AGGREGATES (Refs: SAPEM chapters 3 & 4;

Papagiannakis & Masad, 2008; Head 2006)

Dr. HA QUAINOO
March 2021
 CONTENTS

INTRODUCTION

CLASSIFICATION OF AGGREGATES

AGGREGATE PROPERTIES

TESTING & STANDARDS

AGGREGATE BLENDING/ MECHANICAL STABILISATION
(ROTHFUCH’S METHOD)

Introduction
 Aggregates are materials derived from natural rocks
 Important ingredients in Asphalt (highway
construction) & Concrete mixes
 The physical, chemical and mechanical properties
significantly determine their performance (e.g. in
pavements, concrete structures)

Natural soils (rock particles + sand +silt + clay)
- formed by gradual disintegration / decomposition of rocks due
to natural processes

Gravels – natural occurring materials, predominately coarser
aggregate particles + considerable strength due to aggregate
interlock

Processed gravels and rocks / aggregates – hard material
generally derived from rushed solid rock/ boulders
 Classification of Aggregates

Aggregates derived from natural rocks may be classified on the
basis of size: (fine & coarse)
- based on application & intended use
- Crushed stone (i.e. produced blasting and crushing)
- Sand
- Gravel
- (Sand & Gravel – clean mixture of aggregate sizes found in
natural deposits / stream channels)

Classification based on geological origin of parent rock: (igneous,
sedimentary, metamorphic)
- Igneous rock (cooled liquid silicate/ ash/lava /magma
E.g. basalts & granite
 TRH14 - Classification

Sedimentary rocks
- Formed on earth’s surface / under water due
to consolidation thro’ weathering & abrasion
by wind, water, ice and gravity
-
Sediments harden due to the cementation by
silica and carbonate minerals and pressure
under weight of overlying deposits (e.g.
sandstone, siltstone, shale)
-
- Sedimentary rocks formed by chemical
precipitates are kna. Carbonate rocks (e.g.
limestone and dolomite)
-
- deposition and cementation of shells of marine animals,
marine plants and fine carbonate mud that precipitate
from the sea

Metamorphic rocks:
- Formed by the recrystallization of sedimentary
and igneous rocks under the influence of
pressure and temperature (e.g. quartzite &
marble)

Artificial aggregates:
by-products of the manufacturing of another
material (e.g. slag)
 DEFINITIONS
SOIL GRADINGS:
 Boulders + 100 mm
 Gravel - 100 + 2 mm
 Sand - 2 + 0.06 mm
 Silt - 0.06 + 0.002 mm
 Clay - 0.002 mm
BITUMEN is derived from crude oil and is the sticky
residue after distillation of the lighter fractions like
petrol, diesel and lubricating oils.
 Properties: Some Specific Tests

Grading test

Density & Unit Weight

Pore structure

Durability

Stiffness

Geometry

Specific Gravity

Strength tests

Flakiness Index

Polished Stone Value

Average Least Dimension, etc.
PROPERTIES OF AGGREGATES


Physical Properties
 Gradation and particle size distribution

Aggregate gradation gives the percentage of each
particle size in a sample – expressed as percentage of
the blend passing through sieves with standard
openings (e.g. coarse aggregate (%) > 4.75 mm sieve;
fine aggregate (%) < 4.75 but larger than 75 վm; fines
–Silts & clays(different from fine aggre. < 75 վm)

Aggregate particle size distribution directly related to
performance in pavement layers/ asphalt mix design /
concrete mixes

Gives an indication of important attributes of materials
such as - Maximum particle size
- Relative distribution of particle sizes (are there gaps/ too much / too little
of a particular fraction?
- Amount of fine material present (which can affect compactibility and
permeability)
 Fuller’s maximum density gradings

%age passing
any sieve = 100* (aperture size of sieve/ size of the
largest particle)0.5

For example:

Assume the largest particle size = 50mm

Then for Sieve size 26mm, %age passing = 72.1%
 Sieve size 19mm, % passing = 61.6%
 Sieve size 0.425 mm, %age passing = 9.2%
Gradation curve shapes & types of aggregate

Generally, aggregate size distribution classifies
materials as

Well-graded (high density gradation)
- grains are equally distributed over a wider
range


Poorly- / uniformly-graded
- most of the grains are of the same size; vertical
areas on the curve
- High void/empty spaces; in concrete increases
permeability & decreases strength

Gap graded / open graded
-
Absence of intermediate grain sizes

Two important parameters can be determined from the grain-size
distribution curves of coarse-grained soils


The Uniformity Coefficient


Coefficient of gradation or curvature


D10, D30 and D60 are the diameters corresponding to percent finer than
10, 30 and 60%, respectively

Well-graded soil: shape of curve not too steep, more/less constant
over the full range of the soil’s particle sizes, there is no deficiency /
excess of any particular size

Poorly graded: major of the curve too steep, limited range of particle
size distribution, almost same size particles (uniformly / closely
graded);

Gap graded: soils has large %s of its bigger and smaller ptcles. &
only a small % of the intermediate sizes, significantly flat section /
plateau

If Cu  or = 4.0 - the soil is uniformly graded

If Cu  4.0, soil is either well-graded or gap graded

If Cc is approximately unity, it implies soil is well-
graded, usually between 1 and 3
 D10: effective size of soil distribution: gives an
indication of the permeability of fine-grained sandy
soils
Class Exercise:

The results of a sieve analysis on a soil sample were:


Sieve size (mm) Mass retained (g)
10 0.0
6.3 5.5
2.0 25.7
1.0 23.1
0.6 22.0
0.3 17.3
0.15 12.7
0.063 6.9

2.3g passed the 63m sieve

Plot the particle size distribution curve and determine the
uniformity coefficient of the soil.

Solution:

Grading Modulus (method for assessing the
properties of soils and gravels)
GM = (P2.00mm + P0.425mm + P0.075mm)/100
where P2.00mm (for example) = percent retained
on the indicated sieve size
- High GM (˃ 2) are typical coarse graded, good
quality materials; low GM indicates finer grained
material of poorer quality

Fineness Modulus (of sand): used as a parameter in
the proportioning of concrete mixes at design stage

Cumulative percentages of a sample of the aggregate
retained on each specifies series of sieves divided by
100
 FM = ∑ Ri/100% ; Ri = cum. Percent retained on each
sieve

Sieve sizes used: 0.15mm; 0.3mm; 0.6mm; 1
(1.18)mm; 2 (2.36)mm; 5 (4.75)mm; 10 (9.5)mm; 20
(19.0)mm; 37.5 (38.1)mm, and larger, increasing in the
ratio of 2:1

Range of FM: 2.3 – 3.1

High FM indicates a coarser aggregate

The finer the material, the greater the water demand

Density, Specific Gravity & Water-absorption/
moisture content

Specific Gravity, Gs,

= ratio of mass of
material to mass of
equal volume of
water

Pore structure: - the volume, size and shape
of the void spaces within the aggregate

Large volumes of pore spaces make the
aggregate susceptible to degradation /
breakage under repeated load / cycles of
freezing & thawing/ wetting & drying

In HMAs, a large volume of permeable pores
increases the absorption of binder

Selective absorption: oily constituents of
asphalt absorbed into the aggregate, leaving
the harder residue on the surface – leads to
ravelling and stripping of asphalt from
aggregate

Aggregate geometry: (shape/form , angularity &
surface texture)

Surface characteristics:
-
- Degradation
-
- Abrasion & wear resistance
-
- Not a great concern for a structure
-
- It is a great concern for asphalt
-
- Surface texture (of aggregates)
- Example: aggregate texture can affect
workability of the concrete

Durability & soundness of aggregates:
- refers to aggregate resistance to temperature
and moisture & deleterious substances (e.g. clay,
organic materials, soft particles)
-
- Clay particles can negatively affect the bond b/n
aggregate and binder causing stripping & raveling
-
-

ASTM 2419: determines the relative proportions of
clay and dust in fine aggregates

ASTM C40: - determination of organic impurities in
sands for concrete

ASTM D 3744 – Aggregate durability Index

CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF AGGREGATES

E.g. silica or alkaline contents

Chemical properties of aggregate influence their
adhesion to asphalt in roads

Poor adhesion of the asphalt to the aggregate in
the presence of water leads to stripping & raveling

Aggregates susceptible to adhesion loss in the
presence of water are called hydrophilic (exhibiting
water affinity) or acidic

Aggregates that have good adhesion with asphalt &
show good resistance to moisture damage
(hydrophobic- water aversion) or basic
 MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF AGGREGATES

Relates to their resistance to degradation due to
abrasion, polishing, impact / loading stress (e.g. in
pavements)

Nature & mineralogy determine the aggregate
resistance

Aggregate strength & stiffness used as indicators of
aggregate resistance to degradation

Strength: maximum compressive & tensile stresses
an aggregate can sustain before failure

Stiffness: resistance to deformation, quantified by
modulus of elasticity

Aggregates are also exposed impact / abrasion forces
during plant operations and compaction (in road
construction, for example)

Aggregate breakage can also occur under traffic loading

High stresses experienced at aggregate contact points
might cause fracture and reduction in load carrying
capacity

ASTM C131 (the Los Angeles Degradation Test) –
evaluating resistance of coarse aggregates to abrasion &
impact forces

Impact Test – ASTM D3

BS 812 – part 112 – Aggre. Impact Value

BS 812 – part 110: Aggregate Crushing Value
 OTHER IMPORTANT TESTS

Moisture Content Tests – OMC

Compaction & density tests – Optimum Dry Density,

Atterberg Limit Tests
- A measure of the moisture content range of the
plastic state of soil
- Plasticity Index – gives a strong indication of the
sensitivity of the mineral to water & a clear indication
of the material performance
- Materials with low PI values perform better than
materials with high PI
 Strength Test: CBR


CBR of a material – indirect measure of shear
strength / bearing capacity under a single load
 Crushing Strength / durability properties

10% FACT of an aggregate: Ten percent Fines Aggregate
Crushing Test
- Determines the load necessary to produce 10% fines
- the load required to crush a material sample of -13.2+9.5 mm so
that 10% of the total sample will pass through a 2.36 mm sieve (i.e.
10% of sample as -2.36mm)
Aggregate Crushing Value, ACV

Determines the percent of fines produced under a prescribed load
(usually 400kN)

-13.2+9.5mm sample crushed under a load of 400kN, resulting in -
2.36mm fines expressed as a percentage of the whole sample

ACV gives a less reliable indication of the strength of weaker
materials, hence the 10% FACT is preferred for weaker materials

Flakiness Index (FI)
-The tendency of aggregates / rocks to break into flaky chips under
repeated loads / during crushing
- An important factor for high crushing strength aggregates

- A parameter applied in road surfacing design (TRH 3)
Aggregates that are flaky and /or elongated will often lower the
workability of a concrete mix and may also affect long term
durability.

In bituminous mixtures, flaky aggregates makes for a harsh mix
and may also crack and break up during compaction by rolling

Polished Stone Value (PSV)
- Abrasion/ polishing of road surfacing aggregates under
traffic lowers the skidding / frictional resistance under
wet conditions
- This frictional resistance is expressed as the PSV
- The resistance of minerals to abrasion is a function of
their hardness. Quartz, the hardest of the important
rock-forming minerals
- Thus PSV measures the hardness / resistance to
polishing
- Aggregates with PSV ˃ 80 generally do not polish

Average Least Dimension (ALD): the smallest
dimension of aggregate when placed on flat ground

ALD of the surfacing aggregate is used to determine
the starting spread rate for the seal coat operation
- For
drainage
purposes/
skidding
resistance of
road surface
- Shallow
texture depth
lowers
skidding
resistance
 STABILISATION

Stabilisation is used to improve local gravels
and soils to the strength and durability needed
to carry traffic loads over the design life.

Stabilisation is only done if it is cheaper than
transporting in good quality gravels.

Choice of stabiliser depends on the properties
of the soil or gravel and on the strength
required by the design.
RECYCLER PAVER (all-in-one machine)
SOURCE: ASPHALT ACADEMY TG2
 STABILISING AGENTS USED

 MECHANICAL MODIFICATION
 LIME
 CEMENT
 BLAST FURNACE SLAG
 BITUMEN
 PROPRIETARY CHEMICAL STABILISERS
 MECHANICAL MODIFICATION
- COMPACTION: the simplest & most cost-
effective means of mechanical stabilisation

- BLENDING: mixing 2/ more different materials to

form a material with improved characteristics

Properties to improve:
-

STRENGTH
GRADING
PLASTICITY
GRAPHICAL METHODS OF BLENDING:
Rothfuchs’ Method
Gradings of Soil 1 (binder) and Soil 2
(crushed stone) are as follows: % passing is
given:
Table 1 Soil grading example
% passing Sieve Soil 1 Soil 2
size (binder) (crushed
stone)
37 mm 100 92
19.0 mm 100 75
4.75 mm 90 50
1.18 mm 49 36
0.30 mm 29 25
0.075 mm 13 4
Table 2 Grading limits of natural gravels
Sieve Percentage
Size passing by
mm mass
37 85 – 100
19.0 60 – 100
4.75 30 – 65
1.18 16 – 43
0.30 9 – 27
0.075 5 - 15
[Source: SABS 1200 MF, Table 1]

Solution:
-
any mixture of Soil 1 between 21% and 38%
and the corresponding amount of Soil 2
between 79% and 62%, respectively, will satisfy
the specification.
-
The grading of the mixture can be read off the
graph.
-
For example, if a 30% / 70% mix were to be
chosen, the grading of the mixture would be:
 Table 3 Grading of mixture
Sieve Size Percentage
mm passing by mass
37 95
19.0 83
4.75 62
1.18 40
0.30 27
0.075 7
 DELETERIOUS MATERIALS

Deleterious substances:
- Organic impurities
- Coal
- Clay lumps
- Friable particles, etc.
Aggregates for concrete, for example
*Alkaline reactivity must be avoided
- Silica in some aggregates react with
sodium oxide and potassium oxide in
PC.
- Reaction worse in humid and warm
climates
- Causes: expansion, cracking & raveling
 Determination of alkaline reactivity

ASTM C227 – Test alkali reactivity by measuring
expansion of cement-aggregate combination

ASTM 289 – Test reactivity of silicates in
aggregates

ASTM C586 test reactivity of carbonates in
aggregates, etc.