Rubber, vulcanized or thermoplastic — Determination of abrasion resistance using the Improved Lambourn test machine

This document specifies a method for the determination of the resistance of rubber to abrasion using the Improved Lambourn test machine.

The abrasion loss resulting from the slip caused by the difference in circumferential speed between a disc-shaped rubber test piece and an abrasive wheel, which are driven to rotate independently with their circumferences pressed against each other by a specified load, is determined. The test result can be reported as a volume loss per abrasion test time or running distance, and/or as an abrasion resistance index compared with a reference compound.

As the Improved Lambourn test machine is capable of setting various abrasive conditions, such as slip rate, sliding speed and load, independently, this method is suitable for the evaluation of compounds for a range of rubber products, especially tyres, under a wide range of severity conditions. An example of the testing of tyre tread rubber is given in Annex A.