Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

An investigation of the relationship between Los Angeles abrasion loss and rock texture for carbonate aggregates

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
Bulletin of Engineering Geology and the Environment Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Rock aggregates are the most fundamental material of highway, railroad, and other construction activities. The quality of rock aggregates for a given usage is determined by many different test methods, one of the most important of which is the Los Angeles abrasion (LAA) test as it is used to evaluate the resistance to abrasion and wear of aggregates for such applications as railroad ballast, base course material, and asphalt and concrete aggregates. In this study, the relationship between rock texture and LAA loss was investigated for 26 sources of carbonate aggregates found in Iran which constitute the most commonly quarried crushed rock. Regression analyses were used to determine whether rock texture was a useful predictor of LAA loss. The texture of rock aggregate was quantified by texture coefficient (TC), which can be used to put a value on rock texture with studies carried out on the rock thin section using image analysis. In addition, the effects of textural parameters including area weighting of grains or packing density, grain shape, grain elongation, circularity, and orientation of mineral grains, and also TC on the LAA loss were evaluated. Although the results show that weak relationships exist between textural parameters and LAA loss, a strong relationship exists between TC and LAA loss. The results indicate that many textural parameters, together with TC, can be interpreted as rock texture which influences the LAA loss. Also, the results indicate a strong negative correlation between LAA loss and TC, and can be used to predict LAA loss in practical applications.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • AASHTO (American Association of State and Highway Transportation Officials) (2000) AASHTO T 96: Standard method of test for resistance to degradation of small-size coarse aggregate by abrasion and impact in the Los Angeles machine. Washington, D.C.

  • Afolagboye LO, Talabi AO, Akinola OO (2016) Evaluation of selected basement complex rocks from ado-Ekiti, SW Nigeria, as source of road construction aggregates. Bull Eng Geol Environ 75(2):853–865

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ajalloeian R, Mansouri H, Baradaran E (2017) Some carbonate rock texture effects on mechanical behavior, based on Koohrang tunnel data, Iran. Bull Eng Geol Environ 76(1):295–307

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Åkesson U, Lindqvist J, Göransson M, Stigh J (2001) Relationship between texture and mechanical properties of granites, central Sweden, by use of image-analysing techniques. Bull Eng Geol Environ 60(4):277–284

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Alber M, Kahraman S (2009) Predicting the uniaxial compressive strength and elastic modulus of a fault breccia from texture coefficient. Rock Mech Rock Eng 42:117–127

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Al-Harthi AA (2001) A field index to determine the strength characteristics of crushed aggregate. Bull Eng Geol Environ 60(3):193–200

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Anon (1995) The description and classification of weathered rocks for engineering purposes. Q J Eng Geol 28:207–242

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) D692-00 (2004) Standard specification for coarse aggregate for bituminous paving mixtures. ASTM International, West Conshohocken

  • ASTM (2013) Standard guide for petrographic examination of aggregates for concrete, C 295–98 and C 294–98, Descriptive nomenclature of constituents of natural mineral aggregates. Annual Book of ASTM Standards, West Conshohocken

  • ASTM (2013) ASTM C 33/C 33M: Standard specification for concrete aggregates. Annual Book of ASTM Standards, West Conshohocken, PA

  • ASTM (2014) ASTM C131/C131M: Standard test method for resistance to degradation of small-size coarse aggregate by abrasion and impact in the Los Angeles machine. Annual Book of ASTM Standards, West Conshohocken

  • ASTM D75/D75M-14 (2014) Standard practice for sampling aggregates. ASTM International, West Conshohocken

  • Azzoni A, Bailo F, Rondena E, Zaninetti A (1996) Assessment of texture coefficient for different rock types and correlation with uniaxial compressive strength and rock weathering. Rock Mech Rock Eng 29(1):39–46

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ballivy G, Dayre M (1984) The mechanical behaviour of aggregates related to physicomechanical properties of rocks. Int Assoc Eng Geol Bull 29:339–342

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Bell FG (1998) Engineering geology, 3rd edn. Blackwell, Oxford

    Google Scholar 

  • Benediktsson S (2015) Effects of particle shape on mechanical properties of aggregates. Dissertation, Norwegian University of Science and Technology

  • BS (British Standard Institution) EN-13043 (2002) Aggregates for bituminous mixtures and surface treatments for roads, airfields and other trafficked areas. British Standard Institution, London

  • BS (British Standard Institution) (2002) BS EN 12620: Aggregates for concrete. Portuguese Laboratory of Civil Engineering-LNEC

  • BS (British Standard Institution) (1997) BS EN 932-3: Tests for general properties of aggregates, Part 3: Procedure and terminology for simplified petrographic description

  • Cargill JS, Shakoor A (1990) Evaluation of empirical methods for measuring the uniaxial compressive strength of rock. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci Geomech 6:495–503

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Erichsen E, Ulvik A, Sævik K (2011) Mechanical degradation of aggregate by the Los Angeles, the micro-deval- and the Nordic test methods. Rock Mech Rock Eng 44:333–337

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ersoy A, Waller MD (1995) Textural characterisation of rocks. Eng Geol 39(3):123–136

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fahy MP, Guccione MJ (1979) Estimating strength of sandstone using petrographic thin-section data. Bull Int Assoc Eng Geol 16(4):467–485

    Google Scholar 

  • Fernlund JMR (2005) 3-d image analysis size and shape method applied to the evaluation of the Los Angeles test. Eng Geol 77(1–2):57–67

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Fistric M, Tomasic I, Vrkljan M (2002) Influence of petrographic characteristics of silicate rocks on the quality of aggregates. Rud -pol.-naft Zb 14:11–20

  • French WJ, Kermani S, Mole CF (2001) Petrographic evaluation of aggregate parameters. In: Proceeding of the 8th Euroseminar on Microscopy Applied to Building Materials; 4–7 Sep 2001; Athens, Greece, 557–564

  • Gandhi PM, Lytton RL (1984) Evaluation of aggregates for acceptance in asphalt paving mixtures. J Assoc Asphalt Paving Technol 53:525-558

  • Guimaraes MS, Valdes JR, Palomino AM, Santamarina JC (2007) Aggregate production: fines generation during rock crushing. Int J Miner Process 81:237–247

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Haney MG, Shakoor A (1994) The relationship between tensile and compressive strengths for selected sandstones as influenced by index properties and petrographic characteristics. Proc 7th Int IAEG Cong Lisbon, Portugal IV:3013–3021

  • Haraldsson H (1984) Relation between petropraphy and the aggregate properties of Icelandic rocks. Bull Int Assoc Eng Geol 30(1)73–76

  • Hartley A (1968) Petrographic aspects of the polishing roadstones. Proc Symp Syrup. Influence of the Road Surface on Skidding, 1st, University of Salford, Salford, 2.1–2.34

  • Hartley A (1974) A review of the geological factors influencing the mechanical properties of road surface aggregates. Q J Eng Geol 7:69–100

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hofer V, Bach H, Latal C, Neubauer AC (2013) Impact of geometric and petrographic characteristics on the variability of LA test values for railway ballast. Math Geosci 45:727–752

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hosking JR (1968) The role of aggregates in providing skid-resistant roads. Proc Symp Influence of the Road Surface on Skidding, 1st, Univ. of Salford, 5.1–5.22

  • Howarth DF, Rowlands JC (1986) Development of an index to quantify rock texture for qualitative assessment of intact rock properties. Geotech Test J 9:169–179

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Howarth D, Rowlands J (1987) Quantitative assessment of rock texture and correlation with drillability and strength properties. Rock Mech Rock Eng 20(1):57–85

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Jamil MZ, Khan MS (2014) Establishment of correlation between Los Angeles abrasion loss and strength determined through point load index and Schmidt rebound hammer. Sci Int (Lahore) 26(2):767–770

  • Kahraman S, Fener M (2007) Predicting the Los Angeles abrasion loss of rock aggregates from the uniaxial compressive strength. Mater Lett 61:4861–4865

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kahraman S, Toraman OY (2008) Predicting the Los Angeles abrasion loss of rock aggregates from crushability index. Bull Mater Sci 31:173–177

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kazi A, Al-Mansour ZR (1980) Influence of geological factors on abrasion and soundness characterstics of aggregates. Eng Geol 15:195–203

  • Khanlari GR, Heidari M, Noori M, Momeni A (2016) The effect of petrographic characteristics on engineering properties of conglomerates from Famenin region, northeast of Hamedan, Iran. Rock Mech Rock Eng 49:2609–2621

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Krumbein WC, Pettijohn JF (1938) Manual of sedimentary petrography. Appleton Century Crofts, New York, pp 228–267

    Google Scholar 

  • Miskovsky K, Duarte MT, Kou SQ, Lindqvist PA (2004) Influence of the mineralogical composition and textural properties on the quality of coarse aggregates. J Mater Eng Perform 13(2):144–150. https://doi.org/10.1361/10599490418334

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Naeem M, Khalid P, Sanaullah M, Din ZU (2014) Physio-mechanical and aggregate properties of limestones from Pakistan. Acta Geod Geophys 49:369–380

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Nålsund R, Jensen V (2013) Influence of mineral grain size, grain size distribution and micro-cracks on rocks mechanical strength. 14th Euro-seminar on Microscopy Applied to Building Materials, 1–12. Copenhagen, Denmark

  • Naseem S, Hussain K, Shahab B, Bashir E, Bilal M, Hamza S (2016) Investigation of carbonate rocks of Malikhore formation as coarse aggregate and dimension stone, SE Balochistan, Pakistan. Br J Appl Sci Technol 12(1):1–11

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Olsson WA (1974) Grain size dependence on yield stress in marble. J Geophys Res 79(32):4859–4861

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ozcelik Y (2011) Predicting Los Angeles abrasion of rocks from some physical and mechanical properties. Sci Res Essays 6(7):1612–1619

    Google Scholar 

  • Öztürk CA, Nasuf E (2013) Strength classification of rock material based on textural properties. Tunn Undergr Space Technol 37:45–54

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ozturk CA, Nasuf E, Bilgin N (2004) The assessment of rock cutability, and physical and mechanical rock properties from a texture coefficient. J South Afr Inst Min Metall 104(7):397–402

    Google Scholar 

  • Ozturk CA, Nasuf E, Kahraman E (2014) Estimation of rock strength from quantitative assessment of rock texture. J South Afr Inst Min Metall, 471-480

  • Pan T, Tutumluer E (2007) Quantification of coarse aggregate surface texture using image analysis. J Test Eval 35(2):177–186

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Přikryl R (2001) Some microstructural aspects of strength variation in rocks. Int J Rock Mech Min Sci Geomech Abstr 38(5):671–682

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Přikryl R (2006) Assessment of rock geomechanical quality by quantitative rock fabric coefficients: limitations and possible source of misinterpretations. Eng Geol 87:149–162

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Räisänen M (2004) Relationships between texture and mechanical properties of hybrid rocks from the Jaala–Iitti complex, southeastern Finland. Eng Geol 74:197–211

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Räisänen M, Mertamo M (2004) An evaluation of the procedure and results of laboratory crushing in quality assessment of rock aggregate raw materials. Bull Eng Geol Environ 63:33–39

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Räisänen M, Torppa A (2005) Quality assessment of a geologically heterogeneous rock quarry in Pirkanmaa county, southern Finland. Bull Eng Geol Env 64:409–418

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rajan B, Singh D (2017) Comparison of shape parameters and laboratory performance of coarse aggregates produced from different types of crushing operations. J Mater Civ Eng. Published online on March 28 2017. https://doi.org/10.1061/(ASCE)MT.1943-5533.0001874

  • Ramsay DM, Dhir RK, Spence IM (1974) The role of rock and clastic fabric in the physical performance of crushed rock aggregate. Eng Geol 8(3):267–285

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roduit N (2009) JMicroVision: image analysis toolbox for measuring and quantifying components of high-definition images. Version 1.2.7. Software available for free download at http://www.jmicrovision.com

  • Rogers CA (1990) Petrographic examination of aggregate and concrete in Ontario. In: Erlin B, Stark D (eds) Petrography applied to concrete and concrete aggregates, ASTM STP 1061. American Society for Testing and Materials, Philadelphia, pp 5–31

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Shakoor A, Bonelli RE (1991) Relationship between petrographic characteristics, engineering index properties, and mechanical properties of selected sandstones. Bull Assoc Eng Geol 28(1):55–71

    Google Scholar 

  • Shakoor A, Brown CL (1996) Development of a quantitative relationship between unconfined compressive strength and los angeles abrasion loss for carbonate rocks. Bull Eng Geol Environ 53:97–103

  • Shalabi FI, Cording EJ, Al-Hattamleh OH (2007) Estimation of rock engineering properties using hardness tests. Eng Geol 90(3):138–147

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Singh TN, Verma AK (2012) Comparative analysis of intelligent algorithms to correlate strength and petrographic properties of some schistose rocks. Eng Comput 28:1–12

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smith MR, Collis L (1993) (eds) Aggregates. The Geological Society, London, Geological Society Engineering Geology Special Publication 9, p 339

  • Smith MR, Collis L, Fookes PJ (2001) Aggregates: sand, gravel and crushed rock aggregates for construction purposes, geological society, engineering geology special publication 17. The Geological Society, London, p 339

    Google Scholar 

  • Tandon RS, Gupta V (2013) The control of mineral constituents and textural characteristics on the petrophysical & mechanical (PM) properties of different rocks of the Himalaya. Eng Geol 153:125–143

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Tepordei VV (2004) Stone, crushed. In Mineral commodity summaries. USGS, Reston, p 156–157

  • Ugur I, Demirdag S, Yavuz H (2010) Effect of rock properties on the Los Angeles abrasion and impact test characteristics of the aggregates. Mater Charact 61:90–96

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ulusay R, Tureli K, Ider MH (1994) Prediction of engineering properties of a selected litharenite sandstone from its petrographic characteristics using correlation and multivariate statistical techniques. Eng Geol 38(1):135–157

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ündül O (2016) Assessment of mineralogical and petrographic factors affecting petrophysical properties, strength and cracking processes of volcanic rocks. Eng Geol 210:10–22

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Waltham T (2009) Foundations of engineering geology, 3rd edn. Spon, London

    Google Scholar 

  • Yilmaz I, Yuksek AG (2008) An example of artificial neural network application for indirect estimation of rock parameters. Rock Mech Rock Eng 41(5):781–795

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geology, University of Isfahan, P.O. Box: 81746-73441, Isfahan, Iran

    Rassoul Ajalloeian & Mojtaba Kamani

Authors
  1. Rassoul Ajalloeian
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Mojtaba Kamani
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Rassoul Ajalloeian.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Ajalloeian, R., Kamani, M. An investigation of the relationship between Los Angeles abrasion loss and rock texture for carbonate aggregates. Bull Eng Geol Environ 78, 1555–1563 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-017-1209-y

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10064-017-1209-y

Keywords

Search

Navigation