NASA first researched safety grooving cut into concrete surfaces by diamond blades to keep aircraft, including the returning space shuttle, safe as they landed.
Cut into concrete surfaces by diamond blades, safety grooving increases traction on roads and runways, reducing hydroplaning and skidding. NASA first researched this technique to keep aircraft, including the returning space shuttle, safe as they landed. The process was then applied to the runways of hundreds of commercial airports, highways across the country, stairways, sidewalks, parking lots and other surfaces. One study by the California Division of Highways noted an 85 decrease in accidents on highways during wet weather after safety grooving had been applied.
Read more: http://spinoff.nasa.gov/database/spinoffDetail.php?this=/spinoff//larc/LARC-SO-43
Image credit: Government of Brazil, CC BY 3.0