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 (1 1/2 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.

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 Civil Engineering Department
CE452L1/CE405 - Construction Materials and Testing Laboratory Manual
Course: Experiment No.:
Group No.: Section:
Group Members: Date Performed:
Date Submitted:
Instructor:

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
Specified Dry Weight Retained Dry Weight Maximum
Grading Abrasiona
Trial No. of on Sieve No. 12 of Passing Abrasion
Used Loss (%)
Spheres (After Washing) Sieve No.12 Loss (%)
1
2
3
Total weig h t
* Abrasion Loss= ×100 %
Dry weig h t passing sieve no.12
6.3 Computation

7. Conclusion:

8. Assessment:

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

BEGINNER ACCEPTABLE PROFICIENT

CRITERIA SCORE
1 2 3
I. Laboratory Skills
Members do not Members occasionally
Manipulative Members always
demonstrate needed demonstrate needed
Skills demonstrate needed skills.
skills. skills
Members are unable Members are able to Members are able to set-up
Experimental
to set-up the set-up the materials the material with minimum
Set-up
materials. with supervision. supervision.
Members do not Members occasionally Members always
Process Skills demonstrate targeted demonstrate targeted demonstrate targeted
process skills. process skills. process skills.
Members do not Members follow safety
Safety Members follow safety
follow safety precautions most of
Precautions precautions at all times.
precautions. the time.
II. Work Habits
Time
Members do not finish Members finish on Members finish ahead of
Management /
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 know
defined Members are on tasks and
their tasks and have
responsibilities most have defined
no defined
Cooperative and of the time. Group responsibilities at all times.
responsibilities.
Teamwork conflicts are 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
occasional Members do not need to be
independent supervision by the
supervision by the supervised by the teacher.
work teacher.
teacher.
Other Comments/Observations: Total Score
(Total Score)
Rating= ×100
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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”

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

ASTM C136

ASTM C33

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

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