Designation: C 131 – 06

Standard Test Method for

Resistance to Degradation of Small-Size Coarse Aggregate
by Abrasion and Impact in the Los Angeles Machine1
This standard is issued under the fixed designation C 131; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
This standard has been approved for use by agencies of the Department of Defense.

1. Scope* D 75 Practice for Sampling Aggregates

1.1 This test method covers a procedure for testing sizes of E 11 Specification for Wire Cloth and Sieves for Testing
coarse aggregate smaller than 37.5 mm (11⁄2 in.) for resistance Purposes
to degradation using the Los Angeles testing machine (Note 1). 3. Terminology
NOTE 1—A procedure for testing coarse aggregate larger than 19.0 mm 3.1 Definitions—For definitions of terms used in this test
(3⁄4 in.) is covered in Test Method C 535.
method, refer to Terminology C 125.
1.2 The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the
standard. The inch-pound values given in parentheses are for 4. Summary of Test Method
information only. 4.1 This test is a measure of degradation of mineral aggre-
1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of the gates of standard gradings resulting from a combination of
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the actions including abrasion or attrition, impact, and grinding in
responsibility of the user of this standard to establish appro- a rotating steel drum containing a specified number of steel
priate safety and health practices and determine the applica- spheres, the number depending upon the grading of the test
bility of regulatory limitations prior to use. sample. As the drum rotates, a shelf plate picks up the sample
and the steel spheres, carrying them around until they are
2. Referenced Documents dropped to the opposite side of the drum, creating an impact-
2.1 ASTM Standards: 2 crushing effect. The contents then roll within the drum with an
A 6/A 6M Specification for General Requirements for abrading and grinding action until the shelf plate picks up the
Rolled Structural Steel Bars, Plates, Shapes, and Sheet sample and the steel spheres, and the cycle is repeated. After
Piling the prescribed number of revolutions, the contents are removed
C 125 Terminology Relating to Concrete and Concrete from the drum and the aggregate portion is sieved to measure
Aggregates the degradation as percent loss.
C 136 Test Method for Sieve Analysis of Fine and Coarse
Aggregates 5. Significance and Use
C 535 Test Method for Resistance to Degradation of Large- 5.1 This test has been widely used as an indicator of the
Size Coarse Aggregate by Abrasion and Impact in the Los relative quality or competence of various sources of aggregate
Angeles Machine having similar mineral compositions. The results do not
C 670 Practice for Preparing Precision and Bias Statements automatically permit valid comparisons to be made between
for Test Methods for Construction Materials sources distinctly different in origin, composition, or structure.
C 702 Practice for Reducing Samples of Aggregate to Assign specification limits with extreme care in consideration
Testing Size of available aggregate types and their performance history in
specific end uses.
1
This test method is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee C09 on 6. Apparatus
Concrete and Concrete Aggregates and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee
C09.20 on Normal Weight Aggregates. 6.1 Los Angeles Machine—A Los Angeles machine, con-
Current edition approved August 1, 2006. Published August 2006. Originally forming in all essential characteristics to the design shown in
approved in 1937. Last previous edition approved in 2003 as C 131-03.
2
Fig. 1, shall be used. The machine shall consist of a hollow
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
contact ASTM Customer Service at [email protected]. For Annual Book of ASTM
steel cylinder, with a wall thickness of not less than 12.4 mm
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on (Note 2) closed at both ends, conforming to the dimensions
the ASTM website. shown in Fig. 1, having an inside diameter of 711 6 5 mm (28

*A Summary of Changes section appears at the end of this standard.

Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.

1
 C 131 – 06

Inch Equivalents
mm 6.4 12.7 25.4 89 102 152 190 508 711 1270
in. 1⁄ 4 1 ⁄2 1 31⁄2 4 6 7 1⁄2 20 28 50

FIG. 1 Los Angeles Testing Machine

6 0.2 in.), and an inside length of 508 6 5 mm (20 6 0.2 in.). and that the distance from the shelf to the opening, measured
The interior surface of the cylinder shall be free from protru- along the outside circumference of the cylinder in the direction
sions disrupting the path of the sample and steel spheres except of rotation, shall be not less than 1270 mm (50 in.). Inspect the
for the shelf described below. The cylinder shall be mounted on shelf periodically to determine that it is not bent either
stub shafts attached to the ends of the cylinder but not entering lengthwise or from its normal radial position with respect to the
it, and shall be mounted in such a manner that it rotates with cylinder. If either condition is found, repair or replace the shelf
the axis in a horizontal position within a tolerance in slope of before further tests are conducted.
1 in 100. An opening in the cylinder shall be provided for the NOTE 2—This is the minimum tolerance permitted on 12.7 mm (1⁄2 in.)
introduction of the test sample. A suitable, dust-tight cover rolled steel plate as described in Specification A 6/A 6M.
shall be provided for the opening with means for bolting the NOTE 3—The use of a shelf of wear-resistant steel, rectangular in cross
cover in place. The cover shall be so designed as to maintain section and mounted independently of the cover, is preferred. However, a
the cylindrical contour of the interior surface unless the shelf is shelf consisting of a section of rolled angle, properly mounted on the
so located that the charge will not fall on the cover, or come in inside of the cover plate, may be used provided the direction of rotation is
contact with it during the test. A removable steel shelf such that the charge will be caught on the outside face of the angle.
extending the full length of the cylinder and projecting inward 6.1.1 The machine shall be so driven and so counterbal-
89 6 2 mm (3.5 6 0.1 in.) shall be mounted on the interior anced as to maintain a substantially uniform peripheral speed
cylindrical surface of the cylinder, in such a way that a plane (Note 4). If an angle is used as the shelf, the direction of
centered between the large faces coincides with an axial plane. rotation shall be such that the charge is caught on the outside
The shelf shall be of such thickness and so mounted, by bolts surface of the angle.
or other suitable means, as to be firm and rigid. The position of NOTE 4—Back-lash or slip in the driving mechanism is very likely to
the shelf (Note 3) shall be such that the sample and the steel furnish test results which are not duplicated by other Los Angeles
spheres shall not impact on or near the opening and its cover, machines producing constant peripheral speed.

2
 C 131 – 06
TABLE 1 Gradings of Test Samples
Sieve Size (Square Openings) Mass of Indicated Sizes, g
Grading
Passing Retained on
A B C D
37.5 mm (11⁄2 in.) 25.0 mm (1 in.) 1 250 6 25 ... ... ...
25.0 mm (1 in.) 19.0 mm (3⁄4 in.) 1 250 6 25 ... ... ...
19.0 mm (3⁄4 in.) 12.5 mm (1⁄2 in.) 1 250 6 10 2 500 6 10 ... ...
12.5 mm (1⁄2 in.) 9.5 mm (3⁄8 in.) 1 250 6 10 2 500 6 10 ... ...
9.5 mm (3⁄8 in.) 6.3 mm (1⁄4 in.) ... ... 2 500 6 10 ...
6.3 mm (1⁄4 in.) 4.75-mm (No. 4) ... ... 2 500 6 10 ...
4.75-mm (No. 4) 2.36-mm (No. 8) ... ... ... 5 000 6 10

Total 5 000 6 10 5 000 6 10 5 000 6 10 5 000 6 10

6.2 Sieves, conforming to Specification E 11. 9.1.1 If the aggregate is essentially free of adherent coatings
6.3 Balance—A balance or scale accurate within 0.1 % of and dust, the requirement for washing after the test is optional.
test load over the range required for this test. However, in the case of referee testing, the washing procedure
6.4 Charge—The charge shall consist of steel spheres aver- shall be performed.
aging approximately 46.8 mm (127⁄32 in.) in diameter and each NOTE 6—Valuable information concerning the uniformity of the sample
having a mass of between 390 and 445 g. under test may be obtained by determining the loss after 100 revolutions.
6.4.1 The charge, (Note 5) depending upon the grading of The loss should be determined by dry sieving the material on the 1.70-mm
the test sample as described in Section 8, shall be as follows: sieve without washing. The ratio of the loss after 100 revolutions to the
Number of Mass of loss after 500 revolutions should not greatly exceed 0.20 for material of
Grading Spheres Charge, g uniform hardness. When this determination is made, take care to avoid
A 12 5000 6 25 losing any part of the sample; return the entire sample, including the dust
B 11 4584 6 25 of fracture, to the testing machine for the final 400 revolutions required to
C 8 3330 6 20
complete the test.
D 6 2500 6 15
NOTE 7—Elimination of washing after test will seldom reduce the
NOTE 5—Steel ball bearings 46.0 mm (113⁄16 in.) and 47.6 mm (17⁄8 in.) measured loss by more than about 0.2 % of the original sample mass.
in diameter, having a mass of approximately 400 and 440 g each,
respectively, are readily available. Steel spheres 46.8 mm (127⁄32 in.) in 10. Calculation
diameter having a mass of approximately 420 g may also be obtainable. 10.1 Calculate the loss (difference between the original
The charge may consist of a mixture of these sizes conforming to the mass
tolerances of 6.4 and 6.4.1.
mass and the final mass of the test sample) as a percentage of
the original mass of the test sample. Report this value as the
7. Sampling percent loss (Note 8).
7.1 Obtain the field sample in accordance with Practice NOTE 8—The percent loss determined by this test method has no known
D 75, and reduce the field sample to adequate sample size in consistent relationship to the percent loss for the same material when
accordance with Practice C 702. tested by Test Method C 535.

8. Test Sample Preparation 11. Report

8.1 Wash the reduced sample and oven dry at 110 6 5 °C 11.1 Report the following information:
(230 6 9 °F) to substantially constant mass (see 9.1.1), 11.1.1 Identification of the aggregate as to source, type, and
separate into individual size fractions, and recombine to the nominal maximum size;
grading of Table 1 most nearly corresponding to the range of 11.1.2 Grading designation from Table 1 used for the test;
sizes in the aggregate as furnished for the work. Record the and
mass of the sample prior to test to the nearest 1 g. 11.1.3 Loss by abrasion and impact of the sample expressed
to the nearest 1 % by mass.
9. Procedure
12. Precision and Bias
9.1 Place the test sample and the charge in the Los Angeles
testing machine and rotate the machine at a speed of 30 to 33 12.1 For nominal 19.0-mm (3⁄4-in.) maximum size coarse
r/min for 500 revolutions (Note 6). After the prescribed number aggregate with percent losses in the range of 10 to 45 %, the
of revolutions, discharge the material from the machine and multilaboratory coefficient of variation has been found to be
make a preliminary separation of the sample on a sieve coarser 4.5 %.3 Therefore, results of two properly conducted tests
than the 1.70-mm (No. 12) sieve. Sieve the finer portion on a from two different laboratories on samples of the same coarse
1.70-mm sieve in a manner conforming to Test Method C 136. aggregates are not expected to differ from each other by more
Wash the material coarser than the 1.70-mm (No. 12) sieve and
oven-dry at 110 6 5 °C (230 6 9 °F) to substantially constant
mass (see 9.1.1), and determine the mass to the nearest 1 g 3
These numbers represent, respectively, the (1s%) and (d2s%) limits as
(Note 7). described in Practice C 670.

3
 C 131 – 06
than 12.7 %3 (95 % probability) of their average. The single- 13. Keywords
operator coefficient of variation has been found to be
13.1 abrasion; aggregate (coarse; small size); degradation;
2.0 %.3 Therefore, results of two properly conducted tests by
impact; Los Angeles machine
the same operator on the same coarse aggregate are not
expected to differ from each other by more than 5.7 % (95 %
probability) of their average.3
12.2 Bias—Since there is no accepted reference material
suitable for determining the bias for this procedure, no state-
ment on bias is being made.

APPENDIX

(Nonmandatory Information)

X1. MAINTENANCE OF SHELF

X1.1 The shelf of the Los Angeles machine is subject to mine that it is not bent either lengthwise or from its normal
severe surface wear and impact. With use, the working surface radial position with respect to the cylinder. If either condition
of the shelf is peened by the balls and tends to develop a ridge is found, the shelf should be repaired or replaced before further
of metal parallel to and about 32 mm (11⁄4 in.) from the junction tests are made. The influence on the test result of the ridge
of the shelf and the inner surface of the cylinder. If the shelf is developed by peening of the working face of the shelf is not
made from a section of rolled angle, not only may this ridge known. However, for uniform test conditions, it is recom-
develop but the shelf itself may be bent longitudinally or mended that the ridge be ground off if its height exceeds 2 mm
transversely from its proper position. (0.1 in.).
X1.2 The shelf should be inspected periodically to deter-

SUMMARY OF CHANGES

Committee C09 has identified the location of selected changes to this test method since the last issue,
C 131 – 03, that may impact the use of this test method. (Approved August 1, 2006)

(1) Revised 6.1.

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