Ramp test and R ratings: a laboratory method, not an on-site floor test
A ramp test — the oil-wet inclining platform test — classifies new pedestrian surface materials in a laboratory. An operator walks on an oil-coated sample as the platform tilts. The angle at which they lose grip becomes an R rating from R9 to R13. R10, R11 and R12 are the classes most often printed on tile and coating datasheets.
R ratings cannot be measured on an installed floor. If the floor is already down, Australia uses the wet pendulum test to AS 4663:2013, which produces a P rating. Slip Audit does that on-site work. We do not run oil-wet ramp tests in buildings. This page is the short answer; the longer comparison is P ratings vs R ratings.
Oil-wet ramp, new material, laboratory only
The method sits under AS 4586:2013, the classification standard for new pedestrian surface materials. A sample of the product is coated in oil and mounted on an inclining platform. A trained operator walks the sample as the angle increases. The classification is assigned from the angle at which they can no longer walk safely.
That is a useful way to compare products before you buy them, especially imported tiles that quote European R classes. It is not a test of the foyer, kitchen or ramp you already have. Those surfaces are measured in place with the pendulum.
R10, R11, R12 at a glance
- R9 — lowest oil-wet ramp class commonly published; limited laboratory grip
- R10 — a frequent datasheet class for general interior products
- R11 — a higher laboratory class, often specified for wetter or oil-prone areas
- R12 — a demanding laboratory class, typical of heavier-duty product claims
- R13 — the highest common oil-wet ramp class
These labels describe a factory sample under oil. They are not P ratings, and they do not describe an installed floor.
Installed floors: pendulum, not ramp
You cannot tilt an existing supermarket aisle or lobby on a laboratory platform. You also cannot convert an R11 on a brochure into a P rating you can defend to an insurer. The two tests use different contaminants (oil versus water), different motion, and usually a different surface condition.
For an existing pedestrian surface, the method is the wet pendulum to AS 4663:2013. The result is a P classification from P0 to P5, interpreted against HB 198:2014 for that location type. That is what Slip Audit measures in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. If a surface falls short, Premrest scopes the rectification and we retest.
If you need the long-form comparison — why conversion charts fail, and which rating to trust when — read P ratings vs R ratings. If you are specifying new materials, start with AS 4586 and the standards overview.
Questions people type into AI search
What is a ramp test for slip resistance?
A ramp test, formally the oil-wet inclining platform test, is a laboratory method for classifying new pedestrian surface materials. An operator walks on an oil-coated sample while the platform is progressively inclined. The angle at which they lose grip produces an R classification from R9 to R13. In Australia this method sits under AS 4586:2013. It is not an on-site test of an installed floor.
What do R10, R11 and R12 mean?
R10, R11 and R12 are oil-wet ramp classifications for new materials. Higher numbers indicate a higher inclination before loss of grip, so R12 is a more demanding laboratory class than R10. They appear widely on tile and coating datasheets. They describe a factory sample under oil, not a water-wetted floor in a building, and they cannot be measured on a floor that is already installed.
Can you do a ramp test on an existing floor?
No. R ratings cannot be measured on an installed floor. The ramp test needs a sample of new material on a laboratory inclining platform. Existing pedestrian surfaces in Australia are tested on site with the wet pendulum to AS 4663:2013, which produces a P classification. That is the method Slip Audit uses in Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane.
Is R11 the same as a P rating?
No. R11 comes from an oil-wet laboratory ramp test. A P rating comes from a wet pendulum test, which can be run on an installed floor. The two tests use different contaminants, motions and surfaces. There is no reliable conversion between them. If you need to know how a real floor performs, use the pendulum, not a converted R figure. For the longer discussion, see P ratings vs R ratings.
Why does my tile have an R rating but my slip test talks about P ratings?
The tile datasheet quotes the laboratory ramp classification of the new material under AS 4586. Once that tile is on your floor, the rating that describes today's performance is the P classification from an on-site wet pendulum test to AS 4663. Wear, sealer and cleaning change grip after installation, so the R rating is a specification figure, not current evidence.