Specific Gravity and Absorption of FINE

Aggregates EXPERIMENT NO.8

ASTM C 128-97
 OBJECTIVE:

To determine the specific gravity and absorption of fine

aggregates
 APPARATUS/MATERIALS

MATERIALS AND EQUIPMENT NEEDED:

1. Chapman flask (500 mL)

2. Sand cone test apparatus
3. Tamper Balance (0.05 g sensitivity)
4. Spoon
5. Blower
6. Funnel
PREPARATION:

1. Immerse the test sample in water for 24±4 hours.

2. Decant or drain excess water from the sample with care to
avoid loss of fines.
3. Expose the sample to a gently warm air. Stir frequently and
secure homogenous drying.
4. Determine if the sample has attained the saturated surface
dry (SSD) condition by performing the cone test.
 CONE TEST

1. Hold the cone firmly down on a smooth and non-absorbent surface.

2. Place the fine aggregate loosely into the cone by filling it to
overflowing.
3. Lightly tamp the fine aggregate with the tamper 25 times. Distribute
the drops of tamping all over the entire area.
4. Remove the loose sand from the base and lift the mold vertically.
5. If the fine aggregate slumps slightly, it indicates that the sample has
reached the saturated surface-dry condition.
TEST PROCEDURE

1. Weigh the Chapman flask filled with water. (Wf)

2. Pour water into the flask to about half of its capacity.
3. Weigh approximately 500 g of saturated surface-dry aggregate. (Ws)
4. Pour the sample into the flask. Add water to about 90% of the flask’s
capacity.
5. Roll, invert, and agitate the flask to eliminate all the air bubbles
present.
6. Bring the water level in the flask to its calibrated capacity.
7. Immerse the flask in a water bath at a temperature of 20 degrees
Centigrade for 3 hours
8. Weigh the flask with the sample and water. (Wt)
DISCUSSION

Specific gravity is defined as the ratio between the density of the solids to the density
of water. For a constant volume, specific gravity can also be defined as the ratio of the
mass of solids to the mass of water at certain temperature. Specific gravity is a
property indicator of the materials quality. For a high specific gravity, it usually denotes
that the material is of high quality. In contrast, a material with low specific gravity
denotes low quality.

Determination of specific gravity of fine aggregate is a bit different from coarse

aggregate’s for fine aggregates, because of its pores, can hold water other than the
water that embraces its surface. Because of this, fine aggregate to be used for the
determination of specific gravity should be in Saturated Surface Dry (SSD) condition so
that it should not affect the water to be displaced when aggregate is settled inside the
flask gate.
In procedures for determining the specific gravity of fine aggregates, accuracy is much needed
to
calculate the approximate value of the solid’s specific gravity. Extra effort should be applied
in agitating
the sample to make sure that no bubbles will remain on the flask for it will affect the amount
of water that
should be placed on it, thus, affecting the supposed value of specific gravity.
Water absorption is defined as the ratio of the mass of water soaked up by the fine aggregate
to the
mass of oven-dried sample. It is an important property to determine for it affects the desired
water for a
certain mix design. Also, extra attention is needed in pouring the sample from the flask to
assure that no
aggregate will be displaced for it will affect the supposed oven-dried weight of the sample
 CONCLUSION

Determination of the specific gravity of fine aggregate is done through the idea
of volume displacement method since specific gravity, for constant volume, is the
ratio between the mass of the fines to the mass of water. Since specific gravity, other
than property indicator of material’s quality, is also an indicator of whether the said
material will float or sink when placed on water. For materials with specific gravity
lesser than one (1), the material will float. Therefore, material will sink if specific
gravity is more than one (1).