Unit weight of construction

materials- How to calculate

it?

What is Unit weight of construction

materials?

The ratio of the weight of a material to its volume is known

as the unit weight of that materials. Sometimes it is termed
specific weight or weight density. It is denoted by (y) Gama.

If you want to calculate the unit weight of materials then you

have to take unit volume of materials and its weight.

As we know that the volume is expressed in the terms of liters

or m3 and weight is measured in terms of Kg or KN. So, Unit

weight can be expressed in Kg/L or KG/m3 or KN/m3 .

The formula of unit weight is given below;

Read Also, Easy way to calculate unit weight of steel rod

Why we need the unit weight of

different constructional materials?

1. To estimate the total cost and materials as per volume.

2. Unit weight let us know how heavy is the materials.
3. The unit weight helps to calculate the total load which
will be acted on the structure.
4. The unit weight helps to calculate the dead load and
live load on the structure.
5. It helps to know the different characteristics of
materials like permeability, compactness, etc.

There are many materials which are used in construction. The

table below shows the Unit weight of construction materials
which is commonly used in the construction sites.

Unit weight of construction

materials

Material Unit weight

Water 980 Kg/m3
Bricks ( common ) 1600 Kg/m3
 Bricks ( broken ) 1420 Kg/m3
Cement ( ordinary) 1440 Kg/m3
Cement (rapid hardening) 1250 Kg/m3
Cement concrete (reinforced) 2500 Kg/m3
Cement concrete (plain) 2400 Kg/m3
Cement mortar 2000 Kg/m3
Lime concrete 1900 Kg/m3
Cement plaster 2000 Kg/m3
Lime plaster 1700 Kg/m3
Glass 2500 Kg/m3
Stones ( ballast) 1720 Kg/m3
Stone (basalt) 2850 Kg/m3
Stone (granite) 2450 Kg/m3
Stone (aggregates) 1750 Kg/m3
Stone (marble) 2650 Kg/m3
Timber (Oak, sal) 510 Kg/m3
Timber (teak) 625 Kg/m3
Timber (mango) 650 Kg/m3
Coal 600 Kg/m3
Plastics 1250 Kg/m3
Ashes 650 Kg/m3
Clinker 750 Kg/m3
Oils 800 Kg/m3
Rubber 1300 Kg/m3
Slag 1500 Kg/m3
Clay soil 1900 Kg/m3
Sand (wet) 1760 to 2000 Kg/m3
Sand ( dry) 1540 to 1600 Kg/m3
Steel 7850 Kg/m3
 chalk 2100 Kg/m3
Bitumen 1040 Kg/m3
Gravel 2000 Kg/m3
Sedimentary rock 2600 Kg/m3
Igneous rock 2700 to 3000 Kg/m3
Metamorphic rock 2700 Kg/m3
Mud 1600 to 1920 Kg/m3
Alcohol 780 Kg/m3
Gasoline 670 Kg/m3
Ice 910 Kg/m3
Graphite 500 Kg/m3
Rubber 1300 Kg/m3

I hope this article remains helpful for you.

Happy Learning – Civil Concept

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