Grading & Surface Area of Aggregates

 The particle size distribution of an aggregate

as determined by sieve analysis is termed as
grading of the aggregate.

 Particles of various sizes will give mass

containing lesser voids.

 Effect on the workability & property of

hardened concrete
Grain Size Distribution Curve
Grading & Surface Area of Aggregates

 Well graded aggregates with minimum voids

require minimum paste to fill up the voids in
the aggregates.

 The paste which is a weak link in a mass of

concrete. The lesser the quantity of such
weak material, the better will be the
concrete. This objective can be achieved by
having well graded aggregates.
Grading & Surface Area of Aggregates

 Grading for maximum density gives the

highest strength, and that the grading
curve of the best mixture resembles a
parabola.

 The concrete made from aggregate grading

having least surface area will require least
water which will consequently be the
strongest.
Fineness Modulus

 The fineness modulus is a numerical index

of fineness, giving some idea of the mean
size of the particles present in the entire
body of the aggregate.

 Fineness Modulus=sum of cumulative percentage retained on each sieve

100

 Higher the Fineness Modulus, Harsh will be the mix

and lower Fineness Modulus produce Un-
economical mix.
Fineness Modulus

 The object of finding fineness modulus is to

grade the given aggregate for the most
economical mix for the required strength
and workability with minimum quantity of
cement.
 The larger the figure, the coarser is the
aggregates.
Type of Aggregates Fineness Modulus
Fine Aggregate 2.0-3.5
Coarse Aggregate 5.5-8.0
All in aggregate 3.5-6.5
Example:
Coarse Aggregates Fine Aggregates

IS
Sieve, Cumulative
Weight Cumulative % Cumulative Weight Cumulative Wt Cumulative % Cumulative %
mm Wt retained,
retained, kg Wt retained % passing retained, kg retained, kg Wt retained passing
kg

80 0 0 0 100 - - - -

40 0 0 0 100 - - - -

20 6 6 40 60 - - - -

10 5 11 73.3 26.7 0 0 0.0 100

4.75 4 15 100 0 10 10 2.0 98

2.36 - 0 100 0 50 60 12.0 88

1.18 - 0 100 0 50 110 22.0 78

0.6 - 0 100 0 95 205 41.0 59

0.3 - 0 100 0 175 380 76.0 24

0.15 - 0 100 0 85 465 93.0 7

Pan - 0 0 35 500

Total 15 713.3 500.0 246.0

FM=713.3 =7.13 FM=246 =2.46

100 100
Combined Grading

 Mixing of available fine aggregate with

available coarse aggregate in appropriate
percentages may produce desirable
grading's.
 Knowing the grading of available
aggregates, proportions of mixing different
sizes can be calculated, either graphically or
arithmetically.
 Combined Grading
Percentage Passing 1st Trial 2nd Trial
I.S Specified
Sieves 70% 30% Combined 60% 40% Combined
C.A F.A combined
C.A C.A grading C.A C.A grading
grading
40 100 100 100 70 30 100 60 40 100
20 96 100 98 67.2 30 97.2 60 40 97.6
10 35 100 61 24.5 30 54.5 57.6 40 61
4.75 6 92 42 4.2 27.6 31.8 21 36.8 40.6
2.36 0 85 35 - 25.5 25.5 3.6 34.0 34
1.18 0 75 28 - 22.5 22.5 - 30.0 30
0.6 0 60 22 - 18.0 18.0 - 24.0 24
0.3 0 10 5 - 3.0 3.0 - 4.0 4
0.15 0 0 0 - - - - - -
Specific Surface & Surface Index
 The surface area per unit weight of the
material is termed as specific surface.
 This is an indirect measure of the
aggregate grading.
 Specific surface increases with the
reduction in the size of aggregate.
 Greater surface area requires more water
for lubricating the mix to give workability.
 Presence of smaller particles reduces
workability.
 Surface Index (fx)
 The total surface index (fx) of a mixture of
aggregate is calculated by,
Surface index =507 =0.507
1000
Standard Grading Curve
 The grading patterns of aggregate can be
shown in tables or charts.
 Expressing grading limits by means of a
charts gives a good pictorial view.
 The comparison of grading pattern of a
number of samples can be made at one
glance.
Standard Grading Curve
 Road Research Laboratory U.K has
prepared a set of type grading curves for
aggregates between 20mm to 40 mm.
Standard Grading Curve for 80mm & 10mm
aggregates
Standard Grading Curves for Zone-1 & 2
Standard Grading Curves for Zone-3 & 4
Standard Grading Curve
 In practice, it is difficult to get the
aggregate to conform to any one particular
standard curve exactly. If the user insists
on a particular pattern of grading, the
supplier may quote very high rates.
 Grading Limits for Coarse
Aggregates IS:383-1970
IS Percentage passing for Graded
Sieve, Percentage passing for single sized aggregate aggregate of nominal size (by
mm nominal size (by weight) weight)
63mm 40mm 20mm 16mm 12.5mm 10mm 40mm 20mm 16mm 12.5mm
80 100 - - - - - 100 - - -
63 85-100 100 - - - - - - - -
40 0-30 85-100 100 - - - 95-100 100 - -
20 0-5 0-20 85-100 100 - - 30-70 95-100 100 100
16 - - - 85-100 100 - - - 90-100 -
12.5 - - - - 85-100 100 - - - 90-100

10 - 0-5 0-20 0-30 0-45 85-100 10-35 25-55 30-70 40-85

4.75 - - 0-5 0-5 0-10 0-20 0-5 0-10 0-10 0-10
2.36 - - - - - 0-5 - - - -
 Grading Limits for Fine
Aggregates IS:383-1970

Percentage passing by weight for

I.S Sieve Grading Grading Grading Grading

Designation, mm Zone-I Zone-II Zone-III Zone-IV
10 100 100 100 100
4.75 90-100 90-100 90-100 95-100
2.36 60-95 75-100 85-100 95-100
1.18 30-70 55-90 75-100 90-100
0.6 15-34 35-59 60-79 80-100
0.3 5-20 8-30 12-40 15-50
0.15 0-10 0-10 0-10 0-15
 Gap Grading
 It was realized later that the voids created by a
particular fraction are too small to
accommodate the very next lower size.

 The next lower size being itself bigger than the

size of the voids, it will create what is known as
"particle size interference.

 It prevents the large aggregates compacting to

their maximum density.
 Gap Grading
 The void size existing between 40 mm
aggregate is of the size equal to 10 mm or
possibly 4.75 mm or the size of voids occurring
when 20 mm aggregate is used will be in the
order of say 1.18 mm or so.

 Along with 20 mm aggregate, only when 1.18

mm aggregate size is used, the sample will
contain least voids and concrete requires least
matrix.
Advantages of Gap Grading
 Sand required will be of the order of about 26 per cent as
against about 40 per cent in the case of continuous
grading.
 Specific surface area of the gap graded aggregate will be
low, because of high percentage of C.A. and low
percentage of F.A.
 Requires less cement and lower water/cement ratio.
 Because of point contact between C.A. to C.A. and also on
account of lower cement and matrix content, the drying
shrinkage is reduced.