Lecture # 06 Aggregate: LT Col Md. Jahidul Islam, PHD, Engrs

CE6110: Advanced Concrete Technology 8/6/2021
Lecture # 06
Aggregate
Lt Col Md. Jahidul Islam, PhD, Engrs

e-mail: mjislam@ce.mist.ac.bd
Aggregates:
 In ordinary structural concretes,
the aggregates occupy about 65 to
75 % of the total hardened
volume.
CE6110: Dr M. Jahidul Islam 2
by Dr. M. Jahidul Islam 1

 Aggregate is relatively inexpensive and does not enter into

complex chemical reactions with water;
 It has been customary, therefore, to treat it as an inert filler
in concrete
 However, due to increasing awareness of the role played by
aggregates in determining many important properties of
concrete, the traditional view of the aggregate as an inert
filler is being seriously questioned
 Aggregate characteristics that are significant for making
concrete include
 porosity
 grading or size distribution
 moisture absorption
 shape and surface texture
 crushing strength
 elastic modulus
 the type of deleterious (harmful) substances present
 Aggregate characteristics are derived from mineralogical

composition of the parent rock (which is affected by
geological rock-formation processes), exposure conditions
to which the rock has been subjected to before mining,
and the type of equipment used for producing the
aggregate.
 Therefore, fundamentals of rock formation, classification
and description of rocks and minerals, and industrial
processing factors that influence aggregate characteristics
are of importance.

 Classification of aggregates according to particle size,

bulk density, or source have given rise to a special
nomenclature, which should be clearly understood.
 For instance, the term coarse aggregate is used to
describe particles larger than 4.75 mm (retained on No. 4
sieve), and the term fine aggregate is used for particles
smaller than 4.75 mm
 Typically fine aggregates contain particles in the size
range 75 μm (No. 200 sieve) to 4.75 mm, and coarse
aggregates from 4.75 to about 50 mm, except for mass
concrete that may contain particles up to 150 mm.
 Most natural mineral aggregates, such as sand and gravel,

have a bulk density of 1520 to 1680 kg/m3 (95 to 100
lb/ft3) and produce normal-weight concrete with
approximately 2400 kg/m3 (150 lb/ft3) unit weight
 For special needs, aggregates with lighter or heavier
density can be used to make correspondingly lightweight
and heavyweight concretes
 Generally, the aggregates with bulk densities less than
1120 kg/m3 (70 lb/ft3) are called lightweight and those
weighing more than 2080 kg/m3 (130 lb/ft3) are called
heavyweight

 For the most part, concrete aggregates are comprised of

sand, gravel, and crushed rock derived from natural
sources. These are referred to as natural mineral
aggregates.
 On the other hand, thermally processed materials such as
expanded clay and shale, which are used for making
lightweight concrete, are called synthetic aggregates.
 Aggregates made from industrial by-products (e.g.,
blastfurnace slag and fly ash) also belong to this category.
 Municipal wastes (such as plastic, rubber, etc.) and
recycled concrete from demolished buildings and
pavements are also being investigated for use as aggregate
for fresh concrete.
 Natural mineral aggregates form the most important class of

aggregates for making Portland cement concrete
 Most common coarse aggregate consumed by the concrete
industry is either gravel or crushed rock.
 Carbonate rocks comprise about two-thirds of the crushed
aggregate; sandstone, granite, diorite, gabbro, and basalt make
up the rest
 Natural silica sand is predominantly used as fine aggregate, even
with most lightweight concrete
 Natural mineral aggregates are derived from rocks of several
types and most rocks are themselves composed of several
minerals
 A mineral is defined as a naturally occurring inorganic substance
of more or less definite chemical composition and usually of a
specific crystalline structure

 According to their origin, rocks are classified into three

major groups: igneous, sedimentary, and metamorphic;
these groups are further subdivided according to
mineralogical and chemical composition, texture or grain
size, and crystal structure.
10

 Igneous rocks are formed by cooling of the magma

(molten rock matter) either above, or below, or near the
earth’s surface. The degree of crystallinity and the grain
size of igneous rocks, therefore, vary with the rate at
which magma was cooled at the time of rock formation. It
may be noted that grain size has a significant effect on
the rock characteristics; rocks having the same chemical
composition but different grain size may behave
differently under the same condition of exposure.
Granite Basalt
11
 Sedimentary rocks are stratified rocks that are usually

laid down under water but are, at times, accumulated by
wind and glacial action. The siliceous sedimentary rocks
are derived from existing igneous rocks. Depending on
their method of deposition and consolidation, it is
convenient to subdivide them into three groups: (1)
mechanically deposited either in an unconsolidated or
physically consolidated state, (2) mechanically deposited
and consolidated usually with chemical cements, and (3)
chemically deposited and consolidated
Limestone
12

 Metamorphic rocks are igneous or sedimentary rocks that

have changed their original texture, crystal structure, or
mineralogical composition in response to physical and
chemical conditions below the earth’s surface. Common
rock types belonging to this group are marble, schist,
phyllites, and gneiss. The rocks are dense but frequently
foliated. Some phyllites are reactive with the alkalies
present in Portland cement paste.
Marble:
Limestone
CE6110: Dr M. Jahidul Islam 13 Quartz sandstone
13
 Aggregates that weigh less than 1120 kg/m3 (70 lb/ft3) are
generally considered lightweight, and find application in the
production of various types of lightweight concretes
 The light weight of the aggregate is due to the cellular or highly
porous microstructure
 It may be noted that cellular organic materials such as wood
chips should not be used as aggregate because they would not
be durable in the moist alkaline environment within Portland-
cement concrete
 Natural lightweight aggregates are made by crushing igneous
volcanic rocks such as pumice, scoria, or tuff
 Synthetic lightweight aggregates are manufactured by thermal
treatment of a variety of materials, for instance, clays, shale,
slate, diatomite, pearlite, vermiculite, blast-furnace slag,
plastic and fly ash
14

CE6110: Dr M. Jahidul Islam

15
15
 The most widely used

natural L.W.A. Usually
whitish gray to yellow
in color but may also
be brown red or
black. It is porous in
structure.
 EXPANDING: Materials
are passed through a
rotary kiln at about
1090C. Gasses within
the material expand,
forming thousands of
tiny air cells within
the mass.
16

 It is also of volcanic
origin, resembles
industrial cinders and
is usually red to black
in color. (Cinders are
residues from high-
temperature
combustion of coal in
industrial furnaces).
 The pores in scoria
are larger than those
of pumice and more
or less spherical
shape.
17
 It is an aggregate derived from

crushing perlite and then
expanding the resulting
particles in a kiln by driving the
water out.
 It is used to replace natural
sand in lightweight concrete
manufacture and has very good
insulating properties.
 Concrete made with this
aggregate has limited strength
as well as high shrinkage.
 Perlite is also used in the
manufacture of cement mortar.
18

 It is a type of mica, and also

used in the manufacture of
lightweight concrete.
 It is produced by heating the
raw material until it expands up
to 20 times its original volume.
 It is too soft and weak a
material to be used in concrete
that requires strength, but is
used in plaster as a
replacement for sand.
 The bulk density of vermiculite
is 64 to 192 kg/m3 which is
nearly same as that of perlite.
 Concrete made with
vermiculate or perlite has low
compressive strength and high
shrinkage, but excellent
insulating properties.
19
 They are in manufactured

lightweight aggregate
category, and are produced
by crushing the raw
materials and heating them
to 1350C, when they EXPANDED SHALE
become soft and expand
(up to 600 to 700% of
original volume) because of
entrapped gasses.
CE6110: Dr M. Jahidul Islam EXPANDED

20 CLAY
20

 Some of the L.W.A., especially the fine portions of

crushed aggregates, have highly angular, unfavorable
particle shape.
 This has harmful effects on;
 Workability
 Finishing
 Bleeding on concrete
 These can be reduced by AIR-ENTRAINMENT (up to 10%),

increased cement content, use of mineral admixtures, or
partial substitution of fine, light particles by normal-
weight concrete sand or that recommended for masonry
mortar.
CE6110: Dr M. Jahidul Islam

21
21
 The lighter bulk specific gravity of the aggregate can

also cause problems because it can produce segregation
of the coarse particles from the concrete mass during
mixing, shipping, placing, and compaction.
 During the vibration of freshly mixed concrete, the
coarse particles have a tendency to move upward.
 The danger of segregation can be reduced by;
 careful proportioning,
 proper handling of the fresh concrete.
22

 High absorption value and the high rate of absorption of

most L.W.A. can also be a problem if not checked
frequently and counter balanced in the proportioning.
 The high water absorption can be a problem in

connection with the frost resistance of L.W.A. concretes.
23
 Compared to normal-weight aggregate

concrete with a typical unit weight of 2400
kg/m3 (150 lb/ft3), heavy-weight concretes
weigh from 2900 to 6100 kg/m3 (180 to 380 Natural Barium Sulphate
lb/ft3), and are primarily used for making
nuclear radiation shields
 Heavy-weight aggregates (i.e., those that
have a substantially higher density than
normal-weight aggregate) are used for the Iron ores
production of heavy-weight concrete
 Natural rocks suitable for heavy-weight
aggregate consist predominately of two
barium minerals, several iron ores, and a
titanium ore
CE6110: Dr M. Jahidul Islam Perovskite

24 rock (titanium ore)
24

25
 Slow cooling of blast-furnace slag in ladles, pits, or iron molds

yields a product that can be crushed and graded to obtain dense
and strong particles suitable for use as concrete aggregate.
 The properties of the aggregate vary with the composition and
rate of cooling of slag.
 Acid (siliceous) slags generally produce a denser aggregate, and
basic (limey) slags tend to produce a vesicular or honeycombed
structure with a lower apparent specific gravity (2 to 2.8).
 On the whole, the bulk density of slowly cooled slags, which
typically ranges from 1120 to 1360 kg/m3, is somewhere
between normal-weight natural aggregate and structural
lightweight aggregate.
 These aggregates are widely used for making precast concrete
products such as masonry blocks, channels, and fence posts.
26

 Fly ash consists essentially of small spherical particles of

aluminosilicate glass, which is produced by combustion of
pulverized coal in thermal power plants
 As large quantities of the ash remain unutilized in most
countries of the world, attempts have been made to use
the ash for making lightweight aggregate
 In a typical manufacturing process, fly ash is pelletized and
then sintered in a rotary kiln, shaft kiln, or a traveling
grate at temperatures in the range 1000 to 1200°C
 Variations in the fineness and carbon content of fly ash are
a major problem in controlling the quality of sintered fly-
ash aggregate
27
 Rubble from demolished concrete buildings yields

fragments in which the aggregate is contaminated with
hydrated cement paste, gypsum, and minor quantities of
other substances
 The size fraction that corresponds to fine aggregate
contains large amounts of hydrated cement and gypsum,
and it is unsuitable for making fresh concrete mixtures
 However, the size fraction that corresponds to coarse
aggregate, although coated with cement paste, has been
used successfully in several laboratory and field studies
28

 In our day to day life, plastic becomes one of the most

widely used items. More than 299 million tons of plastics
were produced in 2013 alone.
 Although it has made our life comfortable but it also
create a large waste disposal problem. Because of its non-
biodegradable nature it creates congestion in ground and
water system. In Bangladesh 750 thousand tons of recycled
plastic waste was created during 2010 – 2011.
 There is a potential to adopt waste plastic as a partial
replacement for coarse or fine aggregate and achieve
higher strength than the regular concrete.
29
 A knowledge of certain aggregate characteristics (i.e.,

density, grading, and moisture state) is required for
proportioning concrete mixtures
 Porosity or density, grading, shape, and surface texture
determine the properties of plastic concrete mixtures
 In addition to porosity, the mineralogical composition of
aggregate affects its crushing strength, hardness, elastic
modulus, and soundness, which in turn, influence various
properties of hardened concrete containing the aggregate
30

31
 Generally, aggregate properties affect not only the

concrete mixture proportions but also the behavior of
fresh and hardened concrete
 Due to considerable overlap between the two, it is more
appropriate to divide the study of aggregate properties
into three categories that are based on microstructural
and processing factors:
 Characteristics dependent on porosity: density, moisture
absorption, strength, hardness, elastic modulus, and
soundness
 Characteristics dependent on prior exposure and
processing factors: particle size, shape, and texture
 Characteristics dependent on chemical and mineralogical
composition: strength, hardness, elastic modulus, and
deleterious substances present
32

 For the purpose of proportioning concrete mixtures it is not

necessary to determine the true specific gravity of an aggregate
 Natural aggregates are porous; porosity values up to 2 percent
are common for intrusive igneous rocks, up to 5 percent for
dense sedimentary rocks, and 10 to 40 percent for very porous
sandstones and limestone
 For the purpose of mix proportioning, it is desired to know the
space occupied by the aggregate particles, inclusive of the pores
existing within the particles
 Therefore, determination of the apparent specific gravity,
which is defined as the density of the material including the
internal pores, is sufficient.
 The apparent specific gravity for many commonly used rocks
ranges between 2.6 and 2.7; typical values for granite,
sandstone, and dense limestone are 2.69, 2.65, and 2.60,
respectively
33
 For the purpose of concrete mixture proportioning, in

addition to apparent specific gravity, data are usually
needed on bulk density which is defined as the mass of the
aggregate fragments that would fill a unit volume
 The phenomenon of bulk density arises because it is not
possible to pack aggregate fragments together such that
there is no void space
 The term bulk is used since the volume is occupied by both
aggregates and voids
 The approximate bulk density of aggregates commonly
used in normal-weight concrete ranges from 1300 to 1750
kg/m3 (80 to 110 lb/ft3)
34

 Various states of moisture absorption in which an aggregate

particle can exist are shown in the following slide
 When all the permeable pores are full and there is no water film on
the surface, the aggregate is said to be in the saturated-surface
dry condition (SSD); when the aggregate is saturated and there is
also free moisture on the surface, the aggregate is in the wet or
damp condition
 In the oven-dry condition, all the evaporable water has been driven
off by heating to 100°C
 The amount of water in excess of the water required for the SSD
condition is referred to as the surface moisture
35
 Absorption capacity is defined as the total amount of moisture

required to bring an aggregate from the oven-dry to the SSD
condition
 Effective absorption is defined as the amount of moisture required
to bring an aggregate from the air-dry to the SSD condition
 The absorption capacity, effective absorption, and surface moisture
data are invariably needed for correcting the batch water and
aggregate proportions in concrete mixtures made from stock
materials
 As a first approximation, the absorption capacity of an aggregate,
which is easily determined, can be used as a rough measure of
porosity and strength
36

37
 Damp sands may suffer from a phenomenon known as

bulking
 Depending on the amount of moisture and aggregate
grading, a considerable increase in the bulk volume of the
sand can occur
 Because the surface tension of water keeps the particles
apart, fine sands show more bulking
 Since most sands are delivered at the job site in a damp
condition, wide variations can occur in the batch
quantities if batching is done by volume
 For this reason, proportioning of concrete mixture by mass
has become the standard practice in most countries
38

39
 The crushing strength, abrasion resistance, and elastic modulus

of aggregate are interrelated properties that are greatly
influenced by porosity
 Aggregates from natural sources that are commonly used for
making normal-weight concrete, are generally dense and strong;
therefore they are seldom a limiting factor to strength and
elastic properties of concrete
 Typical values of the crushing strength and dynamic elastic
modulus for most granite, basalt, trap rock, flint, quartzitic
sandstone, and dense limestone aggregates are in the range 210
to 310 MPa (30 to 45 × 103 psi) and 70 to 90 GPa (10 to 13 × 106
psi), respectively
 With regard to sedimentary rocks, the porosity varies over a
wide range, as will the crushing strength and related
characteristics
40

 An aggregate is considered unsound when the volume changes in

aggregate induced by weather (e.g., alternate cycles of wetting
and drying, or freezing and thawing), result in the deterioration
of concrete
 Unsoundness is shown generally by rocks having a certain
characteristic pore structure
 Concretes containing some cherts, shales, limestones, and
sandstones have been found susceptible to damage by frost
action or by salt crystallization within the aggregate particle
 Although high moisture absorption is often used as an index for
unsoundness, many aggregates such as pumice and expanded
clays can absorb large amounts of water but remain sound
 Unsoundness is therefore related to pore size distribution rather
than to the total porosity of aggregate
41
 A pore size distribution that allows the aggregate particles

to get saturated on wetting (or thawing in the case of frost
attack), but prevent easy drainage on drying (or freezing)
is capable of causing high hydraulic pressure within the
aggregate particles
 In the case of frost attack, in addition to pore size
distribution and degree of saturation there is a critical
aggregate size below which high internal stresses capable
of cracking the particle will not occur
 For most aggregate, this critical aggregate size is greater
than the normal size of coarse aggregates used in the
construction practice; however, for some poorly
consolidated rocks (sandstones, limestones, cherts,
shales), this size may be in the 12 to 25 mm range
42

 Grading is the distribution of particles of a granular material

among various size ranges, usually expressed in terms of
cumulative percentage larger or smaller than each of a series of
sizes of sieve openings, or the percentage between certain
range of sieve openings
 There are several reasons for specifying grading limits and
maximum aggregate size; the most important is their influence
on workability and cost
 For example, very coarse sands produce harsh and unworkable
concrete mixtures, and very fine sands increase the water
requirement (therefore, the cement requirement for a given
water-cement ratio) and are uneconomical
 Aggregates that do not have a large deficiency or excess of any
particular size produce the most workable and economical
concrete mixtures
43
100 100
PP CA
Brick CA
80 ASTM-Upper Limit
80
ASTM-Lower Limit
Cumulative Percent Passing (%)
Cumulative Percent Passing (%)
60 60
40 40
Sand
20 20
ASTM-Upper Limit
ASTM-Lower Limit
0 0
0.1 1 10 1 10 100
Sieve Size (mm) Sieve Size (mm)
44

 The maximum size of aggregate is conventionally designated by the

sieve size on which 15 percent or more particles are retained
 In general, the larger the maximum aggregate size, the smaller will be
the surface area per unit volume which has to be covered by the
cement paste of a given water-cement ratio
 Since the price of cement may be 10 to 15 times as much as the price
of aggregate, any action that saves cement without reducing the
strength and workability of concrete can result in significant economic
benefit
 In addition to cost economy, there are other factors that govern the
choice of maximum aggregate size for a concrete mixture
 According to one rule of thumb used in the construction industry, the
maximum aggregate size should not be larger than one-fifth of the
narrowest dimension of the form in which the concrete is to be placed;
also, it should not be larger than three-fourths of the maximum clear
distance between the reinforcing bars
45
 As large particles tend to produce more microcracks in the

interfacial transition zone between the coarse aggregate
and cement paste, with high-strength concrete mixtures
the maximum aggregate size is generally limited to 19 mm
 Similarly, aggregate grading has also considerable effect on
the cement paste requirement of a concrete mixture
 In practice, low void contents are achieved by using
smoothly graded coarse aggregates with suitable
proportions of graded sand
 In practice, an empirical factor called the fineness
modulus is often used as an index of the fineness of
aggregate
46

 The shape and surface texture of aggregate particles influence

the properties of fresh concrete more than hardened concrete
 Compared to smooth and rounded particles, rough-textured,
angular, and elongated particles require more cement paste to
produce workable concrete mixtures, thus increasing the cost
 Shape refers to geometrical characteristics such as round,
angular, elongated, or flaky
 Particles shaped by wearing down tend to become rounded by
losing edges and corners
 Wind-blown sands, as well as sand and gravel from seashore or
riverbeds generally have a well-rounded shape
 Crushed intrusive rocks possess well defined edges and corners
and are called angular
47
 Laminated limestones, sandstones, and shale tend to

produce elongated and flaky fragments, especially when
jaw crushers are used for crushing
 Those particles in which thickness is small relative to two
other dimensions are referred to as flat or flaky, while
those which are considerably bigger in length than the
other two dimensions are called elongated
 Another term sometimes used to describe the shape of
coarse aggregate is sphericity which is defined as a ratio of
surface area to volume
 Spherical or well-rounded particles have low sphericity,
but elongated and flaky particles possess high sphericity
48

 Elongated, blade-shaped aggregate particles should be avoided or

limited to a maximum of 15 percent by mass of the total aggregate
 This requirement is important not only for coarse aggregate but also
for manufactured sands (made by crushing stone), containing
elongated grains, which produce very harsh concrete
 The classification of surface texture, defined as the degree to which
the aggregate surface is smooth or rough, is based on visual judgment
 Surface texture of aggregate depends on the hardness, grain size, and
porosity of the parent rock and its subsequent exposure to forces of
attrition
 There is some evidence that, during early age, the strength of
concrete, particularly the flexural strength, can be affected by the
aggregate texture; a rougher texture seems to help the formation of a
stronger physical bond between the cement paste and aggregate. At a
later age, with a stronger chemical bond between the paste and the
aggregate, this effect may not be so important
49
 Deleterious substances are those that are present as minor

constituents of either fine or coarse aggregate but are capable of
adversely affecting the workability, setting and hardening, and
durability characteristics of concrete
 For both fine and coarse aggregates, ASTM C 33 requires that
“aggregate for use in concrete that will be subject to wetting,
extended exposure to humid atmosphere, or contact with moist
ground shall not contain any materials that are deleteriously reactive
with the alkalies in the cement in an amount sufficient to cause
excessive expansion except that if such materials are present in
injurious amounts, the aggregate may be used with a cement
containing less than 0.6 percent alkalies or with the addition of a
material that has been shown to prevent harmful expansion due to
the alkali-aggregate reaction”
50

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CE6110: Advanced Concrete Technology 8/6/2021

Lt Col Md. Jahidul Islam, PhD, Engrs

CE6110: Dr M. Jahidul Islam 2

by Dr. M. Jahidul Islam 1

 Aggregate is relatively inexpensive and does not enter into

CE6110: Dr M. Jahidul Islam 3

 Aggregate characteristics are derived from mineralogical

CE6110: Dr M. Jahidul Islam 4

by Dr. M. Jahidul Islam 2

 Classification of aggregates according to particle size,

CE6110: Dr M. Jahidul Islam 5

 Most natural mineral aggregates, such as sand and gravel,

CE6110: Dr M. Jahidul Islam 6

by Dr. M. Jahidul Islam 3

 For the most part, concrete aggregates are comprised of

 Natural mineral aggregates form the most important class of

by Dr. M. Jahidul Islam 4

 According to their origin, rocks are classified into three

CE6110: Dr M. Jahidul Islam 9

CE6110: Dr M. Jahidul Islam 10

by Dr. M. Jahidul Islam 5

 Igneous rocks are formed by cooling of the magma

CE6110: Dr M. Jahidul Islam 11

 Sedimentary rocks are stratified rocks that are usually

CE6110: Dr M. Jahidul Islam 12

by Dr. M. Jahidul Islam 6

 Metamorphic rocks are igneous or sedimentary rocks that

CE6110: Dr M. Jahidul Islam 14

by Dr. M. Jahidul Islam 7

CE6110: Dr M. Jahidul Islam

 The most widely used

CE6110: Dr M. Jahidul Islam 16

by Dr. M. Jahidul Islam 8

CE6110: Dr M. Jahidul Islam 17

 It is an aggregate derived from

CE6110: Dr M. Jahidul Islam 18

by Dr. M. Jahidul Islam 9

 It is a type of mica, and also

 They are in manufactured

CE6110: Dr M. Jahidul Islam EXPANDED

by Dr. M. Jahidul Islam 10

 Some of the L.W.A., especially the fine portions of

 These can be reduced by AIR-ENTRAINMENT (up to 10%),

CE6110: Dr M. Jahidul Islam

 The lighter bulk specific gravity of the aggregate can

CE6110: Dr M. Jahidul Islam 22

by Dr. M. Jahidul Islam 11

 High absorption value and the high rate of absorption of

 The high water absorption can be a problem in

CE6110: Dr M. Jahidul Islam 23

 Compared to normal-weight aggregate

CE6110: Dr M. Jahidul Islam Perovskite

by Dr. M. Jahidul Islam 12

CE6110: Dr M. Jahidul Islam 25

 Slow cooling of blast-furnace slag in ladles, pits, or iron molds

CE6110: Dr M. Jahidul Islam 26

by Dr. M. Jahidul Islam 13

 Fly ash consists essentially of small spherical particles of

CE6110: Dr M. Jahidul Islam 27

 Rubble from demolished concrete buildings yields

CE6110: Dr M. Jahidul Islam 28

by Dr. M. Jahidul Islam 14

 In our day to day life, plastic becomes one of the most