erosion of the marking material as a result of prolonged exposure to rain and traffic actions, greatly reduce their performance. In this paper, results from field and laboratory investigations on innovative preformed thermoplastic road markings sheet with 3D impressions are presented. An immersion wheel tracking test was conducted in the laboratory for evaluating material effectiveness against stripping in long-term exposure to water and traffic loading. The results showed that preformed sheet installed on pre-heated and non-heated asphalt surfaces are capable of withstanding long (20,000 cycles) exposure of continuous traffic while submerged in water. Overall, the thermoplastic sheet installed in both conditions, demonstrated excellent performance against stripping, although the performance was relatively better when installed on the pre-heated surface. Furthermore, one-year field observations showed that preformed marking installed on asphalt and concrete surface retains their macrotexture, maintains excellent dry and wet frictions. The 3D impression was also found beneficial on drivers’ behavior for speed reduction. Depending on the vehicle type, the reduction was 20–31% immediately after installation and 9–17% after one year. Overall, this study suggests that preformed thermoplastic road marking is not only a durable product but also 3D illusion that provides some traffic calming benefits.