AGGREGATES

Physical Prosperities of Aggregate:

1. Grading:
Grading is the particle-size distribution of an aggregate as determined by
a sieve analysis using wire mesh sieves with square openings.
As per IS:2386(Part-1):
Fine aggregate: 6 standard sieves with openings from 150 μm to 4.75 mm.
(150 μm, 300 μm, 600 μm, 1.18mm, 2.36mm, 4.75mm)
Coarse aggregate: 5 sieves with openings from 4.75mm to 80mm.
(4.75mm, 10mm, 12.5mm, 20mm, 40mm)
Grain size distribution for concrete mixes that will provide a dense strong
mixture.
Ensure that the voids between the larger particles are filled with medium
particles.
The remaining voids are filled with still smaller particles until the smallest
voids are filled with a small amount of fines.
2. Fineness Modulus:

The results of aggregate sieve analysis is expressed by a number called

Fineness Modulus. Obtained by adding the sum of the cumulative
percentages by mass of a sample aggregate retained on each of a
specified series of sieves and dividing the sum by 100.
The following limits may be taken as guidance:
Fine sand: Fineness Modulus: 2.2 - 2.6
Medium sand: F.M.: 2.6 - 2.9
Coarse sand: F.M.: 2.9 - 3.2
A sand having a fineness modulus more than 3.2 will be unsuitable for
making satisfactory concrete.
3. Flakiness Index:
The flakiness index of aggregate is the percentage by weight of particles in it whose
least dimension (thickness) is less than three-fifths of their mean dimension.
The test is not applicable to sizes smaller than 6.3 mm.
The flakiness index is taken as the total weight of the material passing the various
thickness gauges expressed as a percentage of the total weight of the sample
taken.
The flakiness index of aggregate is the percentage by weight of particles in it
whose least dimension (thickness) is less than three-fifths of their mean
dimension.
4. Elongation Index:
The elongation index on an aggregate is the percentage by weight of particles
whose greatest dimension (length) is greater than 1.8 times their mean dimension.
The elongation index is not applicable to sizes smaller than 6.3 mm.
The elongation index is the total weight of the material retained on the various
length gauges expressed as a percentage of the total weight of the sample gauged.
The presence of elongated particles in excess of 10 to 15 per cent is generally
considered undesirable, but no recognized limits are laid down.
2. Mechanical Properties of Aggregate
Toughness-It is defined as the resistance of aggregate to failure by impact. The impact
value of bulk aggregate can be determined as per I.S. 2386, 1963.
Procedure: The aggregate shall be taken as in the case of crushing strength value test
i.e., the aggregate should pass through 12.5 mm I.S. sieve and retained on 10 mm I.S.
sieve. It should be oven dried at 100°C to 110°C for four hours and then air cooled
before test. Now the prepared aggregate is filled upto 1/3rd height of the cylindrical
cup of the equipment. The diameter and depth of the cup are 102 mm and 50 mm
respectively. After filling the cup upto 1/3rd of its height, the aggregate is tamped with
25 strokes of the rounded end of the tamping rod.
After this operation the cup shall be further filled upto 2/3rd of its height and a further
tamping of 25 strokes given. The cup finally shall be filled to over flowing and tamped
with 25 strokes and surplus aggregate removed and the weight of aggregate noted. The
value of weight will be useful to repeat the experiment.
Now the hammer of the equipment weighting 14.0 kg or 13.5 kg is raised till its lower
face is 380 mm above the upper surface of the aggregate and., allowed to fall freely on
the aggregate and the process is repeated for 15 times.
The crushed aggregate is now removed from the cup and sieved through 2.36 mm I.S. sieve.
The fraction passing through the sieve is weighed accurately.
Let the weight of oven dry sample in the cup = W kg.
Weight of aggregate passing 2.36 mm sieve = W1 kg.
Then impact value = [(W1/W) x 100]
Hardness:It is defined as the resistance to wear by abrasion, and the aggregate
abrasion value is defined as the percentage loss in weight on abrasion.
Deval Attrition Test: Assignment
Los-Angeles Test: Assignment
Specific Gravity and Water Absorption:
The specific gravity of a substance is the ratio of the weight of unit volume of the substance
to the unit volume of water at the stated temperature. In concrete making, aggregates
generally contain pores both permeable and impermeable hence the term specific gravity has
to be defined carefully. Actually, there are several types of specific gravity. In concrete
technology specific gravity is used for the calculation of quantities of ingredients. Usually, the
specific gravity of most aggregates varies between 2.6 and 2.8.

Absolute Specific Gravity: Assignment

Apparent Specific Gravity: Assignment
Bulk Specific Gravity:Assignment
Bulk Density:Assignment
Voids:Assignment
Unit Weight:
The weight of a unit volume of aggregate is called as unit weight. For a given
specific gravity, greater the unit weight, the smaller the percentage of voids and
better the gradation of the particles, which affects the strength of concrete to a
great extent.
Method of Determination of Specific Gravity of Aggregate:Assignment
Porosity and Absorption of Water by Aggregate:Assignment
Bulking of Sand:
The moisture present in fine aggregate causes increase in its volume, known as
bulking of sand. The moisture in the fine aggregate develops a film of moisture
around the particles of sand and due to surface tension pushes apart the sand
particles, occupying greater volume. The bulking of the sand affects the mix
proportion, if mix is designed by volume batching. Bulking results in smaller weight
of sand occupying the fixed volume of the measuring box, and the mix becomes
deficient in sand and the resulting concrete becomes honeycombed and its yield is
also reduced.
The extent of bulking depends upon the percentage of moisture present in sand
and its fineness. The increase in volume relative to that occupied by a saturated
and surface dry sand increases with an increase in the moisture content of the
sand upto a value of 5 to 8%, causing bulking ranging from 20 to 40%.

As the moisture content increases, the film of water formed around the sand
particles merge and the water moves into the voids between the particles so that
the total volume of sand decreases, till the sand is fully saturated. The volume of
fully saturated sand is same as that of the dry sand for the same method of filling
the container.
 Alkali-silica reaction (ASR):

Assignment: