ONSTRUCTION

MATERIALS
Presented by:
Sapana Badekar
Roll No:15
Symbol No:391
MSc Engineering Geology
3rd Semester
TABLE OF CONTENT
 Introduction to aggregates
 Chemical Test
 Impurities Test
 Stripping Test
 Petrographic Examination
 Durability Test
 Description and Classification of aggregates
WHAT ARE AGGREGATES?
CHEMICAL TEST

Organic Sulphate
content Content

Potential
Chloride alkali
Content Reactivity
ORGANIC CONTENT

 Presence of organic content can have two

separate and unrelated effects.
 If present in significant amounts in fine
aggregate to be used for mortar renderings
 Organic presence retard or completely
inhibit the hydration and Portland cement.
CHLORIDE CONTENT
 Measuring water soluble chloride in aggregates
 Presence of chloride can create the potential
hazard like
 Reduce sulphate resistance

 Increase the risk of corrosion in embedded

metal
 Also responsible for alkali silica reaction
METHODS TO TEST CHLORIDE CONTENT
 Volhard method where an excess of standard silver
nitrate solution is added to the chloride solution
acidified with nitric acid, and the excess silver nitrate
is back-titrated with potassium thiocyanate using ferric
ammonium sulphate as an indicator.
 Mohr direct titration method in neutral solution, using
potassium chromate as an indicator; measurement of
chloride concentration by specific ion electrode and
production control work of saline aggregates, the use of
test strips.
SULPHATE CONTENT
 it refers to the total acid soluble sulphate content
expressed as a percentage of SO3
 All methods involve the extraction of the
sulphates with hydrochloric acid and the
gravimetric determination of the sulphate ions by
precipitation with barium chloride.
POTENTIAL ALKALI ACTIVITY
 Presence of alkali metal can cause disruptive
expansion of concrete.
 Widely known as alkali silica reaction.(ASR)
 Aggregates contain silica as tridymite,
cristobalite, opal, chalcedony or in a glassy form.
 IDENTIFICATION of presence of alkali is done
in three different ways
 Petrographical analysis
 Measurement of expansion
 Chemical tests
CHEMICAL TESTING…
Adhesion Tests:
Interface tests between aggregates and the bituminous binder.

 Static immersion tests

 Chemical immersion tests
 Dynamic immersion tests
 Immersion mechanical tests
 Immersion trafficking tests
 Coating tests
IMPURITIES IN AGGREGATES
1. Clay, silt and dust
2. Chlorides
3. Shell
4. Organic matter
5. Alkalies
6. Sulphates
7. Chalk
8. Mica
9. Pyrites and other mechanical impurities
CLAY, SILT AND DUST
 all the material passing a
75 µm sieve are clay, silt
and dust.
 clay-sized material actually
comprising water-active
clay minerals which swell
in the presence of water
 relatively coarser 'dust of
fracture' is usually
predominant in crushed
rock aggregates.
CHLORIDES
 Usually sodium chloride or
common salt, occur naturally
in marine and some coastal
sources of aggregates
 Also occur at significant
levels in some inland
sedimentary deposits
 Chloride has little significant
influence on the properties of
plain concrete
 Presence of chlorides in
reinforced concrete
introduces corrosion risks for
the embedded steel
SHELL
 calcareous shell debris is
present in aggregates from
marine and coastal land
deposits
 Shell effect to increase the
water demand to maintain a
given concrete workability
 complete hollow shells may
render concrete frost
susceptible when occurring
near to an exposed concrete
surface
ORGANIC MATTER
 potentially deleterious
impurity in aggregates
 organic material, including
humus, fuel oil and sugars,
can retard or even prevent the
hydration of cement.
 consequent hardening of
concrete, even when present
in only trace concentrations.
ALKALIES
 Salt-contaminated aggregates can
liberate alkali metal ions.
 A number of common rock
forming minerals such as feldspars
and phyllosilicates contain
appreciable Na20 and K20
 Rocks containing these minerals
are characterized by high total
alkali contents,
SULPHATES
 Sulphate can result in excessive
expansion and, ultimately, the
disruption of hardened concrete.
 calcium sulphate is only slightly
soluble and thereby capable of only a
slow, albeit progressive, attack.
 Barium sulphate is hardly soluble at
all and indeed is used as heavy
aggregate for concrete (Miller 1983)
 sulphate limits are laid down for slag
aggregates and lightweight
aggregates complying with BS 3797
 CHALK
 Chalk is distinctive form of limestone that
outcrops extensively
 Typical chalk particles are mechanically
weak, soft and unusually absorbent.
 Although the particles surviving in some
coarser gravels could represent the
relatively harder and more durable
varieties of chalk
 In small proportions, weak absorbent
chalk particles are probably not
detrimental in concrete, except that they
may give rise to occasional 'pop-outs'
when occurring close to concrete surfaces
exposed to freeze-thaw action.
MICA
 Micas, most commonly in the forms
of muscovite or biotite.
 Discrete mica particles can occur in
natural sand, crushed rocks and
parent rocks.
 Its effect is to increase the water
demand of concrete .
 Also create an adverse effect on
concrete properties such as abrasion,
resistance, strength and durability.
PYRITES AND OTHER MECHANICAL IMPURITIES

 Certain metal compounds can

seriously affect the setting rate of
concrete.
 Examples lead and zinc oxide
 Presence of iron pyrite leads to the
development of surface defects with
considerable attendant staining of
the surface by iron oxide.
 Some forms of iron pyrites are able
to oxidize, with the resultant
expansion, when situated at or near
concrete surfaces.
STRIPPING TEST
 The test performed to determine the effects of
moisture content on the adhesion of the bituminous
film to the surface particles of the aggregates.
 Expressed as percentage.
 Necessary so that the applicability of both the
aggregate and bitumen together can be ascertained
because a particular type of aggregate may be
satisfied with one binder and maybe undesirable
with another binder.
PETROGRAPHIC EXAMINATION

 OBJECTIVES
1. Classification
2. An aid in the assessment of aggregate
performance
3. Detection of potentially deleterious
constituents.
 ASTMC295
 ASTM C295-85 outlines procedures for the
petrographic examination of materials proposed as
aggregates.
 The Standard states that 'the specific procedures
employed in the petrographic examination of any
sample will depend to a large extent on the purpose of
the examination and the nature of the sample.
 It permits the petrographer flexibility while providing
guidance on procedures for the examination
BS 812: PART 104

 The prime use of the method is for the

examination of processed aggregates.
 All aggregates (coarse, fine and all-in) are
subjected to an initial qualitative examination to
determine the aggregate type and its general
characteristics.
 Then reduced to a representative test portion for
quantitative examination.
PETROGRAPHIC EXAMINATION
ASTM C295
BS 812:Part 104
Minimum size of the sample
The prime use of the method is
for a processed aggregate,
for the examination of
irrespective of particle size, is
specified as 45 kg or 300 processed aggregates
pieces

Table: Minimum size of test

Table: Minimum size of the portion for quantitative
laboratory sample .for petrographic examination (from
petrographic examination BS 812. Part 104, 1994)
(from BS 812: Part 104, 1994)
TESTING ….
DURABILITY TEST

Aggregate Aggregate Slake

Abrasion Value Attrition Value DurabilityValue

Polished Stone Los Angeles Sulphate

Value Abrasion Value Soundness
Aggregate abrasion Value (AAV):
 This test provides an estimation of surface wear.
AAV reflects hardness and brittleness of the
constituents minerals, the influence of mineral
cleavage and the strength of intergranular bond.
Aggregate attrition Value:
 This test is also called Deval test.

 Samples are rotated in a closed, inclined cylinder

resulting in mutual attrition of the aggregate.
 The percentage of material removed from the
sample during the test is the aggregate attrition
Value
Relationship between aggregate abrasion value,
polished stone value and aggregate impact value
(AIV) for arenaceous roadstones (Hawkes&
Hosking 1972).
Los Angeles abrasion
Value:
sample charge with 6 to
12 steel balls is rotated
in a steel cylinder for
500 or1000 revolutions
at 33 rpm for material
less and greater than 19
mm.
Aggregate in the Los
Angeles Test suffers a
combination of attrition
and impact.
Polished Stone Value (PSV):
Designed as a predictive
measure of the susceptibility
of a stone to polishing.
The polish of the specimens is
then measured using a
standard pendulum arc friction
tester.
A higher value signifies
greater resistance to polishing
SLAKE DURABILITY TEST
 Test intended to assess the resistance offered by a rock
sample to weakening and disintegration when subject
to one (or several) cycle(s) of drying and wetting.
 An important test to determine the weathering
properties of rock when exposed on embankment and
in open cast mining as well as in many other
application
 Not applicable to mud stone and rock salt as they are
very unstable and soluble in fluids (water).
Slake durability machine
DESCRIPTION AND CLASSIFICATION OF AGGREGATES

 The classification of aggregates in a manner

appropriate to their use in the construction industry has
long posed problems, not only of a scientific nature but
also from practical and commercial points of view.
 The classification method chosen depending on the
nature of the rock and the use for which the
classification is required.
 The numerous subdivisions possible in this
fundamental geological system.
DESCRIPTIVE AND CLASSIFICATION SCHEMES IN GENERAL

1. Classical Geological Scheme

 This classification incorporates the petrological
composition of the material,
 It follows the major division of rock material by its mode of
formation into igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic
groups
 It is further classified on the basis of mineralogy and
texture
 Major objective of these classification schemes is to
promote uniformity in nomenclature
2.Descriptive and classification schemes
for engineering purposes

Classify the aggregates on three different

ways
I. Material characteristic
II. General information
III. Mass characteristics
Material characteristic  General
 strength information
 structure  additional information
 color and minor constituents
 texture  geological formation
 grain size

 rock name
Mass
charecteristics
 State of
weathering
 Discontinuities
 Fracture state
Proposed classification of pure carbonate sediments for
engineering purposes (after Fookes & Higginbottom 1975)
DESCRIPTION AND CLASSIFICATION OF
ROCK WEATHERING

Weathering alteration grades (after Geological Society 1977)

PURPOSE AND REQUIREMENTS OF A CLASSIFICATION SCHEME
FOR AGGREGATES

 Be simple in concept;
 Classify materials on the basis of characteristics that are relevant
to their use as aggregates;
 Use terms which can be precisely defined and are usable to
contract specifications;
 Avoid groupings which may unintentionally infer common
properties which do not exist in reality
 Be applicable to all types of aggregates, including both
monomictic and polymictic materials
 Be capable of expansion, as necessary, by the use of
supplementary information relating to a particular material or its
intended use.
DESCRIPTION OF PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS

 Nominal particle size

 Particle shape
 Particle surface texture
 Colour
 Cleanliness: presence of dust, silt or clay
 Presence of surface coatings, encrustations or
obviously extraneous material.
THANK YOU !!!