Influence of bitumen film on skid resistance

This paper presents the results of a laboratory-based investigation using a number of portable road surface samples to quantify the loss of skid resistance caused by binder film. For each of the test road surface samples, the surface of the chips were progressively coated with thin layers of the standard bitumen. The principal finding of this investigation was that the skid resistance of fine textured road surfaces is more affected by the presence of bitumen film than coarse textured surfaces suggesting that chipseal surfaces in a flushed condition pose a greater safety hazard to motorists in wet conditions than chipseal surfaces that have been blackened by tracked bitumen.(a) For the covering entry of this conference, please see ITRD abstract no. E214156.