Professor: Engr. Eduardo B.

Leron Jr

CONSTRUCTION MATERIALS AND TESTING

EXPERIMENT No. 1
Specific Gravity and Absorption of Coarse Aggregate

Purpose
To determine the specific gravity and absorption of coarse aggregate. The specific gravity may
be expressed as bulk specific gravity, bulk specific gravity SSD (saturated-surface dry), or
apparent specific gravity.

Significance and Use

Bulk specific gravity is generally used for the calculation of the volume occupied by the
aggregate in various mixtures containing aggregates, including portland cement concrete,
bituminous concrete and other mixtures that are proportioned or analysed on an absolute
volume basis. Bulk specific gravity SSD is used if the aggregate is wet. Absorption values are
used to calculate the change in the weight of aggregate due to water absorbed in the pore
spaces within the constituent particles, compared with the dry condition.

Apparatus
▪ Balance accurate to 0.05% of the sample weight of 0.5 g, whichever is greater
▪ Wire basket 3.35 mm (No. 6) or finer mesh
▪ Water tank
▪ 75 mm (No. 4) sieve

Test Specimens
▪ Thoroughly mix the aggregate sample and reduce it to the approximate quantity
needed.
▪ Reject all materials passing 4.74 mm sieve by dry sieving and thoroughly washing to
remove dust or other coatings from the surface.

Test Procedure
1. Immerse the aggregate in water at room temperature for a period of 24 ± 4 hours.
2. Remove the latest test specimen from water and roll in a large absorbent cloth until all
visible films of water are removed. Wipe the larger particles individually.
3. Weigh the test sample in saturated surface-dry condition, and record it as B. Record this
weight and all subsequent weights to the nearest 0.5 g or 0.05% of the sample weight,
whichever is greater.
4. Place the specimen in the wire basket and determine its weight while it is submerged in
water at a temperature of 23 ± 1.7 degree Celsius, and record it as C. Take care to
remove all entrapped air before weighing it by shaking the container while it is
immersed.
5. Dry the test sample to a constant weight at a temperature of 110 ± 5 degree Celsius,
and weigh it and record this weight as A.

Analysis and Results

1. Bulk specific gravity = 𝐴/(𝐵 − 𝐶)
Where

Experiment No. 1 Page 1

Professor: Engr. Eduardo B. Leron Jr

𝐴= mass of oven-dry sample in air, g.

𝐵= mass of saturated surface-dry sample in air, g.
C = mass of saturated sample in water, g.
2. Bulk specific gravity (SSD) = 𝐵/(𝐵 − 𝐶)
3. Apparent specific gravity = 𝐴/(𝐴 − 𝐶)
𝐵−𝐴
4. Absorption, % = [ ] ∗ 100
𝐴

Report
1. Show step by step computation
2. Observation
3. Recommendation
4. Conclusion

Experiment No. 1 Page 2