International Journal of Transportation Engineering

International Journal of Transportation Engineering

Investigation of the Skid Resistance and Mechanical Properties of Concrete Based on Aggregate Characteristics and Cement-Paste Film Parameters

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors
Nasrin Karimi
Abolfazl Arabzade
Seyedehsan Seyedabrishami
Faculty of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Tarbiat Modares University, Tehran, Iran
10.22119/ijte.2025.554837.1715
Abstract
Maintaining pavement friction under wet conditions requires surface textures that withstand traffic-induced polishing and wear. This study evaluates how the coordinated adjustment of maximum aggregate size (MAS), aggregate gradation, packing density, paste film thickness (PFT), and mortar film thickness (MFT) governs skid resistance in slip-formed concrete pavements. Twenty mixtures were produced with Modified Fuller–Thompson exponents (0.67, 0.55, 0.45, 0.35) at MAS = 9.5, 12.5, 19, 25, and 37.5 mm. Tests included slump and Box Test, wet packing density, PFT/MFT, compressive and flexural strength, EN 1338 abrasion, ASTM E303 British Pendulum Number (BPN), Mercury Intrusion Porosimetry (MIP), and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) of the Interfacial Transition Zone (ITZ). The results indicate that mixtures with MAS = 19–25 mm provided the best overall balance—higher compressive and flexural strengths, BPN typically ≥ 65, and lower abrasion rates. The study indicates that coordinating packing density with PFT and MFT—within a compatible gradation—enhances mechanical properties as well as skid resistance.
Keywords
slip-formed concrete pavement
skid resistance
abrasion resistance
MAS
packing density
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International Journal of Transportation Engineering
Volume 13, Issue 3 - Serial Number 51
Winter 2026
Pages 2253-2275