Los Angeles Abrasion Machine

The Los Angeles test is a measure of degradation of mineral aggregates of standard grading resulting
from a combination of actions including abrasion or attrition, impact, and grinding in a rotating steel
drum containing a specified number of steel spheres. The Los Angeles (L.A.) abrasion test is a common
test method used to indicate aggregate toughness and abrasion characteristics.

Apparatus:-
 Steel Spherical Balls
 Machine (The machine is equipped with a counter. The machine shall consist of hollow steel
cylinder closed at both ends. An opening in cylinder shall be provided for introducing the sample
 Sieves
 Aggregate used in highway pavement should be hard and must resist wear due to the loading
from compaction equipment, the polishing effect of traffic and the internal abrasion effect.
 The road aggregate should be hard enough to resist the abrasion of aggregate. Resistance to
abrasion is determined in laboratory by loss angles abrasion test.

Principle:-
To produce the abrasive action by use of standard steel balls which when mixed with the aggregate and
rotated in a drum for specific number of revolution cause impact on aggregate. The %age wear due to
rubbing with steel balls is determined and is known as abrasion value.

Prepare the sample by the portion of an aggregate sample retained on the 1.70 mm (No. 12) sieve and
place in a large rotating drum that contains a shelf plate attached to the outer wall

Procedure:-
 Prepared sample is placed in the abrasion-testing machine.
 A specified number of steel spheres are then placed in the machine and the drum is rotated for
500 revolutions at a speed of 30 - 33 revolutions per minute (RPM).
 The material is then separated into material passing the 1.70 mm (No. 12) sieve and material
retained on the 1.70 mm (No. 12) sieve.
 Dry the sample in an oven.
 Calculate %age loss due to Abrasion by calculating the difference between the retained material
(larger particles) compared to the original sample weight. The difference in weight is reported as
a percent of the original weight and called the "percent loss".
 Auto level

Principle: - The level is an optical instrument that provides a height reference. This reference is a horizontal
plane through the axis of the telescope, known as the "Height of Collimation".

Once the height of collimation (or instrument height) has been measured the height of other stations can be found
by measuring from this plane with a staff.

The height of collimation is found by taking a back-sight to a staff placed on a bench mark. The staff reading is
added to the bench mark value to obtain the height of collimation.

Once the height of collimation has been found ground height at any spot below this plane can be found by
observing the staff and subtracting the staff reading from the height of collimation.

Procedure: -
1. Set up the tripod and fix the level by tightening the tripod fixing screw.
2. Adjust the tripod legs until the tripod head is roughly level and center the circular bubble by
turning the foot-screws.
3. Center the circular bubble of auto level by adjusting the level screws.
4. Point the telescope towards a bright background or hold a white sheet of paper in front of
objective. Turn the eyepiece until the cross hairs arte sharp and black.
5. Turn the level towards the staff by using the peep sight. Turn the horiz9ontal drive know to set
the vertical hair down the center of the staff.

Height measurement: - Read the staff where it is cut by the middle hair. With metric staffs it is
usual to estimate to 1mm.

Distance measurement: - Reading the staff where it is cut by the upper and lower stadia hairs. The
difference multiplied by 100 is the distance from the instrument to the staff. For example these readings
are at 3.30m and 3.10m, therefore, the distance from the instrument to the staff is: (3.30-3.10) x 100 =
20m.

Angle measurement: -

1. Sight point A with vertical hair and note the reading α on the horizontal circle.
2. Turn the level to sight point B and note the reading β.
3. The angle AOB = γ = α – β

Checking and adjusting: -

1. Center the bubble by using the foots-crews, than turn the instrument 180 degree. The bubble
should remain centered. If the bubble moves out of center, the bubble needs adjustment.
2. Repeat the above procedure until the bubble remains centered when the instrument is turned
180 degree.
 Theodolite

Principle: - A theodolite is a telescope mounted to very sensitive horizontal and vertical protractors.
It is capable of measuring angles and, when used in conjunction with graduated reference objects,
distances with a high degree of accuracy.