Abstract
Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) recently developed and implemented a new hydroplaning prediction (HP) program for predicting the traveling speed at which a vehicle would start hydroplaning. The tool was developed as part of the effort to reduce hydroplaning accidents and is being used during the roadway design phase to evaluate the hydroplaning potential of Florida’s roadways. This paper presents an overview of FDOT’s HP program and demonstrates how it may be used. The tool incorporates a total of four water film thickness models and three hydroplaning speed models developed in the past, allowing for a total of 12 model combinations for the hydroplaning analysis. The tool also offers different analysis options that may be used to meet a variety of FDOT’s needs. As demonstrated in this paper, the primary use of the new HP tool is for checking the final geometric roadway design parameters for hydroplaning potential. In addition, the HP program can also be used as a forensic investigation tool for identifying specific locations that exhibit higher potential for hydroplaning.
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