LA Abrasion testing and aggregate surfaced roads

[foreng]

In the process of designing a rural aggregate surfaced roads in Alberta, Canada and noticed the that an LA abrasion test for surfacing aggregate (i.e. unpaved road) was not applicable, only required for asphalt concrete pavements and base course aggregate. Just curious why that might be the case.

 

[Ron]

It can be applied to either, but is most often applied to aggregate bound in a matrix of asphalt or portland cement. It is simply a measure of how much degradation an aggregate can withstand under standard conditions. It is then applied as an estimate of the performance of the aggregate under actual conditions.

 

[EireChch]

In the UK its one of the test requirements for Ministry of Transport (MOT) Type 1 road base, which would be the best performing aggregate road base.

When you say aggregate surface road, you mean an unbound loose aggregate road?

 

[foreng]

yes an unbound loose aggregate road, or unpaved (aggregate wear course) road. A low volume rural road.

see attached designation 4 aggregate

 

[BigH]

EPA and FHWA have manuals for unpaved roads. You can check out, too:

http://onlinepubs.trb.org/Onlinepubs/trr/1987/1106v1/1106v1-027.pdf

; and this:

http://www.ucprc.ucdavis.edu/dustcontrol/PDFs/UNDERSTANDING UNPAVED ROAD MATERIAL PERFORMANCE.pdf

. I have other references but have to dig them out.