Comparison of Different-Energy-Level Abrasion in Los Angeles and Micro-Deval Apparatuses Using Mass Loss and Rounding of Sediment Particles

During the routing of coarse particles in sedimentary environments, the particles are subjected to abrasion, leading to mass loss and changes in the particles’ morphology. The particles become more spherical, rounded, and smooth. Here, particles’ (quarried dolomite) morphological evolution of three shape aspects (form, roundness, and texture) and the mass decreases obtained in two sets of experiments in two different setups are presented. Abrasion experiments were carried out in cycles. Between cycles, morphological parameters and mass losses were tracked. Abrasion was investigated with consideration of the energy and power the apparatuses used that the material was subjected to, in contrast to the often-used estimated travel distances or duration of the abrasion. The goal was to examine if the two setups can be comparable and inter-transferrable, also to other similar abrasion setups. The experimental equipment, a micro-Deval apparatus and a Los Angeles machine, are standardised and widely used. The applied tests were modified. Morphological/shape parameters were determined using dynamic image analysis. The results of the tests show the influence of machine power (energy introduction rate) on mass loss and morphological change. Los Angeles (high-energy) abrasion resulted in higher mass loss values than micro-Deval (low-energy) abrasion. The mass loss results can be brought to comparable values by a newly introduced mass- and power-dependent coefficient. Low-energy abrasion resulted in faster rounding than high-energy abrasion, whereas form stayed nearly the same. In contrast, form changed rapidly during high-energy abrasion.