Edinburgh Napier University

  In the city of Edinburgh, pavement surfaces utilised as either shared space or dedicated cycle-paths use a broad range of materials and surface finishes. A poor pavement surface discourages cyclists from selecting certain paths or routes and vibration exposure is a noticeable consequence of poor cycle path quality. The objective of the study was to investigate the pavement surface quality of on-road and off-road cycling facilities in the City of Edinburgh. The City of Edinburgh has an established off-road (segregated) cycle path network with varied pavement materials and surface treatments. Cyclists are also encouraged to use on-road cycle path facilities with subsequent interaction with highway pavement surfaces. The categorisation of the numerous pavement types and an assessment of the transmitted hand-arm vibration incurred is presented. A typical Edinburgh commuter bicycle was selected and mounted with micro electro-mechanical systems (MEMS) including a micro controller, two tri-axial accelerometers, a global positioning system (GPS) and data storage device. The instrumented probe bicycle (IPB) was then used to measure hand-arm vibration exposure on different cycling pavement surfaces in the City of Edinburgh in accordance with EN ISO 5349. The vibration data may then be used to provide pavement surface condition assessment of the route under consideration and possibly contribute to asset maintenance decisions associated with resurfacing or repair works. Finally, recommendations for improvements to cycle path surface design, defect identification and routine preventative maintenance are provided.