BRITISH STANDARD 7976-1:2002

BS 7976-1:2002
+A1:2013

Pendulum testers —
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Part 1: Specification
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ICS 19.060 | 93.080.99

  

 BS 7976-1:2002
7976-1:2002+A1:2013

Committees responsible for this

British Standard

The preparation of this British Standard was entrusted to Technical

Technical Committee
Committee B/556, Coordinating pedestrianpedestrian
B/556, Coordinating pedestrian
slip resistance,
slip resistance,
slip resistance,
upon which upon
the
upon which
following
which the following
thebodies were
following bodies were represented:
represented:
bodies were represented:

Association of Consulting Engineers

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British Ceramic Research Ltd.

Department of Transport, Local Government and the Regions —
represented by the Building Research Establishment
Health and Safety Executive
Health and Safety Laboratory
London Transport
RAPRA Technology Ltd.
SATRA Technology Centre
The Tile Association
Co-opted members

Contributions are also acknowledged from representatives of the following

Technical Committees and Subcommittees:

B/505/4/P1, Revision of EN 124 and prEN keys

B/507, Paving units and kerbs
B/517/8, Protection and repair of concrete structures
B/543/6, Timber floors, walls and ceilings
B/544/6, Screeds and in situ floorings
OC/11, Consumer policy committee
PRI/60, Resilient floorcoverings

This British Standard, having

been prepared under the
direction of the Building Sector
Policy and Strategy Committee,
was published under the
This British
authority Standard,
of the having
Standards
been
Policyprepared underCommittee
and Strategy the
direction of the2002
on 20 August Building Sector
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Policy and Strategy Committee,

was published under the
authority of the
© The British Standards
Standards
Policy and Strategy
Institution 2013 Committee
on 20 August
Published 2002Standards
by BSI Amendments issued since publication
Limited 2013 Amendments issued since publication
©BSI 20 August 2002 Amd. No. Date Comments
Amd. No. Date Comments
The following BSI references
The following
relate BSI references
to the work on this A1 April 2013 See Foreword.
relate to the work on this British
standard:
Standard:
Committee reference B/556
Committee reference B/556
Drafts for comment
DC 00/105213,
Draft for comment DC 00/105213
DC 12/30270874

ISBN
ISBN 0978
5800 40144 8
580 80547 9
 BS 7976-1:2002
BS 7976-1:2002+A1:2013

Contents
Page
Foreword ii
1 Scope 1
2 Normative references 1
3 Terms, definitions and abbreviations 1
4 Features 1
5 Dimensions and characteristics 4
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Bibliography 5
Figure 1 — Typical pendulum tester 2
Figure 2 — Typical slider assembly 3
Table 1 — Selected properties of two slider pad materials 4
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© BSI
© The 20
British Standards
August 2002 Institution 2013 i
 BS
BS 7976-1:2002
7976-1:2002+A1:2013

Foreword

This part of BS
Publishing 7976 has been prepared by Technical Committee B/556.
information
BS
This7976
parthas
of BSbeen prepared
7976 to meet
is published bythe
BSIneed for a definitive
Standards Limited,method of bothfrom
under licence
operation
The British Standards Institution, and came into effect on 20th August specifies
and calibration of the pendulum tester. This part of BS 7976 2002.
the features,
It was prepareddimensions and characteristics
by Technical Committee B/556, of the pendulum tester.
Coordinating A method
pedestrian slip of
operation
resistance.for thisofpendulum
A list testerrepresented
organizations is specifiedon in this
BS 7976-2,
committeeandcan
a method of
be obtained
calibration
on request tois its
specified in BS 7976-3.
secretary.
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The pendulum tester was originally designed by Percy Sigler in the USA in the
Supersession
1940s to test pedestrian surfaces. It was adopted and further developed in the late
BS 7976-1:2002+A1:2013
1950s by the then Road Research supersedes BS 7976-1:2002,
Laboratory (RRL, now which
known is withdrawn.
as the Transport
Research
InformationLaboratory,
about thisTRL). This design has remained basically unchanged to the
document
present day, and other designs based on the same principle are now available.
BS 7976
The was prepared
pendulum to meet in
tester specified thethis
need forofa BS
part definitive method on
7976 operates of both operation
the principle
and calibration of the pendulum
used in the original RRL apparatus. tester. This part of BS 7976 specifies the
features, dimensions and characteristics of the pendulum tester. A method of
NOTE Details
operation for ofthis
the pendulum
original instrument
testerare given in Road
is specified in Research Technical
BS 7976-2, and Paper No. 66of[1].
a method
calibration
This is specified
publication does notin BS 7976-3.
purport to include all the necessary provisions of a
contract. Usersdescribes
This standard are responsible
generalfor its correctapplicable
procedures application.
to all surfaces. Specific
procedures forwith
Compliance road aand airfield
British surfaces are
Standard doescovered
not ofinitself
BS EN 13036-4.
confer immunity
from legal obligations.
Since the publication of this standard in 2002, work has commenced in
CEN/TC 339 to develop a European test, which has lead to the publication of
CEN/TS 16165, which, on publication as a European Standard might eventually
supersede this part of BS 7976.
The start and finish of text introduced or altered by Amendment No. 1 is
indicated in the text by tags . Minor editorial changes are not tagged.
Contractual and legal considerations
This publication does not purport to include all the necessary provisions of a
contract. Users are responsible for its correct application.
Compliance with a British Standard cannot confer immunity from
legal obligations.
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Summary of pages
This document comprises a front cover, an inside back cover, pages i and ii,
pages 1 to 5 and a back cover.
The BSI copyright notice displayed in this document indicates when the
document was last issued.

ii © The British Standards

© BSIInstitution
20 August 2013
2002
 BS 7976-1:2002
BS 7976-1:2002+A1:2013

BS 7976-1:2002

1 Scope
This part of BS 7976 specifies the features, dimensions and characteristics of pendulum testers for use in
1 Scope the slip/skid resistance of surfaces.
determining
This
NOTE
Thispart of BSof7976
A standard
method doesspecifies
not
operation the the
forapply tofeatures,
the tester
pendulum dimensions
specific procedures
is specified and
in BS forcharacteristics
road
7976-2, andand ofcalibration
airfield
a method of pendulum testers
surfacesisin BS EN
specified for
in use in
13036-4,
BS 7976-3.
determining thethe
or to the use of slip/skid resistance
pendulum test as of surfaces.
described in current product standards.
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2 Normative
NOTE references
A method of operation for the pendulum tester is specified in BS 7976-2, and a method of calibration is specified in BS 7976-3.

The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document. For dated
2 Normative
references, references
only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced
document (including any documents
The following referenced amendments)areapplies.
indispensable for the application of this document. For dated
references,
BS only the
903-A8:1990, editiontesting
Physical cited applies.
of rubberFor
— undated
Part A8: references,
Method for the latest edition
determination of the referenced
of rebound resilience.
document (including any amendments) applies.
BS 903-A26:1995, Physical testing of rubber — Part A26: Method for determination of hardness (hardness
BS 903-A8:1990,
between 10 IRHDPhysical
and 100 testing
IRHD).of rubber — Part A8: Method for determination of rebound resilience.
903-A26:1995,
BS 6100-1, Physical
Glossary testing
of building andof civil
rubber — Part A26:
engineering Method
terms for1:determination
— Part of hardness (hardness
General and miscellaneous.
between 10 IRHD and 100 IRHD).
BSTerms,
3 definitions
6100-1, Glossary andand
of building abbreviations
civil engineering terms — Part 1: General and miscellaneous.

3.1 Terms and definitions

3 Terms, definitions and abbreviations
For the purposes of this part of BS 7976 the terms and definitions given in BS 6100-1 apply.
3.1 Terms and definitions
3.2 Abbreviations
For the purposes of this part of BS 7976 the terms and definitions given in BS 6100-1 apply.
For the purposes of this part of BS 7976 the following abbreviations apply.
3.2 Abbreviations
For the purposes
Four-S standardof this part of shoe
simulated BS 7976
sole the following abbreviations apply.
TRL Transport Research Laboratory
Four-S
RRL standard
Road simulated
Research shoe sole
Laboratory
TRL
TRRL Transport Research
and Road Laboratory
Research Laboratory
RRL Road
NOTE Research Laboratory
Transport and Road Research Laboratory (TRRL) and Road Research Laboratory (RRL) are previous names
of the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL). TRRL was superseded first by RRL and then by TRL.
TRRL Transport and Road Research Laboratory
NOTE Transport and Road Research Laboratory (TRRL) and Road Research Laboratory (RRL) are previous names
4 Features
of the Transport Research Laboratory (TRL). TRRL was superseded first by RRL and then by TRL.

NOTE 1 A typical pendulum tester, manufactured to operate on the principles used in the original RRL apparatus, is shown
4 Features
in Figure 1. A typical slider assembly is shown in Figure 2.
A pendulum
NOTE tester
1 A typical shalltester,
pendulum possess the following
manufactured features:
to operate on the principles used in the original RRL apparatus, is shown
in Figure 1. A typical slider assembly is shown in Figure 2.
a) a spring-loaded slider assembly mounted on the end of a pendulum arm, such that the sliding edge
A is
pendulum
(514 ± 6)tester shallthe
mm from possess
axis ofthe following features:
rotation;
a) a spring-loaded
b) slider
means for setting theassembly mounted
column of on the end
the instrument of a pendulum arm, such that the sliding edge
vertical;
is (514 ± 6) mm from the axis of rotation;
c) a means for raising and lowering the axis of rotation of the pendulum, such that the slider can:
b) a means for setting the column of the instrument vertical;
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1) swing clear of the test surface; and

c) a means for raising and lowering the axis of rotation of the pendulum, such that the slider can:
2) be set to slide over a fixed length of the test surface of (126 ± 1) mm;
1) swing clear of the test surface; and
d) a means of holding and releasing the pendulum arm, such that it falls freely from the horizontal
2) be set to slide over a fixed length of the test surface of (126 ± 1) mm;
position;
d) a pointer,
e) means ofbalanced
holding and releasing
about the axisthe pendulum arm,
of suspension, such that
indicating it falls freely
the position of thefrom the horizontal
pendulum arm
position;
throughout its forward swing and moving over the circular scale;
e) aa main
f) pointer, balanced
scale about
(C scale) for athe axis length
sliding of suspension, indicating the position of the pendulum arm
of 126 mm;
throughout its forward swing and moving
NOTE 2 A typical C scale is shown in Figure 1. over the circular scale;
f) aan
g) main scaleF(Cscale
optional scale)
forfor a sliding
a sliding length
length of of
76126
mm.mm;
NOTE 2 A typical C scale is shown in Figure 1.
g) an optional F scale for a sliding length of 76 mm.

© BSI
© The 20
British Standards
August 2002 Institution 2013 1

1
 BS 7976-1:2002
7976-1:2002+A1:2013

2 3
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10

0
10
20
4
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
110
120
1 130
140
9
150
5

7
Key
1 C scale (126 mm sliding length) 5 Slider assembly 9 Vertical screw
2 F scale (76 mm sliding length) 6 Levelling screw 10 Release mechanism
3 Pointer 7 Test specimen holder
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4 Pendulum 8 Spirit level

Figure 1 — Typical pendulum tester

2 © The British Standards

© BSI Institution 2013
20 August 2002
 BS 7976-1:2002
BS 7976-1:2002+A1:2013

A
c/o Walter Lilly & Co, 01/04/2019, Uncontrolled Copy, © BSI

Section A-A
2

1
4
Key
1 Slider pad 3 Working edge
2 Aluminium mounting plate 4 Worn width

Figure 2 — Typical slider assembly

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© BSI
© The 20
British Standards
August 2002 Institution 2013 3
 BS 7976-1:2002
7976-1:2002+A1:2013

5 Dimensions and characteristics

5.1 The combined mass of the pendulum arm and slider assembly shall be (1.50 ± 0.03) kg. The centre of
gravity shall lie on the axis of the arm at a distance of (410 ± 5) mm from the centre of suspension.
5.2 The slider shall consist of a pad of either Four-S rubber or TRL rubber as specified in Table 1, or an
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alternative to simulate different contact materials. The dimensions of the slider pad shall be:
a) (76.0 ± 1.0) mm wide;
b) (25.4 ± 1.0) mm long (in the direction of the swing);
c) (6.35 ± 0.50) mm thick.
NOTE Four-S rubber and TRL rubber are the two most common types of slider pad material, but others may be used.
Table 1 — Selected properties of two slider pad materials
Type of material Temperature Property

Resiliencea Hardnessb

C % IRHD

5 21 ± 2
Four-S rubber 23 24 ± 2 96 ± 2
40 28 ± 2
0 43 to 49
10 58 to 65
TRL rubber 20 66 to 73 55 ± 5
30 71 to 77
40 74 to 79
a Lüpke rebound test in accordance with BS 903-A8:1990.
b International Rubber Hardness Degrees in accordance with BS 903-A26:1995.

5.3 The slider pad shall be held securely fixed to a rigid backing plate, with a central pivoting axis.
5.4 The mass of the slider assembly (the pad with its backing plate) shall be (35 ± 5) g.
5.5 The slider assembly shall be mounted on the end of the swinging arm so that, when the arm is at the
lowest point of its swing, with the trailing edge of the slider rubber in contact with the test surface, the
plane of the slider is angled at (26 ± 3) to the horizontal.
NOTE With this configuration, the slider assembly can turn about its axis without obstruction to follow unevenness of the surface
as the pendulum swings.

5.6 The slider assembly shall be spring-loaded against the test surface.
5.7 The nominal static force on the slider assembly in operation shall be 24.5 N in its median position.
NOTE The force used in the calibration procedure is not identical to the force on the slider assembly itself due to the geometry of
the mechanism that provides the force.
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5.8 The mass of the pointer shall be not greater than 85 g. The friction in the pointer mechanism shall be
adjustable such that, with the pendulum arm swinging freely from a horizontal position, the outward tip
of a nominal 300 mm long pointer can be brought to rest on the forward swing of the arm at a point 10 mm
below the horizontal. The pointer shall be carried with the pendulum arm on the forward swing only.

4 © The British Standards

© BSI Institution 2013
20 August 2002
 BS 7976-1:2002
BS 7976-1:2002+A1:2013

Bibliography BS 7976-1:2002
Standards publications
BS 7976-2:2002, Pendulum testers — Part 2: Method of operation.
Bibliography
BS 7976-3:2002, Pendulum testers — Part 3: Method of calibration.
Standards publications
BS EN 13036-4, Road and airfield surface characteristics – Test methods – Part 4: Method for
BS 7976-2:2002,
measurement
Other of slip/skid
Pendulum
publications resistance
testers —ofPart
a surface: The of
2: Method pendulum test.
operation.
BS
[1] 7976-3:2002,
CEN/TS 16165,
GILES, Pendulum testers
C.G.,Determination
SABEY, BARBARA — E.,
of slip Part 3: Method
resistance
and of calibration.
of pedestrian
CARDEW, surfaces
K.H.F. – Methods
Development andof evaluation.
performance of the
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portable skid-resistance tester. Road Research Technical Paper No. 66. London: HMSO, 1964.1)
Other publications
[1] GILES, C.G., SABEY, BARBARA E., and CARDEW, K.H.F. Development and performance of the
portable skid-resistance tester. Road Research Technical Paper No. 66. London: HMSO, 1964.1)
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1) Out of print but available on microfiche from the Transport Research Laboratory.

© BSI
© The 20
British Standards
August 2002 Institution 2013 55
1) Out of print but available on microfiche from the Transport Research Laboratory.
 BS 7976-1:2002
+A1:2013
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