1

Date:- / /
Experiment No.:- 01
-:DETERMINATION OF AGGREGATE IMPACT VALUE:-

1. Concept and significance:-

The property of 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 pieces. 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
value is a measure of resistance to sudden impact or shock, which may differ from
its resistance to gradually applied compressive load.

2. Objectives:-
i) To determine the impact value of road aggregates.
ii) To access their suitability in road construction on the basis of impact
value.

3. Apparatus:-
The apparatus of aggregate impact value test as per IS:2386(part IV)-1963
consist of
i) A testing machine weighing 45 to 60 kg and having metal base with a
place lower surface of not less than 30 cm diameter. It is supported on leel
and place concrete floor of min 45 cm thickness. The machine should also
have provision for fixing its base.
ii) A cylindrical steel cup of internal diameter 102 mm, depth 50 mm and
minimum thickness 6.3 mm.
iii) A metal hammer or tap weighing 13.5 to 14 kg the lower end is cylindrical
in shape, is 50 mm long, 100 mm in diameter, with a 2 mm chamfer at the
lower edge and case hardened. The hammer should slide freely between
 2

vertical guides and be concentric with the cup. The free fall of hammer
should be within 380 ± 5 mm.
iv) A cylindrical metal measure having internal diameter of 75 mm ad depth
50 mm for measuring aggregates.
v) Tamping rod 10 mm in diameter and 230 mm long, rounded at one end.
vi) A balance of capacity not less than 500 gm, readable and accurate up to
0.1 gm.

4. Procedure:-
The test sample consist of aggregate sized 10 to 12.5 mm. The aggregates
should be dried by heating at 100-110 oC for a period of 4 hours and cooled.
i) Sieve the material through 12.5 mm and 10 mm IS sieves. The aggregates
passing through 12.5 mm sieve and retained on 10 mm sieve comprises
the test material.
ii) Pour the aggregates to fill about just 1/3 dept of measuring cylinder.
iii) Compact the material by giving 25 gentle blows with the rounded end of
the tamping rod.
iv) Add two more layers in similar manner, so that cylinder is full.
v) Strike of the surplus aggregates.
vi) Determine the net weight of the aggregates to the nearest gram(W1).
vii) Bring the impact machine to rest without wedging or packing upon the
level plate, block or floor, so that it is rigid and then hammer guide
columns are vertical.
viii) Fix cup firmly in position on the base of machine and place whole of the
test sample in it and compact by giving 25 gentle strokes with tamping
rod.
ix) Raise the hammer until its lower face is 380 mm above the surface of the
aggregate sample in the cup and allow it to fall freely on the aggregate
sample. Give it such blows at an interval of not less than second between
successive falls.
 3

x) Remove the crushed aggregate from the cup and sieve it through 2.36 mm
IS sieve until no further significant amount passes in one minute. Weigh
the fraction passing through the sieve to an accuracy of 1 gm(W 2). Also
weigh the fraction retained in the sieve.
xi) Note down the observation and compute the aggregate impact value. The
mean of two observations, rounded to nearest whole number is reported as
the “Aggregate Impact Value”.

5. Precautions:-
Certain precautions are necessary to take while conducting the test.
i) Place the plunger centrally so that it falls directly on the aggregate sample
and does not through the walls of the cylinder in order to ensure that entire
load is transmitted on the aggregates.
ii) In the operation of sieving the aggregate through 2.36 mm sieve the sum
of weights of fractions retained and passing should not differ from the
original weight of specimen by more than 1 gm.
iii) The tamping is to be done properly by gently dropping the tamping rod
and not by hammering action. Also the surface of aggregate taking care
that the tamping rod does not frequently strike against the walls of cup.

6. Interpretation of results:-
Aggregate impact value is used to classify the stones in respect of their
toughness property is as indicated below:
Aggregate Impact Value Classification
< 10 % Exceptionally strong
10 – 20 % Strong
20 – 30 % Satisfactory for road surfacing
> 35 % Weak for road surfacing
 4

The Indian Road Congress has recommended the following values for
different types of road construction.
Sr. Type of pavement Max. Agg. Impact
No. Value (%)
01 Bituminous surface dressing, penetration, 30
macadam, bituminous concept concrete and
cement concrete, wearing course etc.
02 Bituminous bound macadam base course 35
03 WBM base course with bitumen surfacing 40
04 Cement concrete base course 45

7. Observation table:-

Sample W1 (gm) W2 (gm) Impact Value (%)

1
2
3

Average Impact Value:-……………

Calculations:-
For sample no. 1:-
W1 =
W2 =
Aggregate Impact Value = [W2 / W1] × 100

=
 5

Result:- Aggregate Impact Value =……………% (mean)

Conclusion:-
 6

Date:- / /
Experiment No. 02
-: DETERMINATION OF LOS ANGELES ABRASION VALUE :-

1. Theory
The aggregates used in surface course in 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 surfaces cause abrasion of
road aggregates. The steel reamed wheels and animal driven vehicles also cause
considerable abrasion to the road surface. Therefore, the road aggregates should
be hard enough to resist the abrasion. Abrasion resistance of aggregates is
determined in laboratory by Los Angles Abrasion testing machine.
The principle of Los Angles Abrasion Test is to produce the abrasive action by
use of standard steel balls which when mixed with aggregates and rotated in drum
for specific numbers of revolutions also cause impact on aggregates. The
percentage wear on aggregate due to rubbing with steel balls is determined and
known as Los Angeles Abrasion Value.

2. Objectives:-
i) To determine the Los Angles Abrasion Value.
ii) To find out the suitability of aggregates for its use in road construction.
3. Apparatus:-
The apparatus is as per IS 2386 (Part IV) – 1963 consists of ,
i) Los Angeles Machine: It consists of a hollow steel cylinder, closed at both
ends with an internal diameter of 700 mm and length 500 mm and capable
of rotating about its horizontal axis. A removable cover for introducing
sample is provided which when clamped is dust tight. A removable steel
shaft projecting radially 88 mm into cylinder and extending full length is
mounted firmly on the interior of cylinder. The shelf is placed at a distance
1250 mm minimum from the opening in the direction of rotation.
 7

ii) Abrasive Charge: Cast iron or steel balls, approximately 48 mm in

diameter and each weighing 390 to 445 gms; six or twelve balls are
required.
iii) The IS sieve 1.70 mm.
iv) Weighing balance having capacity from 5 to 10 kg.
v) Drying oven.
vi) Miscellaneous like tray, etc.
4. Procedure: -
Test sample: - It consists of clean aggregates dried in oven at 105oC – 110oC and
are coarser than 1.70 mm sieve size. The sample should confirm to any of the grading
shown in table – 1.
1. Select the gradient to be used in the test. It should be chosen such that it
confirms to the gradings to be used in construction to the maximum extent
possible.
2. Take 5 kg. of sample for gradings A, B, C, or D and 10 kg for gradings E,
F and G.
3. Choose the abrasive charge as per table – 2.
Table No.: - 1
Sieve Size Weight in gm of test sample for grade
Passing Retained A B C D E F G
on mm on mm
80 63 - - - - 2500 - -
63 50 - - - - 2500 - -
50 40 - - - - 2500 5000 -
40 25 1250 - - - - 5000 5000
25 20 1250 - - - - - 5000
20 12.5 1250 2500 - - - - -
12.5 10 1250 2500 - - - - -
10 6.3 - - 2500 - - - -
6.30 4.75 - - 2500 - - - -
4.75 2.36 - - - 2500 - - -
 8

Table No. : - 2
Grading Numbers of steel balls Weight of charge, gms
A 12 5000 ± 25
B 11 4585 ± 25
C 8 3330 ± 25
D 6 2500 ± 25
E 12 5000 ± 25
F 12 5000 ± 25
G 12 5000 ± 25
4. Open the cover and feed the aggregates and steel balls in the cylinder.
Replace the cover tightly.
5. Rotate the machine at a uniform speed at 30 to 33 rpm.
6. Allow the machine to run for 500 revolutions for grading A, B, C and D and
1000 revolutions for grading E, F and G.
7. Stop the machine after desired number of revolutions.
8. Remove the dust cover and take out material.
9. separate the steel balls and sieve the material on 1.70 mm IS sieve.
10. Wash the material coarser than 1.70 mm size.
11. Dry it in oven to a constant weight and weigh to an accuracy of 1 gm.
12. Take another sample and repeat the experiment and find the mean of two
values and report it as Los Angeles Abrasion Value.
5. Precaution: -
i) The cover should be fixed tightly before rotating the machine.
ii) All material should be discharge from the cylinder after the conduct of
test.
6. Observation Table:-
1 Grading selected
2 Original weight of the sample (W1)
3 Weight of the aggregates retained on 1.70 mm sieve(W2).
4 Loss of Weight (W1 – W2 )
5 Percentage wear
Los Angeles Abrasion Value = …………… %
 9

7. Interpretation of result:-
Los Angeles Abrasion Test is commonly used to evaluate the
hardness of the aggregates. The test has more acceptability because the resistance
to abrasion and impact is determined simultaneously. Depending upon the
numerical value, the suitability of aggregates for different road constructions can
be judged as per Indian Road Congress specifications given below.

Sr. Type of Pavement layer Max. permissible

No. abrasion value in %
1. Water bound macadam sub base course 60
2. Bituminous bound macadam 50
3. WBM base course with bituminous surface 50
4. WBM surfacing course 40
5. Bituminous penetration Macadam 40
6 Bituminous surface, cement concrete surface 35
course
7. Bituminous concrete surface course 30

8. Conclusion:-