Investigation and Interpretation of Flooring Wear Development for Pedestrian Slip Resistance Assessments

Abstract

ABSTRACTSurface conditions of pedestrian footpaths and walkways continually change throughout their services. Many causes may contribute to the variation of surface qualities, but a decline of slip resistance functioning is a critical problem for the pedestrian safety of walkway surfaces. Despite the importance of flooring wear issue, their ensured operations and influences on slip resistance performance against pedestrian falls have not been systematically investigated. The present study aims to understand wear progress of floor surfaces, investigate the mechanism of surface changes due to wear advances, and recognize their impacts on slip resistance operations. To measure traction properties and characterize wear behaviors of walkway surfaces, slip resistance tests were operated among three different types of floor specimens with a similar range of topographic characteristics and two dissimilar shoes. Wear formations and developments of the floor specimens were comprehensively assessed by a combination of numerical and microscopic investigations. The test outcomes evidently presented that the initial surface finishes of floor specimens were extensively modified by direct (straight move) and indirect wear processes (reverse and joint moves) and significantly affected slip resistance performance. The idea explored in this study may help to uncover valuable information for better understanding of the complex nature of slip resistance properties amongst the shoes, floors, and environments and have possible applications for the safety design improvements of pedestrian floors and floor coverings.