Accelerated Abrasion Resistance Testing

Abrasion resistance is an important performance requirement in warehouse and industrial floors. Floors can be exposed to quite aggressive actions from trucks and other equipment.

Tests are carried out using our purpose designed and built equipment which conforms to the requirements of BS EN 13892-4: 2002. Known as the BCA abrasion test machine, the floor surface is assessed by measuring the depth of wear created by three hardened wheels rotating over a circular (template marked) area for a standard number of revolutions (2850 + / – 10).

The depth of wear is used to assess the quality of the floor and classifies it in accordance with BS 8204-2:2003+A2:2011. Each test is accompanied by a Face Consultants report. Where the classification is lower than required, Face can investigate and advise on the significance of the results, and on any remediation steps that should be taken.

Abrasion Testing, or any other topic related to floors can be provided as part of FACE Expert Witness Services.

Table 3 – Classification of abrasion resistance and limiting depths of wear for the abrasion test: Recommendations for concrete bases, directly finished (DF) only, as wearing surfaces

Class	Service Conditions	Application	Maximum test wear depth mm	Typical examples (see 6.2)
Class	Service Conditions	Application	Maximum test wear depth mm	Type of concrete	Minimum compressive strength class ^a N/mm²	Minimum cement content kg/m³	Type of coarse aggregate	Type of fine aggregate	Finishing process
AR0.5 (special)/DF	Severe abrasion and impact from steel or hard plastics wheeled traffic or scoring by dragged metal objects	Very heavy duty engineering workshops and very intensively used warehouses, etc.	0.05	Specially designed proprietary concretes	Special concretes which are not classified by strength class or minimum cement content and might contain aggregates that do not conform to 5.3. Special finishing techniques may be used. The suitability of concrete flooring for this class should be established with the manufacturer or flooring contractor offering warranty
AR1/DF	Very high abrasion; steel or hard plastics wheeled traffic and impact	Heavy duty industrial workshops, intensively used warehouses, etc.	0.1	Specially designed proprietary concretes
AR2/DF	High abrasion; steel or hard plastics wheeled traffic	Medium duty industrial and commercial	0.2	Direct finished concrete	C40/50 RC50	400	Aggregates conforming to 5.3.2	Fine aggregate conforming to 5.3.3	Power floating and repeated power troweling as 10.7
AR4/DF	Moderate abrasion: rubber-tyred traffic	Light duty industrial and commercial	0.4	Direct finished concrete	C32/40 RC40	325	Aggregates conforming to 5.3.2	Fine aggregate conforming to 5.3.3	Power floating and repeated power troweling as 10.7
* Concrete should conform to BS 8500-2.

Table 4 – Classification of abrasion resistance and limiting depths of wear for the abrasion test: Recommendations for concrete bases upgraded by dry shake/sprinkle finishes and for applied wearing screeds (WS)

Class	Services Conditions	Application	Maximum test wear depth mm	Type of wearing screed material	Notes
AR0.5 (special)/WS	Severe abrasion and impact from steel or hard plastics wheeled traffic or scoring by dragged metal objects	Very heavy duty engineering workshops and very intensively used warehouses, etc.	0.05	Proprietary dry shake/sprinkle finishes on concrete grade at least as for AR3/DF	Proprietary dry shake/sprinkle finishes, which are not classified by strength class or minimum cement content and might contain aggregates that do not conform to 5.3. Special finishing techniques may be used. The suitability of concrete flooring for this class should be established with the manufacturer or flooring contractor offering warranty.
AR1/WS	Very high abrasion; steel or hard plastics wheeled traffic and impact	Heavy duty industrial workshops, intensively used warehouses, etc.	0.1	Monolithic or bonded wearing screed	For wearing screed materials see 9.2. Approved aggregates conforming to 5.3.4 Fine aggregate conforming to 5.3.5. Hand trowelling or power floating and repeated power trowelling as 10.7
AR2/WS	High abrasion; steel or hard plastics wheeled traffic	Medium duty industrial and commercial	0.2
AR4/WS	Moderate abrasion: rubber-tyred traffic	Light duty industrial and commercial	0.4

Note: As well as the tables above, The Concrete Society’s Technical Report No 34 4th edition (Current) states that 1 test per 4000m2 is adequate, and that the minimum required abrasion resistance should be 0.20mm. This equates to a minimum requirement of AR2.

It is also worth noting that prior to TR34 4th Edition quoted above, no official document has ever given any guidance on a sampling rate.

Call Today to Arrange an Abrasion Resistance Test

Call one of our specialists today to discuss accelerated abrasion resistance testing in more detail.

Remember – It is important to determine the wear resistance of cementitious or synthetic resin floor materials, whether on samples or in situ.

Alternatively, please fill out our contact form to book a test for your floor.

Book an Abrasion Test

Watch Our Abrasion Resistance Testing Video

See our testing services in action

A floor’s ability to resist abrasion is a very important factor. To carry out an abrasion test, eight test locations are marked on the floor using a machined template. Readings are then taken at each of the eight test locations using a digital depth gauge.

On site or off site Testing

Face consultants are able to carry out tests on samples either at your site or in our Laboratory, as well as testing the floor in situ.

Abrasion Tester

The Face Abrasion Tester and equipment

Concrete slab abrasion resistance tests can be conducted using the Abrasion Resistance Testing Machine to carry out tests in accordance with EN 13892-4