Road Materials

 Aggregates intended for either Bituminous (asphalt) or Portland cement concrete pavement, should be
of good quality in accordance with the requirements of AASHTO standard or Item-703 of the
Department of Public Works and Highways specifications.

Aggregates to be classified as good quality, must undergo various test enumerated as follows:

1. Test for strength

2. Test for soundness
3. Test for affinity or swell
4. Test for shape and texture
5. Test for resistance to polishing
6. Degradation test

 Aggregate for Bituminous Pavement

AASHTO standard specifications provides that:

“The aggregates shall consist of hard, durable particles of fragments of stone or gravel and sand or
other fine mineral particles free from vegetable matter and lumps or balls of clay and of such nature
that it can be compacted readily to form a firm, stable layer. It shall conform to the grading
requirements shown in table 5-1 when tested by AASHTO T-11 and 27’

The following materials are classified under item 300 of the DPWH standard specifications.

1. Coarse aggregate materials retained on 2.00mm No.10 sieve shall have a mass percent wear by the
Los Angeles Abrasion Test (AASHT T-96) of not more than 45.

2. When crushed aggregate is specified, not less than 50 mass percent of the particles retained on the
4.75 mm (No.4) sieve shall at least one fractured face.

3. The fraction passing the 0.75 mm (No.200) sieve should not be greater than 2/3 of the fraction
passing the 0.425 mm(No.40 sieve).
 4. The fraction passing 0.425 mm (No.40) sieve shall have a liquid limit not greater than 35 and a
plasticity index range of 4 to 9 when tested by AASHTO T-89 and T-90 respectively

 Aggregate for Portland Cement Concrete

In order to obtain high quality concrete, road agencies have imposed almost without exception that all
aggregates shall appropriate tests for strength, soundness, wear or the combination of these three.

1. The presence of organic impurities in the aggregates intended for concrete road pavement may cause
slow or non-hardening of the concrete.

2. The strength of fine aggregate is measured by the compression tests of sand-cement mortar.

3. Soundness of fine aggregate is measured by the resistance to deterioration under the action of Sodium
or Magnesium Sulfate. The sodium sulphate test is five cycles. The maximum loss under AASHTO
specification is 10%.

4. For Coarse aggregate the requirement consists of crushed stone, gravel, blast furnace, slag, or
approved inert materials of similar characteristics or combination thereof having hard, strong durable
pieces free from adherent coatings.

The Department of Public Works and Highways Standard Specifications classify aggregate under item
703 and specifically provides that:

1. Aggregate shall consist of hard, durable particles of fragments of crushed stone, crushed slug or
crushed or natural gravel. Material that breaks up when alternately wetted and dried shall be
discarded.

2. Coarse Aggregate is the material retained on the 2.00 mm (No.10) sieve shall have a percentage of
water not more than 50 for sub-base and not more than 45 for base and surface coarse as determined
by AASHTO designation test T-96.

3. Fine Aggregate is the material passing the No. 10 sieve (2.00 mm) consisting of natural, crushed
sand, and fine mineral particles. The fraction passing the 0.075 mm (No. 200) sieve should not be
greater than 0.66(2/3) of the fraction passing the 0.425 mm (No.40 sieve).

4. For Base Coarse, the fraction passing the 0.425 mm (No.40) sieve shall have a liquid limit of not more
than 25 and a plasticity index not greater than 6. For sub-base coarse, the liquid limit should not be
greater than 35, and plasticity index not greater than 12.

5. For Surface Coarse the fraction passing the 0.425 mm (No.40) sieve shall have a liquid limit not more
than 35 and plasticity index not less than 4 nor exceed 9.