Test Courses & Surfaces
Test courses were designed and built using nine different types of exterior surfaces (Table 1). The ADAAG Accessible Course was used to evaluate subjects’ ability to ambulate in the community. This “access route” was 574.2 ft (175.0 m) in length, and included two 137 ft (41.8 m) sections with grades of 4% to 5% (one uphill, one downhill), and two 30-foot (9.1 m) ramps with grades up to 8.3% (one uphill, one downhill).
The two Straight Courses were 984.3 ft (300 m) in length with a 32.8 ft (10 m) turning radius at each end. The “P” shaped Turning Courses were designed such that one circuit around the course provided 328 ft (100 m) of walking distance and involved turning for 10% of the distance (both 90 and 180 degree turns). (See the Technical Report for course details.)
The test surfaces were objectively measured using the Wheelchair Work Measurement Method and the portable Rotational Penetrometer. To determine the energy required, persons with and without disabilities walked or wheeled across each of these surfaces. For reference and comparison purposes, objective measures were also obtained on a slip resistant ramp at different grades and seven carpet/pad combinations (Table 2).
| Test Course/Test Surface | Code |
| ADAAG Accessible Course: Unpaved #2 Road Mix(3/4" Class 2 aggregate) | ADAG |
| Straight Courses: Asphalt with exposed 1-in.minus aggregate | ASPS |
| Native soil | DIRS |
| P-shaped Turning Courses: Asphalt with exposed 1-in. minus aggregate | ASPP |
| Native soil | DIRP |
| Unpaved #2 Road Mix (3/4" Class 2 aggregate) | RDMX |
| Path Fines California Gold DG | PAFN |
| Path Fines with Stabilizer (Road Oyl® resin modified emulsion binder by Road Products Corp1) | RDOL |
| Wood Chips (chipped brush, average size 3x1x1 in., compacted to a depth of 5 in.) | CPBR |
| Engineered Wood Fiber J (loose-fill processed wood fibers, compacted to a depth of 5 in.) | EWFJ |
| Engineered Wood Fiber K (loose-fill processed wood fibers, compacted to a depth of 5 in.) | EWFK |
| Sand (dry) | SAND |
1 Resin Pavement is a trademark of Road Products Corporation and Soil Stabilization Products Company, Inc. The Road Oyl registered trademark and patent are the property of Road Products Corporation.
| Carpet | Code |
| Level loop, 100% nylon with a woven polypropylene backing; 0.16 in pile height; 28 oz pile weight | C1 |
| Interweave cut and loop (cut pile with loop pile at a different height), 100% nylon with a polypropylene backing; 0.281 in pile height(avg.); 43 oz pile weight | C2 |
| Level cut pile, 100% nylon; 0.50 in pile height | C3 |
| Pad | Code |
| No pad used | P0 |
| 0.25 in. fiber | P1 |
| 0.375 in. bonded urethane | P2 |
| 0.5 in. bonded urethane | P3 |
| 0.375 in. fiber | P4 |
| General Usage | Carpet/Pad Combinations |
| High traffic areas (e.g., lower level corridors, lobbies), for longer travel distances | C1P0, C1P1, C2P1 |
| Upper level corridors | C2P2, C2P4 |
| Executive offices and sleeping rooms, for shorter travel distances | C3P0, C3P3 |
Note: All carpet/pad combinations tested comply with current ADAAG.
User Comments/Questions
Add Comment/Question