MASINDE MULIRO UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING AND BUILT ENVIRONMENT

DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL AND STRUCTURAL ENGINEERING

COURSE: CSE 323 HIGHWAY MATERIALS

TEST: LOS ANGELES ABRASION VALUE TEST

GROUP MEMBERS;

NAME REG NO
DERRICK WABWIRE CSE/B/01-04018/2022
RODNEY MWENDA NKURUNYAH CSE/B/01-04016/2022
EDWIN WEKULO CSE/B/01-55470/2022
CRISPIN LETTING CSE/B/01-04028/2022
FRED KEBAYA CSE/B/01-04004/2022
ABYD WEKESA CSE/B/01-00284/2022
MARTIN MWANGANGI CSE/B/01-04010/2022
SETH MAPESA OKELLO CSE/B/01-04032/2022
OBED MOSOTI CSE/B/01-04040/2022
BRAVIN KIPKOECH CSE/B/01-04593/2022
BRIAN OTOTO CSE/B/01-02203/2018

1
Contents
1.0 INTRODUCTION.....................................................................................................................................3
2.0 OBJECTIVES............................................................................................................................................3
3.0 APPARATUS...........................................................................................................................................3
4.0 PROCEDURE...........................................................................................................................................4
5.0 RESULTS AND ANALYSIS.........................................................................................................................4
5.1 Result.................................................................................................................................................4
5.2 Analysis..............................................................................................................................................4
6.0 DISCUSSION...........................................................................................................................................5
7.0 CONCLUSION.........................................................................................................................................6
8.0 REFERENCES..........................................................................................................................................6

2
1.0 INTRODUCTION
The Los Angeles test measures the degradation of mineral aggregates resulting from abrasion,
attrition, impact, and grinding in a rotating steel drum filled with steel spheres. The Los Angeles
(L.A.) abrasion test is commonly used to determine the aggregate toughness and abrasion
characteristics. Abrasion characteristics of aggregates are crucial because the constituent
aggregate in HMA (Hot Mix Asphalt) must be resistant to crushing, degradation and
disintergration.

2.0 OBJECTIVES

3
1.0 INTRODUCTION
The Los Angeles test
measures the
degradation of mineral
aggregates resulting
from abrasion,
attrition, impact, and
grinding in a rotating
3
steel drum filled with
steel spheres. The Los
Angeles (L.A.) abrasion
test is commonly used to
determine aggregate
toughness and abrasion
characteristics. Abrasion
characteristics of
aggregates are crucial
because the constituent
aggregate in HMA must
be resistant to crushing,
degradation and
disintegration
 To determine LA abrasion value of aggregates.
 To determine the suitability of aggregate use for road construction.

4
3.0 APPARATUS
 Los Angeles Testing Machine
 A drying oven with a temperature of 105 degrees celcius
 A balance readable to 1.0 g
 A metal container
 A scoop
 Test sieve sizes 1.70mm, 2.36mm,4.75mm, 6.3mm, 9.5mm, 12.5mm,19.0mm, 25mm and
37.5mm
 Steel spheres approximately 46.8mm-47.6mm in Diameter and mass 390g-445g

Table 1 below consists of spheres depending on grading

Grading Number of spheres Mass of charge, g
A 12 5000 + or -25
B 11 4584 + or -25
C 8 3330 + or -20
D 6 2500 + or -15

4.0 PROCEDURE
1. The aggregates used consists of approximately 500g, including 2500 10g of 20 to 14mm,
aggregates, and 2500 10g of 14 to 10mm aggregates.
2. Aggregates were washed, dried, and weighed after being washed.
3. The aggregate sample was placed in the abrasion machine.
4. Eleven steel balls were added into the machine.
5. The drum was rotated for 200 revolutions.
6. After stopping the drum for the prescribed number of revolutions, the sample was
removed and the aggregate portion was sieved using a size 1.70mm sieve.
7. After the sample was retained in the sieve it was washed and dried in the laboratory oven
for 24 hours at 105-110OC.
8. The aggregate sample was taken out of the oven and cooled in the lab atmosphere after a
day of oven-dry heating at 105-110OC to obtain constant weight. Then it was weighed in
grams.

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5.0 RESULTS AND ANALYSIS
5.1 Result
Weight, W (g)
Original weight of aggregate sample, W1 1250.1
Weight of aggregate sample retained, W2 1130.0

5.2 Analysis

w 1−w 2
LA Abrasion Value = × 100%
w1
1250.1−1130.0
= × 100%
1250.1
= 9.607%

6.0 DISCUSSION
LA Abrasion test is widely used method to determine aggregate toughness and abrasion
properties. Because the ingredient in Hot Mix Asphalt (HMA) must withstand crushing,
deterioration and disintegration in order to generate high quality HMA, aggregate abrasion test
are crucial. This test is only applicable to coarse aggregate of various sizes.
LA Abrasion Test also used method to determine aggregate relative quality. LA Abrasion Test
works on the premise of producing abrasive action by using standard steel balls that used when
mixed with aggregates and circulated in drum for a certain number of revolutions cause impact
on aggregates. Because the aggregate size employed in the experiment were 10mm to 14mm, 11
steel balls were used as shown in table 1.
LA Abrasion Value is measurement of the percentage of abrasion aggregates caused by rubbing
with steel balls. In concrete work, coarse aggregates should not exceed 50% and 40% in road
works. The measured LA Abrasion Value of 9.607% is not appropriate for any mixture of road
base material.

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7.0 CONCLUSION
In this experiment, we have learned how to determine LA abrasion values of aggregates. The
experiment is easy to conduct. We must learn how to set revolutions of Los Angeles Abrasion
Machine to running the experiment. In the experiment, the important things that we need to find
is the weight of dried sample and weight of aggregates retained on 1.7mm sieve after washing
and drying up. Then we need to apply the formula (W1 – W2/W1) × 100 to know the aggregates
abrasion values.
Next, we also need to determine the suitability of aggregates use of road construction. The
maximum permissible value 30% is for Bituminous concrete surface course. Water bound
macadam sub-base course is 60%. WBM base surface course with bituminous surfacing and
bituminous bound macadam is 50%. WBM surfacing course and bituminous penetration
macadam is 40%.

Possible sources of errors that we may have experienced;

i. Using a mass of 1250.1g in grading B instead of the required 4584 + or -25g as shown in
table 1.

7
 ii. Using 200 revolutions as opposed to the standard 500 revolutions.
iii. Human errors when taking the readings of mass of aggregates at scale reading of
electronic balance.

8.0 REFERENCES
1. Gambhir, M.L. (2004). Concrete Technology. Tata McGraw-Hill. - Discusses
aggregate properties including abrasion resistance.
2. Shetty, M.S. (2005). Concrete Technology: Theory and Practice. S. Chand & Co. –
Covers various tests on aggregates.
3. Wu, Y., Parker, F., & Kandhal, P. (1998). Aggregate Toughness/Abrasion
Resistance.

3
1.0 INTRODUCTION
The Los Angeles test
measures the
degradation of mineral
aggregates resulting
from abrasion,
attrition, impact, and
grinding in a rotating
8
steel drum filled with
steel spheres. The Los
Angeles (L.A.) abrasion
test is commonly used to
determine aggregate
toughness and abrasion
characteristics. Abrasion
characteristics of
aggregates are crucial
because the constituent
aggregate in HMA must
be resistant to crushing,
degradation and
disintegration
1.0 INTRODUCTION
9
The Los Angeles test
measures the
degradation of mineral
aggregates resulting
from abrasion,
attrition, impact, and
grinding in a rotating
steel drum filled with
steel spheres. The Los
Angeles (L.A.) abrasion
test is commonly used to
determine aggregate
toughness and abrasion
characteristics. Abrasion
characteristics of
10
aggregates are crucial
because the constituent
aggregate in HMA must
be resistant to crushing,
degradation and
disintegratio

3
1.0 INTRODUCTION
The Los Angeles test
measures the
degradation of mineral
aggregates resulting
from abrasion,

11
attrition, impact, and
grinding in a rotating
steel drum filled with
steel spheres. The Los
Angeles (L.A.) abrasion
test is commonly used to
determine aggregate
toughness and abrasion
characteristics. Abrasion
characteristics of
aggregates are crucial
because the constituent
aggregate in HMA must
be resistant to crushing,

12
degradation and
disintegrat

13