Abstract:
Skid resistance is an integral part of the road conditions that influence road safety on
paved roads. Amongst other factors, the aggregate type used to construct wearing
courses significantly affects the skid resistance of flexible road surfacing. Understanding
the influence of aggregate mineralogy on skid resistance provides an opportunity to
enhance road safety and optimise material selection for wearing course construction. This
paper presents the correlation between the characteristics of aggregates used to construct
wearing courses in South Africa and their long-term skid resistance performance. In this
study, some of the commonly used aggregate types in the construction of wearing courses
in South Africa were assessed for their mineralogical properties and long-term skid
resistance performance after simulated traffic polishing. This study established that the
aggregate types with a higher hardness, which is a property primarily dependent on the
mineralogical makeup of an aggregate, tended to retain their surface texture better than
softer aggregates. The study's results also noted that further research must be invested in
determining the worst accuracy level required to achieve credible aggregate microtexture
data.
