Predicting Los Angeles abrasion of rocks in Sri Lanka from some physical and mechanical properties of rock

Abstract

As urbanization and development rapidly increase, the demand for high quality aggregates becomes progressively higher. Thus quality controlling of rock aggregates is a major concern in construction industry. The engineering properties of different rock types in Sri Lanka are not the same and therefore the suitability of rock aggregates should be investigated prior to use for construction works. The cost and time implication of the quality control process is becoming a concern from the entrepreneurial point of concern. Cost and time of quality controlling can be minimized via finding correlations between different tests on aggregates and rocks. Laboratory studies were carried out to investigate the existence of relationship between LAAV and AIV, ACV, TFV, UCS, Point Load Index (PL), Specific Gravity (SG), Water Absorption (WA), Methylene Blue Absorption (MBA) and soundness parameters of the rocks in Sri Lanka. Fresh rock samples of different rock types were collected from quarries operating in various locations and exposed rocks in different localities within Sri Lanka to correlate each parameters. Results from different rock types were analyzed separately using EXCEL by the means of least square regression methods. A linear relationship between LAAV and AIV was found with R2 value of 0.7728 for Biotite Gneiss rock and exponential relationship between LAAV and AIV was found with R2 value of 0.6609 for Charnokite/Charnokitic Gneiss rock. Relationships between LAAV and ACV for Biotite Gneiss and impure marble as well as relationships between LAAV and PL and LAAV and TFV for Biotite Gneiss were obtained with significant R2values. Strong relationship could not be obtained between LAAV and Soundness, MBA, SG and WA. Key words: Quality controlling, LAAV, Correlations, EXCEL, regression methods