HIGHWAY & TRAFFIC ENGINEERING LABORATORY JOURNAL

LOS ANGELES ABRASION TEST

Muhammad Farhan Bin Ibrahim1, Muhammad Efendi Bin Asmat2, Mohamad Adlan Bin Zamri,
Muhammad Afif Rusydi Bin Md Khalil4, Izzati Emalia Bt Azhar5, Erin Marissa Bt Ramlan6, Maizatul
akmar Bt Yusup7, Zaila Maizuroh Bt Abd Muin8

ABSTRACT
The aggregate used in surface course of the highway pavements are subjected to
wearing due to movement of traffic. When vehicles move on the road, the soil
particles present between the pneumatic tyres and road surface cause abrasion of road
aggregates. Therefore, the road aggregates should be hard enough to resist abrasion.
Resistance to abrasion of aggregate is determined in laboratory by Los Angeles test
machine. The principle of Los Angeles abrasion test is to produce abrasive action by
use of standard steel balls which when mixed with aggregates and rotated in a drum
for 500 of revolutions also causes impact on aggregates. The percentage wear of the
aggregates due to rubbing with steel balls is determined and is known as Los Angeles
Abrasion Value.
Keyword: Abrasion test, Los Angeles Abrasion test, road surface .

INTRODUCTION
The Los Angeles test is a measure of debasement of mineral aggregate of standard
grading coming about because of a mix of activity incorporating abrasion and
grinding in a rotating steel drum containing a predefined number of steel spheres. The
number steel charges depend upon the amount and grading of the test sample. As the
drum rotates, a self-plate pick up the sample and the steel spheres, carrying them until
they are dropped to the opposite site of the drum creating an impact-crushing effect.
The contents then roll within the drum with an abrading and grinding action until the
self-plates impacts and the cycle is repeated.
OBJECTIVE
(i) to determine the Los Angeles abrasion value.
(ii) to find the suitability of aggregates for use in road construction.

APPARATUS
1. LA Abrasion machine
2. Steel Spheres
3. IS Sieves
4. Weighing balance
 HIGHWAY & TRAFFIC ENGINEERING LABORATORY JOURNAL

PROCEDURE
1. The sample is washed and dried. Then 7. The weight of sample is taken after
the weight is obtained. the sample is cooling down.
2.The sample is placed in L.A. Abrasion
Machine.
3. Eleven steel balls were added in the
machine.
4. The machine was switch on, and the
drum is rotated for about 500
revolutions at 30-33 rpm.
5. After being rotated, the sample is
removed from the drum and sieved on
no. 12 sieve.
6. The sample retained on the sieve is
washed and dried at temperature of 105
and 110 degree Celsius. Figure 1: Los Angeles Abrasion
Machine

RESULT OF OBSERVATIONS
Aggregate size Weight of Weight of Weight Loss Percent Loss
(retained on Sample Before Sample After (kg) (%)
sieve) (kg) (kg)

14 2.50 3.655 1.345 26.90

10 2.50
5.00

Example calculation
Weight loss=( Weight of Sample Before )(Weight of Sample After )

5.00 kg3.655 kg
1.345 kg

Weight loss
Percentage Loss=
Weight of Sample Before
 HIGHWAY & TRAFFIC ENGINEERING LABORATORY JOURNAL
1.345
100
5.000
26.90
DISCUSSION
Amid the experiment, many variables
can affect the information obtained. The
variables are:
i) Drum must be clean before utilizing in
light of the fact that its may influenced
the weight of the sample. This is on the
grounds that dust from previous project
will influence the reading of the scale.
ii) Different data will be obtained when
the weighting procedure because of
wind resistance. The sample data might
be higher or lower than the reading data
as a result of the reading error.
iii) The state of the machine may
likewise affect the sample weight. Due
to that the small aggregates will got
away from the machine. Sample may
escape from the open window.
iv) Just 11 steel balls are been utilized
may bring about different data from the
actual experiment. Steel balls are
utilized to abrasion and impact the
aggregate when the drum is rotating.
Aggregate will break to smaller size that
will speak to the percentage of the total
mass of aggregate. The data might be
marginally different than that we had
gotten.
Even though this experiment have a
problems as stated above, the value of
aggregate physical property requirement
still not exceeded as what the JKR
standard value.
RECOMMENDATION
i) Laboratory must been shut area
particularly at the measuring area to
maintain a strategic distance from the
wind resistance influenced the weight
information or shut box of measuring
machine.
ii) After doing the experiment, all the
apparatus must been clean and keep at
the clean place to avoid any dust
entering the apparatus.
iii) The amount of steel balls which is 11
will make the collected data more
efficient. The sample will break into
what we expected to get.
CONCLUSION
We get the value is 26.90% from the
experiment is not as much as the
requirement of JKR's: 30%. Aggregate
physical property is lower Los Angeles
abrasion is tougher and more resistance
to abrasion. We can reason that the
aggregate been utilized are medium
extreme and not more resistance to
abrasion. This is on account of the
esteem is the greater part than JKR's
requirement. Bring down Los Angeles
abrasion misfortune values demonstrate
aggregate that is tougher and more
impervious to abrasion
 HIGHWAY & TRAFFIC ENGINEERING LABORATORY JOURNAL

REFERENCES
Los Angeles Abrasion Resistance Test
Available from:
URL:http://www.iamcivilengineer.com/2015/01/los-angeles-abrasion-
resistance-test.html
Ahmed Essam Mansour. Los Angeles Abrasion Test . ; 1(1): [3
screen].Available from: URL:http://www.ahm531.com/lab-reports/concrete-
lab/reports/1/LA%20Abrasion%20test.pdf