This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles

for the
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.

Designation: G219 − 18

Standard Guide for

Determination of Static Coefficient of Friction of Test
Couples Using an Inclined Plane Testing Device1
This standard is issued under the fixed designation G219; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.

1. Scope 3.1.1 friction force, n—resisting force tangential to the

1.1 This guide is intended to standardize the use of an interface between two bodies, when under action of an external
inclined plane testing device to measure the breakaway friction force, one body moves or tends to move relative to the other.
(static) coefficient of mating couples that are of such size and 3.1.2 static coeffıcient of friction, n—coefficient of friction
shape that they can be made into a rider (one member of the corresponding to the maximum friction force that shall be
sliding couple) on a flat surface (the second member of the overcome to initiate macroscopic motion between two bodies.
sliding couple) that can be inclined at an angle to produce 3.1.2.1 Discussion—Breakaway friction coefficient is syn-
motion of the rider. The tangent of the angle at which onymous with static coefficient of friction.
breakaway motion of the rider occurs on the angled plane is the
3.2 Definitions of Terms Specific to This Standard:
breakaway or static coefficient of friction for that sliding
couple. 3.2.1 inclined plane device, n—mechanism with a flat hori-
zontal surface to be made of or covered with a material of
1.2 Units—The values stated in SI units are to be regarded interest on which a second member made of a material of
as the standard. No other units of measurement are included in interest can be placed and the mechanism is then actuated such
this standard. that the horizontal plane is increasingly angled with respect to
1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of the its original horizontal position until motion is produced on the
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the member placed on the raising plane.
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro- 3.2.1.1 Discussion—The device allows for the continuous
priate safety, health, and environmental practices and deter- measurement of the angle of inclination and the angle at which
mine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use. motion of the rider commences.
1.4 This international standard was developed in accor-
3.2.2 rider, n—body to be placed on the inclined plane.
dance with internationally recognized principles on standard-
ization established in the Decision on Principles for the
4. Summary of Guide
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recom-
mendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical 4.1 The technique of placing an object on a flat and
Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee. horizontal “plane” such as a piece of sheet metal and raising
one end of the sheet until the body placed on the sheet starts to
2. Referenced Documents slide has been used for centuries to compare the ease with
2.1 ASTM Standards:2 which different objects or materials slide on each other.
G40 Terminology Relating to Wear and Erosion Quantitative comparison of various couples can be made by
G115 Guide for Measuring and Reporting Friction Coeffi- measuring the angle at which the body placed on the plane
cients starts to slide. The angle at which motion commences is the test
metric. The test couple is the plane surface and the surface that
3. Terminology contacts the plane. For example, if a shoe is placed on a
3.1 Definitions: flooring sample on the inclined plane, the test couple is the
shoe sole versus the type of flooring. Different shoe bottoms
1
can be compared for their ability to slip on particular flooring.
This guide is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee G02 on Wear and
Erosion and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee G02.50 on Friction. The materials of construction as well as the nature of the
Current edition approved Aug. 1, 2018. Published August 2018. DOI: 10.1520/ contacting surfaces determine the breakaway angle. When
G0219-18.
2
ranking, for example, different shoe soles on particular
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
flooring, the shoes are weighted so that they are all the same
contact ASTM Customer Service at [email protected]. For Annual Book of ASTM
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on weight when compared for ease of sliding on the flooring of
the ASTM website. interest.

Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959. United States

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 G219 − 18
4.2 The tangent of the breakaway angle becomes the final 6.5 If a specific environment is part of a study (wet,
test metric. This converts the breakaway angle to a dimension- controlled humidity, with particles, etc.), a means will be
less number: the static coefficient of friction. necessary to guarantee the same testing environment for each
friction test.
5. Significance and Use
7. Sample Preparation
5.1 Guide G115 lists a number of ASTM International
standards that use the inclined plane test rig to measure the 7.1 Test specimens can be any shape that fit the test rig
static coefficient of specific tribosystems. This guide applies to requirements, but most inclined plane test rigs consist of a flat
any couple that can be made into test specimens that can be rectangle as the plane that will be angled to initiate motion and
made into a rider on a plane that can be angled to produce the other member is an object/surface of interest: a shoe
motion of the body on the plane. Footwear on walkway bottom, a plastic part, a package, a part, a donut, a loaf of
surfaces is an example of a very important application. bread, and so forth.
Flooring surfaces that are slippery to various types of footwear 7.2 The plane should have the surface features of interest
can produce accidents and testing should be done on candidate (coating, topography, surface finish, machine lay, and so forth)
flooring surfaces and candidate shoe soles and heels to quantify of the material of interest. The example test rig in Appendix X1
their relative slip resistance. This guide shows how an inclined shows a counterface of prefinished oak flooring with a “rider”
plane can be used to make such a comparison. that is a shoe bottom.
5.2 The inclined plane method is also very useful in 7.3 The contacting surface should be free of all films and
machine design in which parts of components shall slide dirt that are not part of the study. The contacting surfaces
unassisted down chutes and the like. An inclined plane test can should be in the condition that they will be in the tribosystem
be used to determine the chute angle that is needed to allow of interest. In the shoe/flooring example, the shoes had
motion on all parts that are placed on the chute. The applica- different tread designs and they were cleaned with a damp
tions are numerous. microfiber cloth to remove particulates and allowed to dry. The
flooring counterface was used as-manufactured.
6. Apparatus
8. Procedure
6.1 Appendix X1 shows a typical inclined plane device
being used to compare shoe soles on prefinished oak flooring 8.1 Place the rider on the plane near the edge that will be
(see Fig. X1.1). raised with the desired contact surface on the inclined plane
counterface.
6.2 Any apparatus can be used for this test if it can
8.2 Increase the inclination of the plane from the horizontal
progressively tilt the plane to produce motion of the rider. The
at a slow steady rate (from 5 to 10°/s) until motion of the rider
device in Fig. X1.1 is an electronic protractor that automati-
commences. If a motor is used to raise the plane, it should not
cally measures the angle of one leg of the protractor.
produce vibrations of the sliding contacts.
6.3 The simplest mechanism for performing this test is to 8.3 Record the incline plane angle at the point of rider
use a hinge as the pivot for the raising plane and a protractor breakaway (61°).
can be used to measure that angle that the hinged plane makes
with the horizontal inclined plane surface. 8.4 Repeat 8.1 – 8.3 enough times to produce the desired
degree of statistical significance. No less than three replicates
6.4 The plane to be inclined could be elevated with a servo should be tested. Fresh specimens should be used for each test
motor and a rotary encoder could monitor the angle with the if they are available or if that represents the system under
horizontal. Whatever the mechanism, the required features study. Otherwise, retests can be done immediately after testing
shall be: with the same surfaces as long as they are not handled during
6.4.1 A flat plane large enough to hold the rider of interest or after testing. If they are contaminated in any way, they
with free space all around; should be recleaned before retesting.
6.4.2 A way to put a surface of interest on the flat plane; 8.5 Take the tangent of the breakaway angles. This number
6.4.3 A mechanism to raise the plane progressively on an is the metric for each test. It is the static coefficient of friction
angle of inclination with the horizontal; for that tribosystem.
6.4.4 A way to measure the angle of inclination of the plane
continuously; and 9. Report
6.4.5 A way to apply weights to riders when necessary, for 9.1 State the sliding couple, the test conditions, and the
example, in the shoe study shown in Fig. X1.1, the shoes were static coefficient of friction for each test. Report the average
made by different manufacturers and were of different styles so static friction coefficient for the test couple along with the
they had different weights. When they were friction tested standard deviation. Test conditions are very important in
against the same counterface, weights were added to the shoes friction testing and should be described in sufficient detail that
so that they had the same mass. In this way, weight differences would allow others to reproduce the test. Test parameters that
were eliminated as factors in measuring friction versus coun- are commonly needed to be stated are sample geometry,
terface differences. loading, cleaning procedures, temperature, relative humidity,

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 G219 − 18
surface preparation, surface texture parameters, such as rough-
ness and lay. Other parameters may be required in additions
with specific tribosystems.
10. Keywords
10.1 friction testing; inclined plane test; static friction co-
efficient

APPENDIX

(Nonmandatory Information)

X1. STATIC COEFFICIENT OF FRICTION FOR VARIOUS SHOE SOLES VERSUS NEW PREFINISHED OAK FLOORING

X1.1 The shoes had different sole designs and were made by were all cleaned with a non-ammonia glass cleaner and
different manufacturers from different materials but were allowed to dry 24 h before testing.
weighted so that they all had a mass of 2 kg for testing.
X1.2.4 Replicates—Ten per test.
X1.2 Test Conditions
X1.2.5 Reporting—The average of the ten replicate tests
X1.2.1 Environment—Room air, 21.1°C, 50 % RH, tested were used in plotting the test results and the standard devia-
with both surfaces dry.
tions were used to assess the reproducibility for each shoe
X1.2.2 Weight of Rider—The weight of the rider is 2 kg. couple (COV – standard deviation/mean). COVs are not shown
X1.2.3 Cleaning—Both surfaces were wiped with lint-free in this example, but they were all less than 0.1.
microfiber cloth before and between each test. The shoes used

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 G219 − 18

NOTE 1—The test data are static coefficients of friction for shoes from various manufacturers (weighted to all be 2 kg for testing) on a counterface of
prefinished oak flooring (Somerset Hardwoods, Somerset, KY, USA, 2-1⁄4 Natural RO, BS 2501A). Test results are the numerical average of 10 tests, taken
at 50 % RH, 20°C, room air.
FIG. X1.1 Electronic Protractor that Automatically Measures the Angle of One Leg of the Protractor

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 G219 − 18
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