The Abrasion Testing of Concrete Pavers

This paper describes an in-depth evaluation of an abrasion testing procedure for concrete pavers developed in Australia The test involves abrasion of the paver surface by a rapidly rotating ball race under load. Water is used both to lubricate the race and to remove debris. The investigation included the study of factors affecting the test results such as the load applied to the ball-race, the speed inclination and numbers of revolutions of the race, the speed inclination and numbers of revolutions of the race, the water flow and the hardness and wear of the ball bearings. Additional tests were conducted to establish the intrinsic variability of the test procedure. Based on the test results both the advantages and limitations of the test as a means for characterising the abrasion resistance of pavers are outlined and discussed.