Civil Engineering Department

CE452L1/CE405 - Construction Materials and Testing Laboratory Manual

Experiment No. VI
LOS ANGELES ABRASION TEST
1. Objective(s):
The activity aims to introduce the basic principle, significance and procedures for the Los Angeles
Abrasion Test for coarse aggregates (C.A.).
2. Intended Learning Outcomes (ILOs):
The students shall be able to:
2.1 Familiarize to the Los Angeles Machine.
2.2 Determine the basic procedure in conducting the L.A. Abrasion Test
2.3 Determine the use and significance of the L.A. Abrasion Test.
3. Discussion:
The course aggregates serve a very important role in the over-all capacity of the concrete in terms
of its resistance in surface abrasion and wear. As with accordance with ASTM C 131 and C 535
(Abrasion Resistance) the Los Angeles Abrasion Test is being performed to test the resistance of
the coarse aggregates in abrasion and wear. The test is widely used as an indicator for the coarse
aggregate for its tendency to break and disintegrate during the handling of the fresh concrete. It
involves ball milling the aggregate with specified number steel ball depending to the grading of the test
sample for a given time, sieving the material over a 1.70 mm (No. 12) sieve, and weighing the mass
loss.
4. Resources:
1 unit Los Angeles Abrasion Machine
1 set of Sieve
1 Weighing Scale
1 Scoop
2 Pans
15 kg of Coarse Aggregates with size of 37.5 mm (11/2 in.) or smaller
5. Procedure:
Preparation of materials
1. Wash the 15 kg of coarse aggregates and remove all the adherent coatings and dust.
2. Divide the 15 kg of C.A. into three equal batches.
3. Oven dry the three sample at 110°±5°C (230°±9°F) for 60 minutes.
4. Then grade the three samples in accordance with ASTM C 33.
Actual Testing
5. Place the three test sample at a time with the specified number of steel balls and charge the
Los Angeles machine.
6. Rotate the machine at a speed of 30-33 rev/min for 500 revolutions.
7. After the prescribed number of revolutions discharge the materials from the machine and
perform a preliminary separation of the sample on a sieve coarser than 1.70 mm (No. 12).
8. Wash the material coarser than 1.70 mm (No. 12), oven dry at 110°±5°C (230°±9°F) for 60
minutes and weigh the material.
9. Sieve the finer portion on a 1.70 mm (No. 12) in a manner conforming to ASTM C 136 and
weigh the material.
10. Then record all the readings and calculate the necessary data.

Course: CE 402 Experiment No.: 6

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 Civil Engineering Department
CE452L1/CE405 - Construction Materials and Testing Laboratory Manual
Group No.: 4 Section: CE41FA2
Group Members: SINGSON II, ALNORB JAPHET Date Performed: JANUARY 7, 2018
PANIZALES, BIANCA MARIE Date Submitted: JANUARY 14, 2O18
REY, VIANNA Instructor:
RIMANDO, SWIT KAY ROSAL, LEONARDO
RIVERA, JAKE ANDREW VILLANUEVA, RYAN
6. Data and Results:
6.1 Grading of Test Samples
Sieve Size (Square opening) Mass (g)
Passing Retained on Trial 1 Trial2 Trial 3
37.5 mm (1 ½ in) 25.0 mm (1 in)
25.0 mm (1 in) 19.0 mm (3/4 in)
19.0 mm (3/4 in) 12.5 mm (1/2 in)
12.5 mm (1/2 in) 9.5 mm (3/8 in)
9.5 mm (3/8 in) 6.3 mm (1/4 in)
6.3 mm (1/4 in) 4.75 mm (No. 4)
4.75 mm (No. 4) 2.36 mm (No. 8)
Total (Σ)
(In accordance with ASTM C 131 Table 1)
6.2 Specification and Data
Dry Weight
Specified Dry Weight Maximum
Grading Retained on Sieve Abrasiona
Trial No. of of Passing Abrasion
Used No. 12 (After Loss (%)
Spheres Sieve No.12 Loss (%)
Washing)
1
2
3
𝑇𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑤𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡
*𝐴𝑏𝑟𝑎𝑠𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝐿𝑜𝑠𝑠 = × 100%
𝐷𝑟𝑦 𝑤𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑝𝑎𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑠𝑖𝑒𝑣𝑒 𝑛𝑜.12
6.3 Computation

7. Conclusion:

- We therefore conclude that Los Angeles Abrasion Test is a method used to indicate the coarse
aggregates’ toughness and abrasion characteristics. It also determines how concrete will stand
up to wear and tear overtime; and a good indicator of changing properties in an aggreagte
source as part of a quality program.

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 Civil Engineering Department
CE452L1/CE405 - Construction Materials and Testing Laboratory Manual

8. Assessment:
BEGINNER ACCEPTABLE PROFICIENT
CRITERIA SCORE
1 2 3
I. Laboratory Skills
Members
Members do not Members always
Manipulative occasionally
demonstrate needed demonstrate needed
Skills demonstrate needed
skills. skills.
skills
Members are unable Members are able to Members are able to set-
Experimental
to set-up the set-up the materials up the material with
Set-up
materials. with supervision. minimum supervision.
Members
Members do not Members always
occasionally
Process Skills demonstrate targeted demonstrate targeted
demonstrate targeted
process skills. process skills.
process skills.
Members do not Members follow
Safety Members follow safety
follow safety safety precautions
Precautions precautions at all times.
precautions. most of the time.
II. Work Habits
Time
Members do not Members finish on Members finish ahead of
Management /
finish on time with time with incomplete time with complete data
Conduct of
incomplete data. data. and time to revise data.
Experiment
Members have
Members do not
defined Members are on tasks
know their tasks and
responsibilities most and have defined
have no defined
Cooperative and of the time. Group responsibilities at all
responsibilities.
Teamwork conflicts are times. Group conflicts are
Group conflicts have
cooperatively cooperatively managed at
to be settled by the
managed most of the all times.
teacher.
time.
Clean and orderly
Clean and orderly
Messy workplace workplace with
Neatness and workplace at all times
during and after the occasional mess
Orderliness during and after the
experiment. during and after the
experiment.
experiment.
Members require
Ability to do Members require Members do not need to
occasional
independent supervision by the be supervised by the
supervision by the
work teacher. teacher.
teacher.
Other Comments/Observations: Total Score
(𝑇𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑆𝑐𝑜𝑟𝑒)
𝑅𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔 =
24
× 100

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 Civil Engineering Department
CE452L1/CE405 - Construction Materials and Testing Laboratory Manual
9. Reference(s):
ASTM C535 “Standard Test Method for Resistance to Degradation of Large-Size Coarse Aggregate
by Abrasion and Impact in the Los Angeles Machine”

ASTM C136

ASTM C33

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 Civil Engineering Department
CE452L1/CE405 - Construction Materials and Testing Laboratory Manual

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 Civil Engineering Department
CE452L1/CE405 - Construction Materials and Testing Laboratory Manual
OBSERVATIONS:

PANIZALES, BIANCA MARIE

We are able to learn the basic principle and procedures for the Los Angeles Abrasion Test for Coarse
Aggregates. The first procedure indicates preparing for materials, we are to observed the tendency of the
gravel to break and made it fine. So the preparation of the materials is getting mass and choose the
grading according to data before we proceed to actual testing which is the milling.

REY, VIANNA

In the experiment, we used the Los Angeles Abrasion Test, were we sieved the aggregates to remove the
foreign materials such as dust particles and sprinkled water all over then oven dry the sample for 30
minutes to removed the moisture content. After that, we do the L.A. Abrasion test with 6 steel bars and with
the rotation of 500 revolutions. The Los Angeles Abrasion testing will determine the resistance to wear of
our group coarse aggregates.

VILLANUEVA, RYAN

The group was able to observe the sole purpose of this experiment. An aggregate to perform satisfactory in
pavement, it must be sufficiently hard to resist the abrasive effect. The soft aggregates will be quickly
ground to dust, whilst the hard aggregates are quite resistant to crushing effect. The test also will determine
the quality of the aggregate.

RIMANDO, SWIT KAY

On our 6th experiment, I have observed that as the course aggregates retained in sieve no. 12 was placed
in the L.A. Abrasion Machine with certain number of steel balls, some of the coarse aggregates were
pulverized mainly because of the impact and friction made by the steel balls and also by the other coarse
aggregates. I learned and have observed that the number of steel balls depend on the grade of the
aggregates retained on the sieve.

SINGSON II, ALNORB JAPHET

This experiment enable us to test the resistance of the coarse aggregates in abrasion and wear with the
usage of steel balls. The ASTM grading will tell how many number of steel balls to be used.

RIVERA,JAKE ANDREW R.

I have observed based on the experiment that through the Los Angeles Abrasion Test we have determined
the basic procedures needed for the test.I was amazed on the Los Angeles since it was my first time to see
and use this kind of machine.I have also observed that our aggregate was mostly crushed and I conclude
that it has low resistance to abrasion and wear.

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