Study of micro-texture and skid resistance change of granite slabs during the polishing with the Aachen Polishing Machine

• Granite slabs were polished with the self-developed Aachen Polishing Machine.
• Changes of micro-texture were influenced by mineralogical compositions of aggregates.
• Contribution of micro-texture to skid resistance is described with spectral parameters.
• Mica has a substantial influence on the polishing behavior of the stones.

In this paper, massive granite slabs were cut from lumps of rock using a diamond saw. The surface of the stone slabs was then retreated so that the slabs were characterized by different degrees of roughness. On the other hand, the slabs had no macro-texture, so that the skid resistance depended exclusively on the micro-texture. The prepared slabs were polished under various polishing conditions using the Aachen Polishing Machine. Changes of the micro-texture were studied on the basis of both texture level measured by spectral analysis and skid resistance measurements measured by the British pendulum tester. The results showed that micro-texture and skid resistance changes of the slabs are related to the applied polishing agent, initial roughness and mineralogical compositions of the granite slabs. The contribution of micro-texture to the skid resistance can be described with a function of the two texture parameters.