AL-Yarmouk university

Department of Civil Engineering

AL-Hijjawi Faculty
Highway laboratory / CE 444

Experiment#11 British Pendulum Test

Name Ahmad Jaser swafta
Student # 2016988045
Sec #2
Instructor Dr.Medher Taamneh
Submission Data 24/12/2018
Table of contents:

Subjects #Page
Abstract 3

Introductions 4

Objectives 4

Material & specimens 4

Procedure 5-6

Data & Results 7

Discussion 8-9

Conclusion 10

References 10

Abstract:

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 The British pendulum test is a common laboratory test for measurement low-speed friction
of pavement surface which is related to surface macro-texture of road surface. Transverse or
longitudinal grooving is used to improve skid resistance on concrete pavements. In this study,
experiments were made on different size and shape of transverse and longitudinal grooved
surfaces by using British pendulum tester to find their skid resistances. The experimental results
presented in this paper showed that the British pendulum test is also affected by macrotexture.
Although some experimental studies have been made on determining the effect of
macrotexture on BPN value, this paper implies that the micro-texture must also be taken into a
count when examining macrotexture effect on skid resistance while using British pendulum
tester. The importance of macro-texture effect on British pendulum test is different if there is a
penetration of rubber into gaps. This penetration has a big effect on skid resistance and
different amount of penetration can be obtained when the first horizontal contact point
between the rubber and the testing surface is changed. The results demonstrated that when
there is any macro-textured surface, there are too many parameters to be considered to
investigate the reliability of BPN values.
In addition to that, we will study the worst case in the friction between the pavement and
rubber wheel when the surface is full of water which it is the weak skid resistance in this case
then we can design the flexible pavement for more safety factor through this experience.

Introduction:
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 In this test we will go to determine the friction in the surface by the British pendulum test,
the friction that we mean in this test its measured by skid number (SN).
Surface friction is defined as the force developed when the tire prevented from rotating slides
along pavement surface.
The British pendulum test as described in ASTM E303 (2000) is a laboratory testing method to
find the skid resistance of pavement surface. It is a low-speed (10 km/hr) test and many
researches have considered that British pendulum test can be used as an assessment of the
macro-texture of the material surface.
Objectives:

To calculate the skid number (SN), that’s related to the skid resistance if it will be high then the
skid resistance will be high too.

To prevent the car accidents, we must make the surface pavement more friction by increasing
the macro-texture
Material & specimen:
The material that we will make the British Pendulum test the surface pavement on the street.

Apparatus:

1. Nozzle of water.
2. British Pendulum device.
3. Rubber.
4. The arm of the device that’s will go downward clock wise.

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The aim of this device and the macro-texture:

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Procedure:

1. Levelling: Level the instrument accurately by turning leveling screws until

the bubble is centered in the spirit level.
1. Zero Adjustment: Release pendulum and note pointer reading. If reading
is not zero, loosen the locking ring and rotate the friction ring on bearing
spring slightly and lock again. Slide Length Adjustment: With pendulum
hanging free, place spacer under adjusting screw of lifting handle. Lower
pendulum so edge of slider just touches surface. Lock pendulum head
firmly, raise lifting handle, and remove spacer.

Procedure:
 Apply sufficient water to cover the test area thoroughly. Execute one
swing, but do not record reading. Always catch the pendulum during
the early portion of its return swing.
 While returning the pendulum to its starting position, raise the slider
to avoid contact between the slider and the test surface
 Without delay, make four more swings, rewetting the test area each
time and record the results.

 Then the skid resistance value (SRV) is the mean of five readings or the
constant of three readings

Data & Result:

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We will take 5 reading for Skid Number Value (SN), the first reading we reject it;
because its not accurate value.

Readings:

1. SN=90
2. SN=95
3. SN=95
4. SN=98
5. SN=98

SN 2+ SN 3+ SN 4 + SN 5 95+ 95+98+ 98
 Then the average SN= 4
=
4
=96.5

Skid Number (SN) Comments

<30 Take measure to correct
30 or more Acceptable for low volume roads
31-34 Monitor pavement frequently
35 or more Acceptable for heavily traveled roads

The value that we calculated its above 35, its acceptable for heavy traffic, so its
safe.

Discussion:
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The aim of this test to measure surface frictional property of field pavement or
laboratory samples.

this study also demonstrated that British pendulum test results are significantly
affected by macrotexture of test surface beside the micro-texture of it. Micro-
texture and macrotexture of the test surface must be considered together to
analyze the test results.
According to combination of these macrotexture and micro-texture, BPN values
may be affected in different ways. Wet surfaces always have less BPN value at
about 15 unit according to dry surfaces. When the micro-texture of the test
surface was kept constant at almost 0.02 mm, dry BPN values were decreasing a little
(almost same). Wet BPN values were increasing when groove width was increasing
with constant groove spacing and constant groove depth for longitudinal grooved
surfaces which were the contrary results obtained from Lee et al., 2005;
Purushothaman et al., 1990. It is because there is almost zero micro-texture effect on
skid resistance and when longitudinal groove width increases water doesn’t
accumulate on road surface.

The wet surface give me less SN, because its decrease the friction between the
pavement and rubber wheel, and the opposite dry surface give me more SN. Increasing
the friction factor between it.

There is another performance for calculating the SN, its Locked Wheel Skid Tester, it’s
the car with a computer device at the back side with a rubber wheel and the nozzle it
pump the water to wet the surface for the worst case as the same of British Pendulum
test.

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After the years the skid resistance of the pavement will decrease; because many
factors that we must take it into account:
With time during service and under the effect of repeated traffic:

 Bleeding of asphalt to the surface may take place. Especially in case of low
voids and high temperature.
 Aggregate may suffer from polishing effect. Especially weak limestone.
 Rutting.
 Inadequate cross slope.
 Smooth macro-texture.

The test results show that macrotexture have an opposite influence on BPN
values according to micro-texture. The penetration of sliding rubber and the first
horizontal contact point between the rubber and the transverse grooved surface
changes the sliding path and that causes different BPN.

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Conclusion:

This study demonstrated the effect

of macrotexture on British
pendulum measurements with
considering microtexture.
This study demonstrated the effect
of macrotexture on British
pendulum measurements with
considering microtexture.
This study demonstrated the effect
of macrotexture on British
pendulum measurements with
considering microtexture.
This study demonstrated the effect of macrotexture on British pendulum
measurements with considering micro-texture.
The aim of using British pendulum tester is assumed to be practical and easy way to
estimate skid resistance of the testing surface.
The test results demonstrated that when there is a macrotexture on road surface there
are too many parameters to be investigated to look for the reliability of British
pendulum testing. Although experimental results were in the parallel variation with the
numerical analysis for transverse grooves, recovery factor always change for every
single parameter changing on road profile even if that changing is very little. This study
does not recommend using British pendulum tester when there is a macro-textured
surface.

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Because estimating every single parameter on road surface and to find the recovery
factor for all these parameters take too much time. That is not suitable for the aim of
using this tester.

References:

 ASTM Standard, E. 2000. 303, Test Method for Measuring Surface Friction
Properties Using the British Pendulum Tester, Annual Book of ASTM Standards,
ASTM International.
 ASTM standard, specification of pavement laboratory.
 ASTM standard, Pavement slides from pavement analysis and design by yang h.
huang Book.

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