Presentation Layout

 General classification of aggregates

 Mechanical properties of aggregates
- Bond
- Strength
St th
- Toughness
- Hardness
 Physical properties of aggregates
- Porosity and absorption
- Specific gravity
- Bulk density and voids ratio
 Size and grading of aggregates
 Grading requirements and practical gradings
 Maximum aggregate size

1
Introduction
• Aggregate is an inert, inexpensive,
mostly inorganic and granular
material dispersed throughout the
cement ppaste so as to p
produce a
large volume of concrete.
• Aggregates occupies approximately
three-quarters of the volume of
concrete.
• The physical, thermal and sometimes, chemical properties of
aggregates influence the performance of concrete by improving
its volume stability and durability over the cement paste.
• From the economic point of view, it is advantageous to use a
mix with as much aggregate and as little cement as possible,
but the cost benefit has to be balanced against the desired
properties of concrete in its fresh and hardened state.

Classification of Aggregates
Based on Particle Size
Coarse Aggregates
All those aggregates
gg g which are larger
g than 4.75 mm ((retained on No. 4
sieve). The size usually varies between 4.75-50 mm. They form
around 55%-70% of the total aggregate mass.

Fine Aggregates
Aggregates smaller than 4.75 mm (passed through No. 4 sieve). Their
size usually varies between 4.75 mm - 75m (No. 200 sieve). They
form around 30%
30%-45%
45% of the total aggregate mass
mass.

Fine Aggregates Coarse Aggregates

2
Classification of Aggregates
Based on Weight
Normal Weight Aggregates
 Densityy = 1520-1680 kg/m
g 3
 Common examples are Sand, Gravel, granite, Limestone, etc.

Light Weight Aggregates

 Density < 1120 kg/m3
 The light weight is due to cellular or highly porous microstructure.
 Common examples are Pumice
Pumice, Scoria
Scoria, Perlite etc
etc.

Heavy Weight Concrete

 Density > 2080 kg/m3
 Common examples are Barite, Magnetite, Hematite etc.

Classification of Aggregates
Based on Source
Natural Mineral Aggregates
Formed by the disintegration of rocks and minerals such as sand,
gravel, limestone, granite etc.

Synthetic Aggregates
Produced under controlled conditions to develop specific properties
such as light weight, high porosity etc. Examples are Expanded clay,
Shale and Polystyrene aggregates.

Recycled Aggregates
Produced from municipal wastes, recycled concrete from demolished
buildings and pavements. Their use is increasing due to shortage of
natural aggregates and difficulties in disposing the building wastes.

3
Classification of Aggregates
Based on Shape
Rounded
Roundness measures the relative sharpness or angularity of the edges
and corners of a particle. Such aggregates are produced by repeated
action of water waves or winds. Common examples are River or
seashore gravel; desert, seashore and wind-blown sand.

Irregular
Such aggregates are naturally irregular, or partly shaped by attrition
and have some round edges. e.g. other gravels, land or dug flint.

Flaky
Material of which the thickness is small relative to the other two
dimensions. e.g. laminated rocks.

Classification of Aggregates
Based on Shape
Angular
Aggregates possessing well-defined edges formed at the intersection
of roughly planar faces. e.g. crushed rocks of all types, talus, crushed
slag.

Elongated
Material, usually angular, in which the length is considerably larger than
the other two dimensions.

Flaky and Elongated

Material having the length considerably larger than the width, and the
width considerably larger than the thickness.

4
Classification of Aggregates

Equidimensional
Rounded
and smooth

Elongated Flaky

Angular Rounded
and rough and smooth

Classification of Aggregates
Important terms related with shape classification
Angularity Number
Angularity
g y number measures the angularity
g y by
y estimating
g the
proportion of voids among the particles.

Angularity number = 67 - Percentage of solid volume in a vessel filled

with aggregate in a standard manner

The number 67 in the expression represents the solid volume of the

most rounded gravel,
gravel so that the angularity number measures the
percentage of voids in excess of that in the rounded gravel (i.e. 33).
The higher the number, the more angular the aggregate, the range for
practical aggregates being between 0 and 11.

5
Classification of Aggregates
Important terms related with shape classification
Sphericity
The ratio of the surface area of the p
particle to its volume ((specific
p
surface).
Sphericity is related to the bedding and cleavage of the parent rock,
and is also influenced by the type of crushing equipment when the size
of the particle has been artificially reduced.

Flaky
A particle is called flaky when its thickness is less than 0.6 times the
mean sieve size of the size fraction to which the particle belongs. The
mean size is defined as the arithmetic mean of the sieve size on which
the particle is just retained and the sieve size through which the particle
is just passed.

Classification of Aggregates
Important terms related with shape classification
Flakiness Index
The mass of the flaky y particles,
p , expressed
p as a p
percentage
g of the mass
of the sample, is called the flakiness index.
BS 882: 1983 requires the flakiness index of coarse aggregate to be:
- less than 50 for crushed gravel and less than 40 for crushed rock
when they are used to make concrete of 20-35 MPa.
- less than 35 for all aggregates to make high strength concrete.

Elongated and Elongation Index

A particles whose length (largest dimension) is more than 1.8 times the
mean sieve size is said to be elongated. Elongation index is the mass
of elongated particles, expressed as a percentage of the mass of the
sample.

6
Classification of Aggregates
Based on Surface Texture
This classification is based on the degree to which the particle surfaces
are polished or dull, smooth or rough; the type of roughness has also to
b d
be described.
ib d
Surface texture depends on the hardness, grain size and pore
characteristics of the parent material (hard, dense and fine-grained
rocks generally have smooth fracture surfaces) as well as on the
degree to which forces acting on the particle surface have smoothened
or roughened it.
The shape and surface texture of aggregate, specially of fine
aggregate, have a strong influence on the water requirement of the
mix. In practical terms, more water is required when there is a greater
void content of the loosely-packed aggregate. Similarly, workability
decreases by the increasing the angularity number or flakiness/
elongation indices of aggregates.

Classification of Aggregates
Surface Texture Classification (BS: 812, Part I)
Group Texture Characteristics Examples
1 Glassy Conchoidal fracture Black flint, vitreous slag

2 Smooth Water worn, or smooth Gravels, chert, slate,

due to fracture of lami- marble
nated or fine-grained
rock
3 Granular Fracture showing more Sandstone, oolite
or less uniform rounded
grains
4 Rough No easily visible cryst- Basalt, felsite,
alline constituents limestone
5 Crystalline Easily visible crystalline Granite, gabbro
constituents
6 Honeycombed With visible pores and Brick, pumice, clinker,
cavities expanded clay

7
Mechanical Properties of Aggregates
Bond
• The shape and the surface texture of aggregate influence
considerably the strength of concrete, especially for high strength
concrete. A rougher texture results in a greater adhesion or bond
between the particles and the cement matrix. Likewise, the larger
surface area of a more angular aggregate provides a greater bond.
• Texture characteristics which permit no penetration of the surface of
the particles by the paste are not conducive to good bond, and
hence softer, porous, and mineralogically heterogeneous particles
result in a better bond.
• The flexural strength is more affected by bond characteristics than
the compressive strength.
• There is no accepted test for the quality of bond. Generally when
bond is good, a crushed concrete specimen should contain some
broken aggregate particles. However, an excess of fractured
particles suggests that the aggregate is too weak.

Mechanical Properties of Aggregates

Strength
• The concrete can be modeled as a two phase material, the two
phases being the matrix phase and the aggregate phase. So the
g of concrete is g
strength greatly
y affected by
y the strength
g of aggregates.
gg g
• Aggregates of low or moderate strength can be valuable in
preserving the integrity of concrete, because, volume changes
(shrinkage or temperature) lead to a lower stress in the cement
paste when the aggregate is compressible whereas a rigid
aggregate might lead to the cracking of surrounding cement paste.
• The following tests are available to estimate the strength of
aggregates.
- Aggregate crushing value test
- 10% fines value test

8
Mechanical Properties of Aggregates
Aggregate Crushing Value Test (BS:812, part 3)
Procedure
• The material to be tested should pass a 14.0 mm (1/2 in.) sieve and
b retained
be t i d on a 10 mm (3/8 iin.)) sieve.
i
• Dry the sample in an oven at 100-1100C for four hours.
• Place the sample in a standard cylindrical mould and tamp it.
• Put a plunger on the top of the aggregate and place the whole
assembly in a compression testing machine to a load of 400 kN (40
tons) over the gross area of the plunger,
plunger the load being increased
gradually over a period of 10 minutes.
• Once 400 kN is reached, release the load, remove the aggregate
and sieve them on a 2.36 mm (ASTM No. 8) sieve.
• The ratio of the mass of material passing this sieve to the total mass
of the sample is called the aggregate crushing value.

Mechanical Properties of Aggregates

Aggregate Crushing Value Test
Discussion
• There is no explicit relation between the aggregate crushing value
and
d its
it compressivei strength
t th but,
b t in
i general,
l the
th crushing
hi valuel is i
greater for a lower compressive strength. BS 812: Part 3 specifies
a maximum limit of 30 for aggregates used in structural concrete
and 40 on aggregates used in lean concrete.
• For crushing values of over 25 to 30, the test is insensitive
because the weaker material is crushed before the 400 kN load is
reached and compacted in a manner that further crushing is
reduced. For such materials, a ten percent fines value test is
suggested by BS:812, Part 3.

9
Mechanical Properties of Aggregates
10% Fines Value Test (BS:812, part 3)
Procedure
• In this test, the apparatus of the standard crushing test is used to
determine
d t i ththe lload
d required
i d tto produce
d 10% fifines ffrom th
the 14
14.0
0 tto
10.0 mm particles.
• This is achieved by applying a progressively increasing load on the
plunger so as to cause its penetration in 10 minutes of about:
- 15 mm for rounded or partially round aggregate
- 20 mm for crushed aggregate
- 24 mm for honey combed aggregate
• These penetrations should result in a percentage of fines passing a
2.36 mm (ASTM No. 8) sieve of 7.5 to 12.5.

Mechanical Properties of Aggregates

10% Fines Value Test (BS:812, part 3)
Calculations
• If y is the actual percentage of fines due to a maximum load of x
t
tons, then
th the
th load
l d required
i d tto give
i 10% fi
fines iis given
i b
by:
14 x
y  4

Discussion
• In tthiss test, unlike
u e tthe
e sta
standard
da d ccrushing
us g value
a ue test, a high
g numerical
u e ca
result denote a higher strength of the aggregate.
• BS 882: 1983 prescribes a minimum value of 150 kN for aggregates
to be used in heavy-duty concrete floors finishes, 100 kN for
aggregates to be used in concrete pavement wearing surfaces, and
50 kN when used in other concretes.

10
Mechanical Properties of Aggregates
Toughness
• Toughness can be defined as the resistance of the aggregate to
failure by impact.
• The
Th toughness
t h can be
b determined
d t i d by
b Aggregate
A t impact
i t value
l test,
t t
prescribed in BS 812, part 3. In this test, the selected aggregate
(same as in crushing value test) is tamped in a standard mould and
impact is provided by a standard hammer falling 15 times under its
own weight. The impact value is calculated similar to crushing value.
• BS 882: 1983 prescribes the following maximum values:
- 25% for aggregates used in heavy-duty concrete floors finishes
- 30% for aggregates used in concrete pavement wearing surfaces
- 45% when used in other concretes.

Mechanical Properties of Aggregates

Hardness
• Hardness, or resistance to wear, is an important property of concrete
used in roads and floor surfaces subjected to heavy traffic.
• Hardness
H d iis usually
ll ddetermined
t i db by Los
L A Angeles
l ttest,
t in
i which
hi h
aggregates of specified grading are placed in a cylindrical drum,
mounted horizontally with a shelf inside. A charge of steel balls is
added, and the drum is rotated a specified number of revolutions.
The proportion of broken material, expressed as a percentage
represents the hardness of the aggregate.
• To asses any possibility of degradation of an unknown fine
aggregate on prolonged mixing of fresh concrete, a Wet attrition test
is performed to see how much material smaller than 75m (No. 200
sieve) is produced.

11
Physical Properties of Aggregates
Absorption and Moisture Content
Aggregate particles can absorb water, since they contain some
porosity, and can retain a thin film of water on their surface.
Consequently,
Co seque t y, agg
aggregates
egates ca
can e exist
st in o
one
eoof tthe
e following
o o g four
ou
moisture states.
Oven-dry (OD): All moisture is removed from the aggregate by heating
in an oven at 1050C to constant weight. All pores are empty.
Air-dry (AD): All moisture is removed from the surface of the
aggregate particles, but the internal pores are partially full.
Saturated-surface-dry (SSD): All of the aggregate pores are filled with
water, but there is no film of water on the surface of the particles.
Wet: All of the aggregate pores are completely filled with water and
there is a film of water on the surface of all the particles.

Physical Properties of Aggregates

Absorption and Moisture Content

Moisture states of aggregates

12
Physical Properties of Aggregates
Absorption Capacity
The absorption capacity of the aggregate is the maximum amount of
water it can absorb, and it is the difference in water-content between
tthe
eooven-dry
e dya and
d satu
saturated-surface-dry
ated su ace d y moisture
o stu e states, expressed
e p essed as
a percentage.

WSSD  WOD
Absorption capacity (%)  100
WOD

Where,
WSSD = weight of the saturated-surface-dry aggregate sample.
WOD = weight of the oven-dry aggregate sample.

Physical Properties of Aggregates

Surface Moisture
The surface moisture is the water on the surface of the aggregate
particle and can be defined as follows:

WWET  WSSD
Surface moisture (%)  100
WSSD

Moisture Content
The moisture content of an aggregate
gg g in any
y state can be defined as:

WAGG  WOD
Moisture cot ent (%)  100
WOD

Where WAGG is the weight of the aggregate in the stockpiled condition

13
Physical Properties of Aggregates
Absorption and Moisture Content
Discussion
• If the moisture content is greater than the absorption capacity, then
th aggregate
the t is
i wet,
t andd if it iis lless th
then th
the aggregate
t iis air
i ddry and
d
will absorb additional moisture.
• The moisture content of an aggregate and its absorption capacity are
important parameters in proportioning concrete mixtures, since they
determine the amount of water that must be added to the mix to
provide the required level of workability.
• Most normal-weight aggregates have absorption capacities between
0.5 and 2.0%, with higher values indicating high-porosity aggregates,
which may have potential durability problems.
• Permeability is also a function of the porosity of aggregate and has a
significant effect on the resistance of the aggregate to deteriorating
influences particularly those associated with presence of water.

Physical Properties of Aggregates

Specific Gravity
The specific gravity (G), or relative density, of an aggregate is the ratio
of its mass (or weight in air) to the mass of any equal volume of water
at standard
sta da d te
temperatures.
pe atu es
Three types of specific gravities are commonly described, and differ on
the basis of moisture content of the aggregate; they are:

OD = oven-dry WOD
Bulk specific gravity 
SSD = saturated-surface-dry WSSD  WSW
SW = saturated in water
WSSD
Bulk specific gravity ( SSD ) 
WSSD  WSW

WOD
Apparent specific gravity 
WOD  WSW

14
Physical Properties of Aggregates
Specific Gravity
Discussion
• The bulk specific gravity (SSD) is commonly used in preparing
concrete
t mixi proportion
ti because
b the
th water
t contained
t i d in
i allll th
the pores
does not participate in the chemical reactions of cement and ca,
therefore, be considered as part of the aggregate.
• The majority of natural aggregates have an apparent specific gravity
of between 2.6 and 2.7.
• The ‘true’ specific gravity of the aggregate, Gt, is the ratio of its oven-
dry weight to the volume of solids in the aggregate particles
excluding all pores. The relationship between the various specific
gravity values is:
Gb < Gbssd < Ga < Gt

Physical Properties of Aggregates

Porosity
Porosity is defined as the volume inside individual aggregate particles
that is not occupied by solid material. It does not refer, therefore, to the
ou eo
volume of interparticle
te pa t c e voids
o ds in a pac
packing
goof agg
aggregate
egate pa
particles,
t c es, which
c
is the voids content.
Porosity as volume percent is defined as:

Vp
Porosity   100
Vb

Where:
Vp = volume of pores inside the aggregate particle
Vb = total bulk volume of the porous aggregate particles.

15
Physical Properties of Aggregates
Porosity
Discussion
• The pores in the particle are of two types: interconnected and
di
discontinuous.
ti Th interconnected
The i t t d pores are open to t the
th surface
f off
the aggregate particle and can be penetrated and filled with water or
other liquids. The porosity associated with the interconnected pores
is called the effective porosity, and in practice it is assumed that this
effective porosity is equal to the total porosity of the aggregate.
• As the porosity increases, the bulk density and hence the strength,
elastic modulus
modulus, and abrasion resistance of the aggregate
decreases.
• Aggregates with low porosity are desirable for use in Portland
cement concrete, since water will be absorbed from the mixture by
the aggregate particles if their porosity is high, and less will be
available to provide good workability.

Physical Properties of Aggregates

Bulk Density
The bulk density is the actual mass of the aggregate particles that
would fill a container of unit volume (including voids) and is used to
convert
co e quaquantities
es by mass
ass too qua
quantities
es by volume.
ou e
The bulk density depends on how densely the aggregate is packed
and, consequently, on the size distribution and shape of the particles.
So two types of bulk densities are commonly used in computations,
loose and compacted. The ratio of the loose bulk density to the
compacted bulk density lies usually between 0.87 to 0.96.
The maximum bulk density of a mixture of fine and coarse particles is
achieved when the mass of the fine aggregate is 35% to 40% of the
total mass of the aggregate. Consequently, the minimum remaining
volume of voids determines the minimum cement paste, and therefore,
the minimum cement content; the later is, of course, of economic
importance.

16
Physical Properties of Aggregates
Voids Ratio
The voids ratio indicates the volume of mortar required to fill the space
between the coarse aggregate particles. As a volume percent, the
o ds co
voids content
te t co
commonly
o y ca
called
ed as voids
o ds ratio
at o ca
can be de
defined
ed as
as:

Vv
Voids ratio   100
Vt

Vv = total volume of voids between the aggregate particles

Vt = total volume of the sample including the voids b/w the particles.

Knowing the bulk specific gravity (SSD), the voids ratio can be
calculated from the following expression:
bulk density
Voids ratio  1   100
G bssd  unit mass of water

Size and Grading of Aggregates

Grading
Grading is the distribution of particles of granular materials among
various sizes, usually expressed in terms of cumulative percentages
a ge o
larger or ssmaller
a e tthan
a eac
each oof a se
series
es o
of ssizes
es o
of ssieve
e e ope
openings,
gs, o
or
the percentages between certain ranges of sieve openings.

Purpose of Aggregate Grading

• Influence on Workability and Economy: If not graded, then very
coarse sands will produce harsh and unworkable concrete mixtures,
and
a d very
e y fine
e sa
sands
ds increase
c ease the
e water
a e requirement
equ e e (a (and
daalso
so the
e
cement requirement for a given water-cement ratio which will
increase cost).
• Aggregates that do not have a large deficiency or excess of any
particular size produce the most workable and economical concrete
mixtures.

17
Size and Grading of Aggregates
Sieve Analysis
The process of dividing a sample of aggregate into fractions of same
particle size is known as a sieve analysis, and its purpose is to
determine
dete e the
t e grading
g ad g oor ssize
eddistribution
st but o o of tthe
e agg
aggregate.
egate
Procedure: A sample of air-dried aggregate is graded by shaking or
vibrating a nest of stacked sieves, with the largest sieve at the top, for
a specified time so that the material retained on each sieve represents
the fraction coarser than the sieve in question but finer than the sieve
above.
The sieve sizes normally used for grading purposes according to BS
812: Part 1: 1975 or ASTM C 136-84 can be seen on the next two
slides.
The 3/16 in. (ASTM No. 4) sieve is the dividing line between the fine
and coarse aggregates.

Size and Grading of Aggregates

Sieve Analysis

BS and ASTM sieve sizes normally used for grading of Coarse Aggregates

18
Size and Grading of Aggregates
Sieve Analysis

BS and ASTM sieve sizes normally used for grading of Fine Aggregates

Size and Grading of Aggregates

Grading Curves
The results of a sieve analysis can be reported in tabular form as
shown on next slide.
Column
C l (2) shows
h th
the mass retained
t i d on each h sieve,
i whilst
hil t column
l (3)
is the same quantity expressed as a percentage of the total mass of
the sample. Hence, working from the finest sizes upwards, the
cumulative percentage, passing each sieve can be calculated (column
(4)), and it is that percentage that is used in the plotting of the grading
curve.
The grading curve is plotted on a grading chart
chart, where the ordinates
represent the cumulative percentage passing and the abscissae are
the sieve apertures plotted to a logarithmic scale, which gives a
constant spacing for the standard series of sieves.

19
Size and Grading of Aggregates
Grading Curves

Example of Sieve Analysis

Size and Grading of Aggregates

Grading Curves

Example of a Grading Curve

20
Size and Grading of Aggregates
Types of Aggregate Grading
Continuous Grading
In this grading, the aggregate contains every size fraction between the
maximum and the minimum particle sizes.
sizes

Uniform Grading
Grading which contains particles of only one size fraction.

Gap Grading
Gradingg which misses pparticles of one ore more size fractions. Gap-p
graded aggregate can be used in any concrete, but there are particular
uses: preplaced aggregate concrete and exposed aggregate concrete
where a pleasing finish is obtained, since a large quantity of only one
size of coarse aggregate becomes exposed after treatment. Gap-
grading is also recommended for mixes of low workability that are to be
compacted by vibration to avoid segregation.

Size and Grading of Aggregates

Types of Aggregate Grading

Schematic Representation of Different Aggregate Gradings

21
Size and Grading of Aggregates
Fineness Modulus
Fineness modulus (FM) is defined as the sum of the cumulative
percentages retained on the sieve of standard series, divided by 100.
The standard series consists of sieves, each twice the size of the
preceding one, viz: 150, 300, 600 m, 1.18, 2.36, 5.00 mm (ASTM No.
100, 50, 30, 16, 8, 4) and up to the largest sieve size present.
When all particles in a sample are coarser than, say, 600 m (ASTM
No. 30), the cumulative percentage retained on 300 m (ASTM No. 50)
should be entered as 100; the same value, of course, would be enetred
for 150 m (ASTM No. 100).
Usually the fineness modulus is calculated for the fine aggregate rather
than for coarse aggregate. Typical values range from 2.3 to 3.0, a
higher value indicating a coarser grading.
The usefulness of the FM lies in detecting slight variations in the
aggregate from the same source, which could affect the workability of
the fresh concrete.

Size and Grading of Aggregates

Grading Requirements/Limits
Both ASTM C33-84 and BS 882: 1983 have defined the grading limits
for fine and coarse aggregates on the basis of following factors
depending
depe d go on minimum
u seg
segregation
ega o a andd reasonable
easo ab e workability.
o ab y
• Surface area of the aggregate particles
• Relative volume occupied by the aggregates in a concrete mix
• Tendency of concrete to segregate
• Presence of amount of material smaller than 300 m (ASTM No. 50)
The actual g grading
g requirements
q depend
p to some extent on the shape
p
and surface characteristics of the particles. For instance, sharp,
angular particles with rough surface should have a slightly finer grading
in order to reduce the possibility of interlocking and to compensate for
the high friction between the particles.

22
Size and Grading of Aggregates
Grading Limits

* C: coarse; M: medium; F: fine

BS 882: 1983 Requirements for Fine Aggregates

Size and Grading of Aggregates

Grading Limits

BS 882: 1983 Requirements for Coarse Aggregates

23
Size and Grading of Aggregates
Maximum Aggregate Size
The larger the aggregate particle, the smaller the surface area to be
wetted per unit mass (i.e. specific surface). Thus, extending the
grading of aggregate to a larger maximum size lowers the water
requirement of the mix so that, for specified workability and richness of
the mix, the water/cement ratio can be reduced with a consequent
increase in strength.
However, there is a limit of maximum aggregate size above which the
decrease in water demand is offset by the detrimental effects of a lower
bond area and of discontinuities introduced by very large particles
which
hi h makes
k concrete t glossy
l and
dhheterogeneous
t with
ith a resulting
lti
lowering of strength.
In structural concrete, the maximum size is usually restricted to 25 mm
to 40 mm (1-1.5 in.) because of the size of the concrete section and of
spacing of reinforcement, but for lean concrete it can be as maximum
as 150 mm (6 in.).

Questions/Queries ???

24