Macrotexture is a family of wave-shaped road surface characteristics. While vehicle suspension deflection and dynamic tyre loads are affected by longer waves (roughness), road texture affects the interaction between the road surface and the tyre footprint. Macrotexture has wavelengths from 0.5 mm up to 50 mm. Other types of road texture are microtexture

Microtexture

Microtexture is the collative term for a material's crystallographic parameters and other aspects of microstructure: such as morphology, including size and shape distributions; chemical composition; and crystal orientation and relationships...

 and megatexture

Megatexture (roads)

Megatexture is a family of wave-shaped road surface characteristics. While vehicle suspension deflection and dynamic tyre loads are affected by longer waves , road texture affects the interaction between the road surface and the tyre footprint. Megatexture has wavelengths from 50 mm up to 500 mm...

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Short wave macrotexture is a family of surface properties that can reduce road traffic noise; acoustic pores.

Long wave macrotexture is a family of surface damages that, similarly to megatexture, is a cause of road traffic noise.

Macrotexture also contributes to the speed-dependent part of friction

Friction

Friction is the force resisting the relative motion of solid surfaces, fluid layers, and/or material elements sliding against each other. There are several types of friction:...

 and to wet surface friction.

Road agencies monitor macrotexture using measurements taken with highway speed laser/inertial Profilometer

Profilometer

Profilometer is a measuring instrument used to measure a surface's profile, in order to quantify its roughness.While the historical notion of a profilometer was a device similar to a phonograph that measures a surface as the surface is moved relative to the contact profilometer's stylus, this...

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