Pendulum Skid Test
We can carry out skid testing to check compliance with BS EN 13036-4:2011 which explains how to test skid resistance on roads and airfields.
The Pendulum is an ideal instrument for this as following its invention in the USA in the 1940s it was then adopted and further developed in the UK by The Transport Research Laboratory in the 1960’s, hence why it is often still referred to as the TRL pendulum
Although other methods to measure the skid resistance of road and airfield surfaces are now also available, the Pendulum Skid Test remains an indispensable piece of equipment, especially in areas where it is not possible to use other test methods.
Pendulum Skid Tester
The pendulum is used to measure the frictional properties between a rubber slider, mounted on the end of a swinging arm and the road surface.
Skid Test
Carrying out a Pendulum skid resistance test.
Table 1 Suggested minimum values of ‘skid-resistance’ (measured with the portable tester)
| Category | Type of Site | Minimum |
|---|---|---|
| A | Difficult sites such as:(i) Roundabouts. (ii) Bends Roundabouts with radius less than I 50 m on unrestricted roads. (iii) Gradients. 1 in 20 or steeper, of lengths greater than 100 m. (iv) Approaches to traffic lights on unrestricted roads. |
65 |
| B | Motorways trunk and class 1 roads and heavily trafficked roads in urban areas (carrying more than 2000 vehicles per day) | 55 |
| C | All other Sites | 45 |
We can carry out testing on either samples in our laboratory or in situ on the following types of locations;
- Roads
- Car Parks
- Warehouse / Distribution center Floors
- Velodromes
- Airfields
- Helipads
- Road Traffic Accident sites
Following the testing to BS EN 13036-4:2011 we will then check against the limits found in Table 1 of Road Note 27 (Second Edition), 1969.
The results correlate with the performance of a vehicle with patterned tyres, braking with locked wheels on a wet road at 50km/h.
Note: For category A and B sites where speed of traffic is high (in ‘texture excess of depth• 95 of km/b) 0·65mm an additional requirement is a minimum ‘texture depth’ of 0-65mm
We can also carry out Skid testing to; ASTM E303
