Effect of fine aggregate angularity on skid-resistance of asphalt pavement using accelerated pavement testing

The effect of fine aggregate angularity (FAA) on the skid-resistance of asphalt pavement was investigated in the paper. To achieve the objective, four fine aggregates with various FAA values were used in stone matrix asphalt (SMA) and conventional asphalt concrete (AC), separately. The Model Mobile Load Simulator (MMLS3) was used to simulate the effect of traffic load on the skid-resistance of compacted mixes. After specific loading cycles, the skid-resistance of asphalt mix slabs was measured using the Sand Patch Test and the British Pendulum Number (BPN) Test. Sand Patch testing mainly explores the macro-texture of the pavement, while BPN test mostly investigates the micro-texture of the pavement. The test results show FAA has a significant impact on skid-resistance on the macro-texture level but an only marginal influence was observed on the micro-texture level. The correlation between FAA and skid-resistance is validated using a Forward Selection method. Outcomes of this experimental study can potentially be adopted by both practitioners and researchers.