Effects of Seasonal Changes on Ride Quality at MnROAD (Technical Summary)

During the winter, soil under a roadway that has been saturated with water freezes and expands, causing the road to rise. When this occurs unevenly, the result is rougher roads during the winter and spring, and in some cases, cracked pavement surface layers. This problem of “frost heave” is very common in Minnesota, especially on lower volume roads, and can cause serious damage to concrete, asphalt and gravel pavements. It presents one of the greatest challenges to engineers to keep Minnesota’s 130,000 miles of roads well maintained throughout the year. Cracked and heaved pavements lead to a bumpy or otherwise poor driving experience for motorists.