Measurements of Traction Properties of Concrete Slabs: Application for Pedestrian Fall Safety Improvement

Concrete is a popular building material for many construction applications to pave driveways, walkways, patios, and other surfaces. Although they are commonly found in various constructed settings and pavements, their traction properties have not been methodically explored to prevent pedestrian fall incidents. This pilot study examines the effect of different surface textures of concrete slabs on slip resistance functioning and identifies their roles on fall safety controls. For the concrete slabs, the three most commonly applied methods: metal blade trowelling, worn wood blade trowelling, and bloomswept, were used to generate different surface finishes. Dynamic friction tests were performed amongst three concrete slabs and three new shoes under four disparate environments: dry, wet, soapy, and oily. Test results show that a strong effect of the surface finishes of the concrete slabs was found on dynamic friction coefficients (DFCs) under soapy and oily environments. The current study also uncovered that rough concrete slabs did not reflexively support higher slip resistance performance under lubricated environments. Those findings identify imperative evidence on tribological characteristics of the concrete slabs and their impacts on traction properties. It is hoped that this study may have possible appliances for design improvement of concrete surfaces to prevent pedestrian fall incidence.