Sixth Lecture: 31 / 03 / 2015

Course of: Measurement of Rock Properties

This method covers procedures for testing aggregate for resistance to abrasion
using LOS ANGELES TEST MACHINE.

Sixth Lecture: 31 / 03 / 2015

Course of: Measurement of Rock Properties

Sample preparation
The test sample shall be washed & oven-dried at 105 C to 110 C to
substantially constant mass.
The sample shall be separated into individual size fractions & recombined
to the grading of Table 1 & 2 most nearly corresponding to the range of sizes in the
aggregate as furnished for the work.
The mass of the sample shall prior to test shall be recorded to the nearest 1
g (m1).

Sixth Lecture: 31 / 03 / 2015

Course of: Measurement of Rock Properties

The charge shall consist of 12 steel spheres averaging approximately 47 mm

(12732 in.) in diameter, each having a mass between 390 & 445 g, & having a
total mass of 500025 g.

Grading

No of Steel balls

Weight of charge in gm

12

5000 25

11

4584 25

3330 20

2500 15

12

5000 25

12

5000 25

12

5000 25

Place the test sample & the charge in the Los Angeles testing machine & rotate
the machine at a speed of 30 to 33 rev/min for 500 revolutions.
The number of revolutions shall be 500 for aggregate smaller than 38 mm.
The number of revolutions shall be 1000 for aggregate larger than 19 mm.

Sixth Lecture: 31 / 03 / 2015

Course of: Measurement of Rock Properties

After the prescribed number of revolutions, discharge the material from the
machine & make a preliminary separation of the sample on a sieve coarser
than the 1.70-mm (No. 12). Sieve the finer portion on a 1.70-mm sieve in a
manner conforming to Test Method C 136. Wash the material coarser than the
1.70-mm sieve & oven dry at 1105C (2309F) to substantially constant
mass & determine the mass to the nearest 1 g If the aggregate is essentially free
of adherent coatings & dust, the requirement for washing after test may be
waived, but drying before the test is always required. However, in the case of
referee testing, the washing procedure shall be performed.
Valuable information concerning the uniformity of the sample under test may
be obtained by also determining the loss after 100 revolutions in the case where
500 revolutions is specified or after 200 revolutions in the case where 1000
revolutions is specified. The loss should be determined without washing the
material coarser than the 1.7-mm sieve. The ratio of the loss after 100 or 200
revolutions to lose after 500 or 1000 revolutions, respectively, should not
greatly exceed 0.20 for material of uniform hardness. When this determination
is made, care should be taken to avoid losing any part of the sample; the entire
sample, including the dust of abrasion, shall be returned to the test machine for
the final 400 or 800 revolutions required to complete the test.

CALCULATION
Express the difference between the original weight and the final weight of the
test sample as a percentage of the original weight of the test sample report this
value as a percentage of wear.

Sixth Lecture: 31 / 03 / 2015

Course of: Measurement of Rock Properties

This method is suggested for the use of the Schmidt impact hammer for the
hardness determination of rock.
When performing rebound measurements on core samples, both ASTM and
ISRM recommend the use of a heavy specimen holder to prevent damage to
the cores on impact. Ideally it should have a semi-circular groove with the
same diameter as the core, but it may also be a V-shaped groove.
The device is portable and may be used both in laboratory and field.
Schmidt hammer models are available in different level of impact energy. The
L type hammer having an impact energy of 0.74Nm shall be used.

Procedure
(a)

Prior to each testing sequence, the Schmidt hammer should be calibrated

using a calibration test anvil supplied by the manufacturer for that purpose.

Sixth Lecture: 31 / 03 / 2015

Course of: Measurement of Rock Properties

(b)

Specimens obtained for laboratory tests shall be representative of the rock

to be studied. When possible, use larger pieces of rock for the Schmidt
hardness tests. The Type L hammer should be used on NX or larger core
specimens or on block specimens having an edge length of at least 6 cm.

(c)

The test surface of all specimens, either in the laboratory or in the field,
shall be smooth and flat over the area covered by the plunger. This area and
the rock material beneath to a depth of 6 cm shall be free from cracks, or
any localized discontinuity of the rock mass.

(d)

Small individual pieces of rock, whether tested in the laboratory or in the

field, shall be securely clamped to a rigid base to adequately secure the
specimen against vibration and movement during the test. The base shall
be placed on a flat surface that provides firm support.

(e)

The hardness value obtained will be affected by the orientation of the

hammer. It is recommended that the hammer be used in one of three
positions: vertically upwards, horizontally, or vertically downwards with
the axis of the hammer 5 from the desired position. When use of one of
the three orientations is not feasible (e.g. in situ testing in a circular tunnel),
the test should be conducted at the necessary angle and the results
corrected to a horizontal or vertical position using the correction curves
supplied by the manufacturer. The hammer orientation for the test and any
corrections applied to non-vertical or non-horizontal orientations should
be recorded and reported in the results.

(f)

At least 20 individual tests shall be conducted on any one rock sample. Test
locations shall be separated by at least the diameter of the plunger. Any test
that causes cracking or any other visible failure shall cause that test and the
specimen to be rejected. Errors in specimen preparation and testing
technique tend to produce low hardness values.

Sixth Lecture: 31 / 03 / 2015

Course of: Measurement of Rock Properties

Calculation

(a)

The correction factor is calculated as:

Correction factor =

(b)

The measured test values for the sample should be ordered in descending
value. The lower 50% of the values should be discarded and the average
obtained of the upper 50% values. This average shall be multiplied by the
correction factor to obtain the Schmidt Rebound Hardness.

Reporting results
The following information shall be reported:
(a)
(b)
(c)
(d)
(e)
(f)

Lithologic description of the rock. Source of sample, including: geographic

location, depth and orientations.
Type of specimen (core, blasted or broken sample, in situ). Size and shape of
core or block specimen.
Date of sampling, date of testing and condition of storage (i.e. exposure to
temperature extremes, air drying, moisture, etc.).
Orientation of the hammer axis in the test.
Method of clamping sample (V-block or clamps).
The Schmidt Hardness value obtained as in the Calculations section above.

Sixth Lecture: 31 / 03 / 2015

Course of: Measurement of Rock Properties

Sixth Lecture: 31 / 03 / 2015

Course of: Measurement of Rock Properties

SUGGESTED METHOD FOR DETERMINATION OF THE UNIAXIAL

COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH OF ROCK MATERIALS

SCOPE
This method of test is intended to measure the uniaxial compressive strength
of a rock sample in the form of specimens of regular geometry.The test is
mainly intended for strength classification & characterization of intact rock.

APPARATUS
A) Suitable machine shall be used which have sufficient capacity and capable
of applying load.It shall be verified at suitable time intervals and shall
comply with accepted national requirements.
B) A spherical seat shall be removed or placed in a locked position, the two
loading faces of machine being parallel to each other.
C) Steel plates in the form of discs shall be placed at the specimen ends.
The diameter of platens shall be between D and D + 2mm, where D is the
diameter of the specimen. The thickness of the platens shall be at least 15mm
or (D/3).Surfaces of the discs should be ground and their flatness should be
better than 0.005 mm.
D) One of the two platens shall incorporate a spherical seat which placed on
the upper end of specimen.It should be lightly lubricated.The curvature center
of seat surface should coincide with center of top end of specimen.

Sixth Lecture: 31 / 03 / 2015

Course of: Measurement of Rock Properties

PROCEDURE
a) Test specimens shall be right circular cylinders having a height to diameter
ratio of 2.5-3.0 and a diameter preferably of not less than core size
approximately 54 mm.
b) The ends of specimen shall be flat to 0.02mm and shall not depart from
perpendicularity to the axis of specimen by more than 0.001 radian or
0.05mm in 50mm.
c)The sides of specimen shall be smooth and free of abrupt irregularities and
straight to within 0.3mm over the full length of specimen.
d)The use of mapping materials or end surface treatments other than
machining is not permitted.
e)The average diameter shall be used for calculating the cross-sectional
area.The height of the specimen shall be determined to nearest 1.0mm.
f)Samples shall be stored for no longer than 30 days in such a way as to
preserve the natural water content,as far as possible,and tested in that
condition.
g)Load on the specimen shall be applied continuously at a constant stress rate
such that failure will occur with 5-10 min of loading. Loading rate of 0.5-1.0
MPa/s.
h)The maximum load on the specimen shall be recorded in Newtons.
j)The number of specimen tested sould be determined from practical
considerations but at least five are preffered.

10

Sixth Lecture: 31 / 03 / 2015

Course of: Measurement of Rock Properties

CALCULATIONS

The uniaxial compressive strength of the specimen shall be calculated by

dividing the maximum load carried by the specimen during the test by the
original cross-sectional area.

REPORTING OF RESULTS

a)Lithologic description of the rock.

b)Orientation of the axis of loading with respect to specimen anisotropy.
c)Source of sample.
d)Number of specimen tested.
e)Specimen diameter and height.
f)Water content and degree of saturation at time of test.
g)Test duration and stress rate.
h)Date of testing,type of testing machine.
i)Mode of failure.
j)Uniaxial compressive strength for each specimen in sample.

11

Sixth Lecture: 31 / 03 / 2015

Course of: Measurement of Rock Properties

SUGGESTED METHOD FOR DETERMINING DEFORMABILITY OF ROCK

MATERIALS IN UNIAXIAL COMPRESSION

SCOPE
This method of test is intended to determine stress-strain curves and
Youngs modulus and Poissons ratio in uniaxial compression of a rock
specimen of regular geometry.The test is mainly intended for classification
and characterization of intact rock.

APPARATUS
From (a) to (d) same as Part 1.
e)Electrical resistance strain gauge,linear variable differential transformers,
compressometers, optical devices or other suitable measuring devices.
f)An apparatus for recording the loads and deformations,preferably an X-Y
recorder capable of direct plotting of load-deformation curves.

12

Sixth Lecture: 31 / 03 / 2015

Course of: Measurement of Rock Properties

PROCEDURE
From (a) to (e) same as Part 1.
f)When possible,in situ moisture conditions should be preserved until the time
of the test.
g)Load on the specimen should be applied continuously at a constant stress
rate such that failure will occur 5-10 min of loading.
h)Load and axial circumferential strains or deformations shall be recorded at
evently spaced load intervals during the test,if not continually recorded.
i)It is sometimes advisible for a few cycles of loading and unloading to be
performed.
j)The number of specimens instrumented and tested under a specified set of
conditions shall be governed by practical considerations but at least five are
preffered.

CALCULATIONS
a) Axial strain,a and diametric strain, d may be recorded directly from
strain indicating equipment or may be calculated from deformation readings
depending upon the type of instrumentation.
b) Axial strain is calculated from equation:

Where
o = original measured axial length.
= change in measured axial length.

13

Sixth Lecture: 31 / 03 / 2015

Course of: Measurement of Rock Properties

c)Diametric strain is calculated form equation:

Where
= original unformed diameter of specimen.
= change in diameter.
In the case of measuring the circumferential strain
C d,thus change in circumference ,is C d.

c ,the circumference is

d) The compressive stress:

e) Figure 1, illustrates typical plot of axial stress versus axial and diametric
strains.

The curves give the best description of the deformation behavior of rocks
having non-linear stress-strain behaviour at low and high stress levels.

14

Sixth Lecture: 31 / 03 / 2015

Course of: Measurement of Rock Properties

f) Axial Youngs modulus, E may be calculated using any engineering

practice.The most common methods ,listed in Fig.2,are as follows:

g) Poissons ratio 19 may be calculated from the equation:

h) The volumetric strain EO:

REPORTING OF RESULTS
From (a) to (i) same as Part 1.
j) Values of applied load, stress & strain as tabulates results or recorded on
chart.
k) Young's modulus & Poisson's ratio for each specimen.
I) Method of determination of Young's modulus & what axial stress level
determined.

15