Aggregates for Concrete

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CE 3420 Concrete Technology

Prof. Ravindra Gettu
IIT Madras
Aggregate Plant
 Role of Aggregates in Concrete

60-80% of the volume of concrete is occupied by

aggregates.

Main significance:
• Cost
• Dimensional stability
• Strength and stiffness
• Abrasion resistance
 Classification of Aggregates
Grain size ranges:
• Fine aggregate: 60 μm – 5 mm
• Coarse aggregate: > 5 mm

Roundness
• Well-rounded is better (improves packing and
workability)

Crushing strength and Modulus of elasticity

• Higher the better; should be considerably
higher than the values expected in concrete
 Commonly Determined Properties
Abrasion resistance:
• Los Angeles test

Density or Unit weight

• For dry and saturated surface-dry states

(Coefficient of) Absorption

• Relative increase in the mass of an oven-dry
sample when immersed in water for 24 hours
Humidity of Aggregates
 Size Gradation
uniform size continuous grading smaller versus larger sizes

gap grading no-fines

Mindess & Young
 Other Important Considerations
• Bulking of sand
• Increase in the volume of sand caused by the films of water
pushing the particles apart.
• In volume batching, this distorts the mix proportions and
decreases the yield of concrete.
• Unsoundness
• Low density particles can decrease strength.
• Mica, and gypsum and other sulphates could react with the
hydration products leading to harmful effects.
• Alkali-silica reactivity
• Reactive forms of silica present in the aggregates are
attacked by the alkaline hydroxides in pore water. The
resulting gel swells, and can cause expansion and cracking.
• Alkali-carbonate reactivity
• Some dolomitic limestones and the alkalis in cement react
to form an expansive gel.
 Manufactured Sand in Concrete
Manufactured sand – aggregate material less than 4 mm in size,
processed from crushed rock or gravel

Advantages Disadvantages
Higher need for vibration due to higher
Less prone to bleeding and segregation
cohesion

High fines content gives good finish Higher wear on equipment due to
abrasion
Difficult to control fines content
Cheaper

Srinivas K, Indian Cement Review, 2009

 Grade of concrete: M 20, Max. Aggregate Size: 30mm, 53 Grade OPC, w/c = 0.5
The crushed stone sand (i.e., quarry dust) and manufactured sand was collected from
different sand production units in Kerala.

Crushed Manufactured
Natural Manufactured
Property Stone Sand with 15%
Sand Sand
Sand fines (< 75µm)
Cement content
405 387 372 368
(kg/m3)
Water content
203 199 186 184
(l/m3)
Slump obtained
45 45 40 30
(mm)
Cohesiveness Cohesive Cohesive Not Cohesive Cohesive
Compressive
29 28 35 35
strength (MPa)
Srinivas K, Indian Cement Review, 2009
 References

• Properties of Concrete, A.M. Neville, Pearson

Education, Delhi, 1995
• Concrete: Microstructure, properties and
materials, P.K. Mehta and P.J.M. Monteiro,
Indian Concrete Institute, Chennai, 1999
• Concrete, S. Mindess and J.F. Young, Prentice-
Hall, USA, 1981