Applicability of gneiss based mineral aggregates for the use in high friction surface treatment in terms of polishing characteristics

Abstract

Speed and safety management of highways plays a prominent role in ensuring road user safety, especially of the vulnerable categories. Pavement Friction Management (PFM) is being considered as the best possible option in developing the road infrastructure over the other prevalent strategies, with the focus of improving user safety. High Friction Surface Treatment (HFST) is widely being used as a remedial measure to improve the friction and texture retention capacity of the wearing course, as it provides economical and sustainable solutions in upgrading the pavement performance in both as an urgent response and in the long run as well. As an urgent remedial intervention, HFST can be incorporated in the national practice of safety management in Sri Lanka, to address the concerns over the escalating numbers of grievous highway crashes. In place of the most commonly used high skid resistant aggregates, gneiss-based mineral aggregate can be a viable alternative since it delivers similar functionality to that of granites. The study examines the polishing characteristics of widely used gneiss-based roadstones in the country through laboratory experiments involving the Polish Stone Value (PSV) test. Both qualitative and quantitative analyses of the specified physical and mechanical laboratory testing are conducted to evaluate the applicability of gneiss-based mineral aggregates in the use of HFST as an alternative skid-resistant roadstone in terms of their polishing behavior.