Location: Robert Bosch, LLC – Automotive Proving Ground Anti-lock Brake System (ABS)-Electronic Stability Program (ESP®) Test Track - FLAT ROCK, MI Paving Contractor: Angelo Iafrate Construction Company Concrete Supplier: Superior Materials, LLC. Design Engineer: Hubbell Roth & Clark, Inc. Owner: Robert Bosch, LLC Proving Grounds
Consisting of 325 acres, the Bosch Flat Rock proving ground offers various test surfaces and tracks such as a vehicle-dynamics area that includes a 30-degree high bank curve, high and low-friction surfaces, special surfaces, and traction hills. Bosch has committed to making this facility their North American warm weather test facility by performing a series of multi-year upgrades.
This project consisted of constructing new test surfaces for the ABS Brake test feature for speeds up to 70 mph (112 kph) at the facility and accommodating vehicles ranging from motorcycles to semi-cabs. The new features included multiple road surfaces with varying friction coefficients including but not limited to the following: white tile Mu 0.15, gray tile Mu 0.7, cobblestone roadway, and tined concrete surfaces. Various concrete mixes were used throughout the project either as a base for the tile surfaces, or porous concrete under the cobblestone and drivable tined concrete surface.
All test surfaces have a state-of-the-art surface wetting system which will maintain the water sheen during testing operations. Water is reclaimed and reused until evaporated. This is accomplished by over 4,500 lineal feet of concrete encased trench drain. All test surfaces are level in the North-South direction of over 500 feet and have a cross slope of 0.50%.
