DETERMINATION OF FLAKINESS INDEX of

Course Aggregate
• Objective:
To determine the flakiness index of the given sample of Coarse aggregate.

• Apparatus and Materials:

• Tray
• Trowel
• Aggregate sample (Coarse aggregates dry)
• Length gauge
• Sieves [63, 50, 37.5, 28, 20, 14, 10 & 6.3mm]
• Balance [0-10 kg]
THICKNESS GAUGE
SPLITTER OR RIFFLE BOX
• The shape of the aggregate is an important property
since it affect the workability of the concrete.
• The shape of the aggregate depends on the
characteristic of the parent rock, type of the crusher
used and the reduction ratio.
• Excessive flaky aggregates make a very poor concrete.
• The flakiness index of the aggregate is the
percentage by weight of particles in it whose least
dimension (thickness) is less than three fifths of their
mean dimension.
• Flakiness index is not applicable to the aggregate of
sizes smaller than 6.3mm.
• Flakiness index should not exceed 40%.
Size of Aggregate thickness

Passing through IS Retained on IS Sieve Thickness Length Gauge in

Sieve (mm) (mm) gauge (mm) (mm)

63 50 33.9 ---

50 37.5 26.3 81

37.5 28 19.7 58.5

28 20 14.4 44

20 14 10.2 31.5

14 10 7.2 20.2

10 6.3 5.1 14.7

• Surface dry samples are used for the test. A minimum
number of 200 pieces of any specified fraction is required to
do the test.
• Procedure
• The sample is sieved through IS sieve specified in Table of
IS:2386 (Part I)-1963.
• A minimum of 200 pieces of each fraction is taken.
• In order to separate flaky materials, each fraction is then
gauged individually for thickness on a thickness gauge.
• The total amount of flaky material retained by the thickness
gauge is weighed to an accuracy of 0.1% of the weight of
sample and recorded as (W2)g
Flakiness Index = { W2 / (W1) } * 100
W2 = Total Weight aggregates passed by
thickness gauge.

W1 = Total weight of aggregates chosen

for test sample.
 Trials

Sl. No. Description

1 2 3 4

1 Total Weight of Aggregates passing the slots

(W2)g
2 Total weight of aggregates chosen for test
sample (W1)

3 Flakiness Index (%)

(FI) % = { W2 / (W1) } *100

4 Average (%)