CE-121 Civil Engineering Materials

DR. KHAN SHAHZADA

Professor
Department of Civil Engineering UET Peshawar
 Week-4
Topics
“Fine and Coarse Aggregates”

• Definition and Introduction of aggregates

• Mechanical properties of aggregates
• Physical properties of aggregates
• Importance and methods of grading of aggregates
 Introduction of Aggregates

Definition:
Aggregates is a type of construction material used in civil engineering
structures, it includes sand, gravel, crushed stones etc.

• Aggregates are the inert materials mixed with binding materials such as
cement, lime etc. in the preparation of mortar or concrete and asphalt etc.

• In building construction, aggregates are used in the preparation of concrete.

 Introduction of Aggregates

• Aggregates occupy at least three-quarters of the volume of concrete. Aggregate is

cheaper than cement and it is, therefore, economical to put into the mix as much of
aggregates and as little of cement as possible.

• Economy is not the only reason for using aggregates, aggregates give a higher
volume stability and better durability to concrete.

• Cement paste alone has no such higher volume stability, strength and durability
 Introduction of Aggregates

Aggregate Sources:

• Crushed Stone (Crushed Rock)

• Natural Sand and Gravel Deposits
• Blast Furnace Slag
• Artificial and Processed Materials
• Pulverized Concrete and Asphalt

Blast furnace slag (BFS) is a product of iron production, which has been widely
investigated and utilized, particularly as a supplementary cementitious
material for cement or alkali-activated material, owing to its high hydraulic
property or alkali activation reactivity.
 Introduction of Aggregates

Aggregate Sources:
Sand Quarry Stone Quarry
 Introduction of Aggregates
Aggregate Sources:
Stone Crushing Gravel Crushed Stone
 Introduction of Aggregates
Types of Aggregates: (classification according to size)
1. Fine Aggregate
2. Coarse Aggregate
1) Fine Aggregates:
The aggregate which passes through 4.75 mm sieve (Sieve#4) and retained on 75 micron
sieve are known as fine aggregate.
Or
The size of aggregates whose size is 4.75 mm or less are considered as fine aggregates.
• The size of fine aggregate ranges from 2.8 mm to 3.1 mm is coarse sand.
• The size of fine aggregate ranges from 2.5 to 2.8 mm is medium sand.
• The size of fine aggregate ranges from 2.3 mm to 2.5 mm is fine sand.
 Introduction of Aggregates

Types of Aggregates: (classification according to size)

1. Fine Aggregate
2. Coarse Aggregate.

2) Coarse Aggregates:

The size of aggregates that are bigger than 4.75 mm (Sieve#4) are considered as
coarse aggregates.

• Coarse aggregates is the basic material of the concrete. Crushed stone or gravel
are used in concrete.
 Mechanical Properties of Aggregates

Mechanical properties of aggregates are:

1. Bond of aggregates
2. Strength of aggregates
 Mechanical Properties of Aggregates
1. Bond of aggregates:
• Bond is the interlocking of the aggregate and the paste
owing to the roughness of the surface of the aggregates.

• A rough surface, such as that of crushed particles, results

in a better bond; better bond is also usually obtained
with softer, porous and mineralogical heterogeneous
particles.

• No accepted test exists.

• Generally, when bond is good, a crushed concrete
specimen should contain some aggregate particles broken
right through, in addition to the more numerous ones
pulled out from their sockets.
 Mechanical Properties of Aggregates
2. Strength of Aggregate:
NOTE:
Comp. strength (concrete) < Comp.
strength (aggregate)
• The crushing strength of aggregate
cannot be tested with any direct test.
There are some indirect tests to
inform us about the crushing
strength of aggregate.
Test method: Crushing value test
 Mechanical Properties of Aggregates
Other Mechanical Properties of Aggregates:
a) Impact value: Impact value of aggregates measures the toughness of particles by
impact.
b) Abrasion: Abrasion of aggregates measures the resistance of aggregates against
wearing.
• It is an important property of concrete in roads and in floor surfaces subjected to
heavy traffic. The most frequently used test method is the Los Angeles Abrasion
Test

c) Los Angeles Abrasion Test: The aggregate of specified grading is placed in a

cylindrical drum, mounted horizontally. A charge of steel balls is added and the
drum is rotated a specified number of revolutions. The tumbling and dropping
of the aggregate and the balls result in abrasion and attrition of the aggregate.
The resulting grading should be compared with the standard limitations.
 Mechanical Properties of Aggregates
Loss Angeles abrasion test Aggregate impact value test:
 Physical Properties of Aggregates

Physical properties of aggregates are:

1. Strength
2. Hardness
3. Toughness
4. Durability
5. Porosity
6. Water absorption
 Physical Properties of Aggregates
1. Strength:
In practice, majority of normal aggregates are considerably stronger than
concrete.
• A good average value of crushing strength of aggregates is 200N/mm2.
 Physical Properties of Aggregates

2. Hardness of Aggregates:
Hardness of aggregates is the ability of the aggregate to withstand wear or load
or applied pressure.
This hardness is depending on the type of parent rock.

The test that can obtain the hardness is the abrasion test.
A satisfactory aggregate should have an abrasion value of not more than 30%
for aggregates used for wearing surfaces and 50% for aggregates used for non
wearing surfaces.
 Physical Properties of Aggregates

3. Toughness:
• Is the resistance of aggregate to failure by impact.
• This can be determined by aggregate impact test.

• The aggregate impact value shall not exceed 45% by weight for aggregate
used for concrete other than those used for wearing surfaces and 30% for
concrete for wearing surfaces.
 Physical Properties of Aggregates

4. Durability of aggregates:
• Durability is the ability of aggregates to withstand external or internal
damaging attack or in other words the soundness of aggregate.
• This can be obtained by carrying out the Soundness test.
 Physical Properties of Aggregates

5. Porosity and Water Absorption:

• Aggregate normally have pores of various sizes.
• Aggregates will absorb water when it is dry but normally release water in
the concrete mix when it is wet.

• The amount of water and its rate of permeation depends on the size and
volume of aggregate
• Since the aggregate comprises 75% of the concrete volume, it is essential to
note that porosity of an aggregate contribute to the overall porosity of
concrete.
 Importance and method of Grading of Aggregates

Gradation refers to the particle size distribution of aggregates.

Good gradation of aggregates gives the workable concrete.
Good gradation of aggregates gives durable concrete.

Good gradation means that, aggregates having all size of particles in concrete in
desired proportion that contain minimum voids.
A sample of well graded aggregate containing minimum voids will require minimum
paste to fill up voids in aggregates.

Coarse and fine aggregates to be used for making concrete should be well graded.
Test for grading of aggregates is carried out using the sieve analysis method.
 Importance and method of Grading of Aggregates

Sieve Analysis Method:

This is the name given to the operation of dividing sample of aggregate into various
fractions, each consisting of particles of same size. The sieve analysis is conducted to
determine particle size distribution in a sample of aggregate, which we call gradation.
 Importance and method of Grading of Aggregates

Sieve Analysis Method: (Contd. . .)

The aggregates used for making concrete are normally of maximum size 80mm,
40mm, 20mm, 10mm, 4.75mm, 2.36mm, 600micron, 300micron and 150 micron. The
aggregates fraction from 80 to 4.75mm are termed as coarse aggregates and those
from 4.75 to 150 micron are termed as fine aggregates.

The size 4.75 mm is common fraction in both coarse and fine aggregates.
The sieve analysis test is conducted in the laboratory.
 Aggregates Cont…
Soundness of Aggregates:
The ability of aggregates to resist excessive changes in volume as a result of changes in
physical condition.
 Chemical reaction between the aggregates and the alkalis in cement causes
expansion of aggregates.

 Freezing and thawing and alternate wetting and drying are the physical causes of
permanent volume changes of aggregates.
 Aggregate is said to be unsound when volume changes induced by the above causes,
result in deterioration of the concrete. This may range from local scaling to
disintegration over a considerable depth, and can thus vary from damage
appearance to a structurally dangerous situation.

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 Aggregates Cont…

ASTM test for Soundness of Aggregates (C-88-90):

 A sample of graded aggregate is subjected alternately to immersion in a saturated

solution of sodium or magnesium sulfate and drying in an oven. The formation of salt
crystals in the pores of the aggregate tends to disrupt the particles. The reduction in
size of the particles as shown by a sieve analysis after a number of cycles of exposure
denotes the degree of unsoundness.

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 Aggregates Cont…

Fineness Modulus of aggregate; numerical examples :

Fineness Modulus
For aggregates used in PCC, a common gradation description for fine aggregate is the fineness
modulus. It is described in ASTM C 125 and is a single number used to describe a gradation
curve. It is defined as:

The larger the fineness modulus, the more coarse the aggregate. A typical fineness modulus for fine
aggregate used in PCC is between 2.3 and 3.1 and for coarse aggregate from 5.0 to 8.0.

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Fineness Modulus of aggregate; numerical examples :

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