A Rapid and Cost Effective Method for Assessing the Surface Profile of Nonskid Coatings on US Navy Ships

The surface profile of newly applied and in-service nonskid coatings cannot be characterized effectively using current methods. Most nonskid coatings have higher average maximum peak heights than the maximum range provided by replica tape. Additionally, parameters such as the density of ridges, the orientation of ridges, the extent of aggregate in troughs, and the slumping of ridges-all of which are important to nonskid performance-are not obtained using standard methods. As a result of an insufficient profile or an objective method for determining that the surface profile of newly applied nonskid coating is compliant with requirements, the U. S. Navy does not currently have a method for determining when nonskid coatings should be replaced. The Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) has been exploring the use of non-contact, laser-based methods for measuring the surface profile of nonskid surfaces since 2008. In 2010 and 2011, a system was configured for measuring the surface profile of shipboard nonskid surface. This paper describes the system and the results of both laboratory and shipboard evaluations. These results demonstrate the NRL Surface Profile Tool's ability to distinguish between properly-and improperly-applied nonskid coatings, and its ability to quantify reductions in the surface profile of in-service nonskid coatings.