UiTMJengka

Faculty
of Civil
Pahang
Engineering
ECG354 HIGHWAY ENGINEERING (LABORATORY)
LAB : 4
NO.

LAB : LOS ANGELES (L.A)

TITLE
ABRASION TEST

LEVEL OF OPENNESS :
GROUP LEADER:
STUDENT NO:
NO.

NAME

DAT : 03/08/201
E
6
1

GROUP MEMBERS
STUDENT
SIGNATURE
NO.

REMARK

1
2
3
4
ASSESSMENT OF THE LAB ACTIVITIES
ELEMENT TO ASSESS

NO.

1
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12

STUDENT
2
3
4

INDIVIDUAL IN-LAB ACTIVITIES

PUNCTUALITIY
DISCIPLINE (DRESS CODE,SAFETY SHOES,SAFETY
REGULATIONS)
KNOWLEDGE ON OPEN ENDED LABORATORY
GROUP IN-LAB ACTIVITIES
LEADERSHIP SKILL
COMMUNICATION
ORGANISATION/TEAMWORK
LAB REPORT
INTRODUCTION
BASIC CONCEPTS
SUMMARY OF PROCEDURES/ METHODS
ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION OF DATA
DISCUSSION OF RESULT
CONCLUSION

LECTURERS
SIGNATURE:

REMARKS:

THE REPORT MUST BE SUBMITTED 1 WEEKAFTER THE COMPLETION OF THE LAB.

INTRODUCTION
The Los Angeles (L.A) abrasion test is a common test method used to indicate aggregate
toughness and abrasion characteristics. Aggregate abrasion characteristics are important because
the constituent aggregate in hot mix asphalt (HMA) must resist crushing, degradation and
disintegration in order to reduce a high quality of HMA.
In these laboratory activities, students are required to set-up an aggregate test in order to evaluate
the strength (toughness and durability) characteristic of aggregate. Students are encouraged to
develop their critical analysisskills by analyzing and presenting the experimental results
appropriately.

OBJECTIVE

To determine L.A abrasion loss values.

THEORETICAL BACKGROUND
Aggregates play an important role in the design and construction of highway and air-field
pavements. They are also major part of rigid (concrete) and flexible (asphalt) pavements.
Aggregate is a combination of sand, gravel, crushed aggregate or other materials of mineral
composition. Aggregates used in road construction should be strong enough to resist abrasion
action under traffic wheel loads. It should not wear and abrade too easily. This applies in
particular to aggregate present in wearing courses and surface treatment. If the aggregate is
weak, the stability of pavement structure is likely to be adversely affected.

Abrasion test is a measure of resistance to degradation of known mass of coarse aggregates of

standard grading resulting from a combination of action including abrasion and grinding in a
rotating steel drum. The test will give a measure of aggregates hardness, as specified and
required for use in both road and highway pavement constructionprojects. The test will also
determine the strength quality of the aggregates.

Formula:
Weight loss = (Total weight of sample) (Weight of sample after abrasion)
Percentage loss = (Weight Loss /Total weight of sample) 100

PROBLEM STATEMENT
Pavement structure comprises of several layers, surfacing, base, sub-base and sub-grade. The
most important layer which has direct contact with traffic is surfacing layer. The surfacing layer
consists of aggregate and binder. The aggregates must possess adequate strength and durability
to withstand moving and static load. Soft aggregates will be quickly ground to dust while harder
aggregates have higher resistance to abrasion and grinding effects. Laboratory tests are carried
out to determine the characteristic of such aggregates.

APPARATUS
1.

Los Angeles Abrasion Machine

2.

Steel balls (spheres)

3.

Sieve shaker

4.

Sieves sizes of 2.00 mm and pan

5.

Metal trays

6.

Scoops

7.

Electronic balance of accuracy to 0.01g

8.

Laboratory oven

9.

Fine haired brush (3 mm)

PROCEDURES
1. Approximately 5000g of aggregate including 2500g 10g of 20 to 14mm, and 2500g
10g of 14 to 10mm sizes were used.
(Note: this is for aggregates graded mainly between 20mm and 10mm sizes).
2. The aggregates sample was prepared in such ways that the aggregates was first washed,
3.
4.
5.
6.

followed by dried and weighted.

The aggregates sample was placed in the LA Abrasion machine.
Eleven steel balls were added in the machine.
The drum was rotated for 500 revolutions at a speed of 30 to 33 rpm.
After the drum has stopped for the prescribed number of revolutions, the sample was

removed and the aggregates portion was sieved using sieve of size 2.00mm.
7. The sample that was retained on the sieve was washed and then dried in the laboratory
oven at temperature of between 105C and 110C for twenty four hours.
8. After a-day oven-dry heating at 105C and 110C to obtain constant weight, the
aggregates sample was taken out from the oven and it is cooled in the lab atmosphere.
Then, the sample was weighed immediately.

DATA AND ANALYSIS

Total weight of sample

= 5002g

Weight of sample after abrasion

= 3990g

Weight loss

= total weight sample weight of sample after abrasion

= 5002g 3990g
=1012g

Percentage loss

= (weight loss / total weight of sample) 100

= (1012g / 5002g) 100
= 20.23%

DISCUSSION

1. Based on the Standard Specification for Road Works published by the Public Works
Departments in 2008,the suitability of the sample to be used as a subbase course material
based on JKR Arahan teknik Jalan 5/85 is accepted .
B.S Sieve Size (mm)
5.0
0.600

Percentage Passing by Weight

25-85
8-45

Standard Properties of Subbase

Quality

Crushed Aggregates

L.A Abrasion Loss (%)

Not greater than 50

Based on the table, our result is acceptable because our sieve size used is 2.00mm and the
percentage passing/lost is 20.23%.

2. For the suitability of the sample to be used as base course material base on JKR Arahan
Teknik Jalan 5/85 also accepted.
Standard Specification for Roads Works,Public Works Department 2008
B.S Sieve Size (mm)

Percentage Passing by Weight

2.00

20-40

Standard Properties of Subbase

Quality

Crushed Aggregates

L.A Abrasion Loss (%)

Not greater than 40

Based on the table, our result is acceptable because our sieve size used is 2.00mm and the
percentage passing/lost is 20.23%.
3.
Standard Specification for Roads Works,Public Works Department 2008

Mix Type

Wearing Course

Wearing Course

Binder Course

Mix Designation
B.S Sieve Size

AC 10

AC 14

AC28

Percentage Passing

(mm)
3.35

48-64

40-54

24-40

1.18

22-40

18-34

14-28

Course Aggregates for Bituminous Mix

Quality

Requirement

L.A Abrasion Loss (%)

Not more than 60

Referred to the table, our aggregates is suitable for AC14 for wearing course and AC28 for
binder course using B.S sieve size 2.0mm. While for mix designation AC10, the sample
aggregates used is not quite suitable because percentage passing is not reach 22 percent for B.S
Sieve Size. Requirement for L.A Abrasion is acceptable.

CONCLUSION
As the conclusion, the objective of this test which is to determine the L.A abrasion loss values is
achieved. We have determined the loss values by conducting the abrasion test and based on our
results, the loss values for the sample of aggregates is 20.23% in percentages. The percentage of
loss values of the aggregates is in the range of the standard properties of sub-base. Thus, we can
conclude that the sample of aggregates is suitable for the design and construction of highway and
air-field pavements.
REFERENCE
1. Lab manual
2. Basic Highway and Traffic Engineering