FAKULTI KEJURUTERAAN AWAM

UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA

PULAU PINANG LABORATORY REPORT
TITLE: ABRASION OF SURFACING AGGREGRATES AND AGGREGATES IMPACT TEST

1.0) INTRODUCTION
A) Abrasion of Surfacing Aggregates
Aggregates are subjected to crushing and abrasive wear during the manufacture,
placing and compaction of asphalt paving mixes. They are also subjected
abrasion under traffic loads. There does not appear to be a really satisfactory test
for measuring aggregates’ resistance to abrasion but the Los Angeles Test is one
of those most commonly applied. This test is both an abrasion and impact test
and appears to be more suitable for aggregates used in the wearing course
dressing than for asphalt concrete in other layers. Resistance to abrasion is
necessary for maintaining surface macrotexture but (unfortunately) the tougher
an aggregate is, the more likely it is to polish under the action of vehicle tyres.

B) Aggregates Impact Test

When a road aggregate has been manufactured to a specified grading it is
stockpiled, loaded into trucks, transported, tipped, spread and compacted. If the
aggregate is weak, some degradation may take place and result in a change in
grading and/or the production of excessive and undesirable fines. Thus, an
aggregate complying with a specification at the quarry may fail to do so when it
is in the pavement. Granular base layers and surfacing are subjected to repeated
loadings from truck tyres and the stress at the contact points of aggregate
particles can be quite high. These crushing tests can reveal aggregate properties
subject to mechanical degradation of this form.

2.0) OBJECTIVES
1) To assess the resistance to crushing and abrasive wear of an aggregate by means
of the Los Angeles Abrasion Machine.
2) To assess the resistance of an aggregate to mechanical degradation by the
Aggregate Impact Test.
FAKULTI KEJURUTERAAN AWAM
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA
PULAU PINANG LABORATORY REPORT
3.0) PROBLEM STATEMENT
A) Abrasion of Surfacing Aggregates
Due to the movements of traffic, the road stones used in the surfacing course are
subjected to wearing action at the top. Resistance to wear or hardness is hence
an essential property for road aggregates especially when used in wearing
course. Thus, road stones should be enough to resist the abrasion due to the
traffic.

B) Aggregates Impact Test

Toughness is the property of a material to resist impact. Due to traffic loads, the
road stones are subjected to the pounding action or impact and there is
possibility of stones breaking into smaller pieces. The road stones should
therefore be tough enough to resist fracture under impact.

4.0) PROCEDURES
A) Abrasion of Surfacing Aggregates
1. The Los Angeles Abrasion machine was set up according to dimensions and
specifications of ASTM 131.
2. The sample for the test was prepared beforehand by weighing aggregate
sample that has been washed and oven dried at temperature 110°C for 1 day.
The sample for test also shall comply with the grading of test samples (ASTM,
1994).
3. The sample was placed in the drum with the appropriate number of steel
balls. (For this experiment, we decided to use 11 steel balls)
4. The drum was rotated for 500 revolutions at a speed of 30 to 33 rpm.
5. After the rotation of sample in drum completes, the sample are separated on
a sieve larger than 1.7 mm, then the sample that passed through 1.7 mm
sieve are washed.
6. The sample that does not pass the 1.7 mm sieve was weighed to the nearest
gram.
FAKULTI KEJURUTERAAN AWAM
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA
PULAU PINANG LABORATORY REPORT
B) Aggregates Impact Test
1. The aggregates sample prepared by first sieving the aggregate and obtains
the portion passing 14.0mm test sieve and retained on the 10.0mm test
sieve.
2. This aggregate portion washed and dried in the laboratory oven at a constant
temperature of 100 to 110°C for not more than four hours. The aggregate
sample prepared is cooled to room temperature prior to test.
3. The aggregates are then filled into the smaller steel cylinder in three layers.
Tamp each layer of aggregate for 25 times using a tamping rod. The tamping
rod is adjusted to fall freely from about 50 mm above the aggregate surface
and it must be well uniformly spread over (MS 30: Part 10: 1995). Level the
surface with the tamping rod as a straight edge to prepare the sufficient
amount of aggregate on the top layer.
4. The aggregates are then was placed into a bigger mould and 25 times
tamping applied for each layer.
5. The cylinder plus aggregates was weighted and such weight data are
recorded.
6. The sample was assembled in the apparatus and the hammer released to fall
freely on the aggregates from a fixed vertical height of 380 +/- 5 mm. The
sample is subjected to a total of manual-controlled 15 blows.
7. The aggregate sample tested are then removed from the mould and sieved
through 2.36mm sieve openings.
8. The aggregate fraction passing the 2.36mm test sieve was weighted.
FAKULTI KEJURUTERAAN AWAM
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA
PULAU PINANG LABORATORY REPORT

Sieve sizes (Square Mass of indicated sizes, g

openings), mm
Passing Retained on Grading (See Table 2 below)
A B C D
37.5 25.0 1250 ± 25
25.0 19.0 1250 ± 25
19.0 12.5 1250 ± 25 2500 ± 10
12.5 9.5 1250 ± 25 2500 ± 10
9.5 6.3 2500 ± 10
6.3 4.75 2500 ± 10
4.75 2.35 5000 ± 10
TOTAL 5000 ± 10 5000 ± 10 5000 ± 10 5000 ± 10
Table 1: Grading of the samples (ASTM, 1994)

Grading Number of balls Mass of change, g

A 12 5000 ± 25
B 11 4584 ± 25
C 8 3330 ± 20
D 6 2500 ± 15
Table 2: Grading and mass of charge

5.0) APPARATUS AND MATERIALS

A) Abrasion of Surfacing Aggregates
1) Los Angeles Abrasion machine
2) Steel Balls
3) Sieve Machine
4) Sieve sizes of 1.7 mm and pan
FAKULTI KEJURUTERAAN AWAM
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA
PULAU PINANG LABORATORY REPORT
5) Metal Trays
6) Scoop
7) Electronic Digital Weighing Scale
8) Electronic Digital Drying Oven
9) Aggregates Samples size 14 mm and 10 mm

B) Aggregates Impact Test

1) Aggregate Impact Machine
2) Steel Cylinder Mould
3) Tamping Rod
4) Sieve sizes of 14 mm, 12.5 mm, 10 mm, 2.36 mm and pan
5) Scoop
6) Electronic Digital Weighing Scale
7) Electronic Digital Drying Oven
8) Aggregates Samples size 10 mm

6.0) RESULTS AND ANALYSIS

A) Abrasion of Surfacing Aggregates

Aggregate size Weight of sample Weight of sample Loss

(mm) before (kg) after (kg)
14 2.50 4.65 0.35
10 2.50
FAKULTI KEJURUTERAAN AWAM
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA
PULAU PINANG LABORATORY REPORT
Table 3: Calculation of losses in the weight of sample

Abrasion value 0.35 7%

x 100
5.00
Table 4: Calculation of abrasion value

CALCULATIONS

Weight loss

= (Weight of sample before abrasion) – (Weight of sample after abrasion)

= 5 kg – 4.65 kg

= 0.35 kg

Abrasion value

Weight loss
= x 100
Initial weight

0.35
= x 100
5.00

=7%

B) Aggregates Impact Test

Description Mass for sample 1 Mass for sample 2

(g) (g)
Cylinder Mould 126.25 127.02

Cylinder Mould + aggregate (after 177.75 181.98

FAKULTI KEJURUTERAAN AWAM
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA
PULAU PINANG LABORATORY REPORT
tamping is blows)
Total weight of aggregate sample 304.00 309.00
filling the cylindrical (W1)
Pan + aggregate (After sieving) / 844.30 831.45
A
Pan / B 772.30 772.45

Passing (W2) / A – B 72.00 59.00

2.36mm sieve / C 990.00 990.15

2.36mm + Aggregate (after 2280.00 2292.15

sieving) / D
Retained (W3) / D – C 1290.00 1302.00
Checked (W1 + W2 + W3) 1666.00 1670.00

Table 5: Calculation of aggregate impact value

Aggregate Impact value = Percentage fines

W2
= x 100%
W1

AIV (sample 1):

72
= x 100%
304

= 24%

AIV (sample 2):

59
= x 100%
309

= 19%

7.0) DISCUSSION

From the experiment, the original weight of the aggregate is 5.00 kg and the final
weight of the aggregate is 4.65 kg where the weight loss the sample is 0.35 kg. Based
on the calculations performed above, the abrasion value of the aggregate sample is 7
%.
FAKULTI KEJURUTERAAN AWAM
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA
PULAU PINANG LABORATORY REPORT
The abrasion value of the aggregate sample reflects the hardness of aggregate
sample and the suitability of aggregate sample for different road pavement. Since
the value obtained from the calculations is 7 %, it is proven that the aggregate
sample of the experiment do not conform with the standard properties of flexible
pavement that includes the material properties, gradation, mixture requirements of
base course and standard properties of subbase.

On the other hand, there are factor that may affect the data obtained above that
includes:

a. The dust from the apparatus or the surrounding of lab may affect the weight
of aggregate sample
b. The condition of machine may affect as well as there might be small
aggregate sample that escaped the machine throughout the rotation process
or when the sample were taken out after rotation process
c. Wind resistance in the lab may cause reading error.

The property of a material to resist impact is known as toughness. Due to

movement of vehicles on the road the aggregates are subjected to impact resulting
in their breaking down into smaller piece. The aggregates should therefore have
sufficient toughness to resist their disintegration due to impact. This characteristic is
measured by impact value test. The aggregate impact valve is a measure of
resistance of resistance to sudden impact or shock, which may differ from its
resistance to gradually applied compressive load. The formula of aggregate impact
valve is given as (B/A) * 100 where, A = weight of oven dried sample
B = weight of portion passing 2.36mm sieve

Classification of aggregate using aggregate impact value is as given:

Aggregate Impact Value Classification
<20% Exceptionally strong
10-20% Strong
20-30% Satisfactory for road surfacing
>35% Weak for road surfacing
FAKULTI KEJURUTERAAN AWAM
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA
PULAU PINANG LABORATORY REPORT
Based on the data obtained through the experiment, aggregate impact valve
obtained are 24% and 19%. The values are classified in strong classification.

8.0) CONCLUSION

Based on the experiment performed, the aggregate sample used for abrasion
test on the aggregates’ surfaces do not conform the standards properties of flexible
pavement that includes layers which are subbase course and base course. Due to
that, it is proven that the aggregate sample is not tough and has less durability to
abrasion. But, for the impact test on the aggregates, the aggregate impact value
(AIV) that obtained are classified as strong classification so that are suitable to be
used as for road surfacing with adequate resistance for traffic load.

9.0) REFERENCES
1. Jabatan Kerja Raya. Arahan Teknik (Jalan) 5/85 (Manual on Pavement Design)
2. Amit Vashisth. Experimental Findings of Los Angeles Abrasion Test of Given Sample
of Course Aggregate. 2018 March 16
3. Gopal Mishra. The Constructor (Civil Engineering Home, Los Angeles Abrasion Test on
Aggregates – Values for Pavements and Roads
FAKULTI KEJURUTERAAN AWAM
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA
PULAU PINANG LABORATORY REPORT
4. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/323797252_EXPERIMENTAL_FINDINGS_
OF_LOS_ANGELES_ABRASION_TEST_OF_GIVEN_SAMPLE_OF_COARSE_AGGREGATE_
Observations
5. https://theconstructor.org/building/building-material/determination-of-aggregate-
impact-value/1355/
6. https://www.academia.edu/33169288/AGGREGATE_IMPACT_VALUE_TEST

10.0) APPENDIX
FAKULTI KEJURUTERAAN AWAM
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA
PULAU PINANG LABORATORY REPORT

Los Angeles Abrasion machine Steel Balls

Aggregate sample (Sizes; left (10 mm), right (14 mm)

Scoop 1.7 mm sieve

Electr onic
Digital
Weighing Scale Electronic Digital Drying
Oven
FAKULTI KEJURUTERAAN AWAM
UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA
PULAU PINANG LABORATORY REPORT

Aggregate Impact Machine Sieve Machine