Journal of Engineering Research and Reports

Rigid hydraulic-concrete pavements lose skid resistance over their service life due to the wear of surface mortar and the polishing of aggregates, yet the available criteria for managing this loss largely stem from studies on asphalt pavements. This issue is significant because surface friction determines braking distance and vehicle stability, and its reduction is linked to an increase in wet-pavement accidents. The objective of this study was to identify and analyse the factors determining surface skid resistance in rigid pavements. To this end, a narrative literature review was conducted covering 53 documents published between 2016 and 2026 (81% from 2020 onwards)—retrieved from Scopus, ScienceDirect, SAGE, SpringerLink, MDPI, the ASCE Library, and TRID—which were organised into a matrix based on the factor studied, the type of research, and the main finding. Texturing was found to be the most influential factor: brushing increased the British Pendulum Number (BPN) by 32% and the friction coefficient by 38%, while exposed-aggregate concrete lost friction more slowly than grooved concrete and exhibited an abrasion depth that was 36% to 43% lower. The combination of microtexture and macrotexture indices showed a correlation of r = 0.922 with friction, highlighting the role of fine aggregate content and gradation. Under traffic loading, macrotexture height decreased by between 21.9% and 33.3% over three years; a thin film of water reduced friction by 10% to 15%, and in winter, the coefficient of friction dropped from 0.47–0.53 in the inner lanes to 0.09–0.20 near the road edges—a risk that section averages did not reveal.