Blending of Aggregates

Part 1
Instructor: Stephen Hinton
Example 1
A B
Sieve Opening Size
Percent Passing (%) Percent Passing (%)
25mm 100 /
19mm 96.4 /
12.5mm 48.5 100
9.5mm 12.7 91.7
4.75mm 2.9 13.0
2.36mm / 4.2

Grading Specification:

Percent Passing
Sieve Opening Size
(%)
25mm 100
19mm 90-100
9.5mm 25-60
4.75mm 0-10
Example 1

 Check gradation of both Sample A and B against grading limits

 Does Sample A meet all requirements?

 How about Sample B?

A B Requirements Met?
Gradation
Sieve Opening Size
Percent Passing (%) Percent Passing (%) Specs. A B

25mm 100 100 100

19mm 96.4 100 90-100
12.5mm 48.5 100 N/A
9.5mm 12.7 91.7 25-60
4.75mm 2.9 13.0 0-10
2.36mm / 4.2 N/A
Example 1
A B Requirements Met?
Gradation
Sieve Opening Size
Percent Passing (%) Percent Passing (%) Specs. A B

25mm 100 100 100 Yes Yes

19mm 96.4 100 90-100 Yes Yes
12.5mm 48.5 100 N/A N/A N/A
9.5mm 12.7 91.7 25-60 No No
4.75mm 2.9 13.0 0-10 Yes No
2.36mm / 4.2 N/A N/A N/A

Neither aggregates A nor B is accepted according to the specifications.

Blending Aggregates
In order to meet the gradation requirements for specific projects, it is often

required to blend 2 or more aggregates together

The blending proportion fraction of each aggregate sample should be

determined.
 ap x A + bp x B = T
ap = Decimal fraction of material “A” (% passing) for a sieve size
A = % of Aggregate “A”

bp = Decimal fraction of material “B” (% passing) for a sieve size

B = % of Aggregate “B”
T = Combined grading for a sieve size
Example 1 Sieve Opening Size
A

Percent Passing (%)

B

Percent Passing (%)

25mm 100 100
19mm 96.4 100
12.5mm 48.5 100
9.5mm 12.7 91.7
4.75mm 2.9 13.0
2.36mm / 4.2

A(50%)+B(50%) Requirements Met?

Gradation
Sieve Opening Size
Percent Passing (%) Specs. A+B

25mm
19mm
12.5mm
9.5mm
4.75mm
2.36mm

 Sample calculation: ap x A + bp x B = T

25mm: 100x50% + 100x50% = 100

Example 1
A(50%)+B(50%) Requirements Met?
Gradation
Sieve Opening Size
Percent Passing (%) Specs. A+B

25mm 100 100 Yes

19mm 98.2 90-100 Yes
12.5mm 74.3 N/A N/A
9.5mm 52.2 25-60 Yes
4.75mm 8.0 0-10 Yes
2.36mm N/A N/A N/A

 Blended gradation of two aggregates A and B is accepted according to the

specifications.
Blending Aggregates
Percent passing (%)

AGGREGATE A AGGREGATE B Combined

Sieve size
Total A= % B= % grading Mid-point Spec. Limits
Total bp
ap ap*A bp*B T

14mm 100 100 90-100

5mm 36 100 60-75

2.5mm 7 89.2 40-55

630um 3 56 20-35

160um 1 34.1 12-22

80um 0.4 14 5-10

Blending Aggregates
 Mathematical Method

 Trial and error method is used for blending gradation by using Critical

Sieve(s)

 Multiple solutions
Blending Aggregates
Percent passing (%)

AGGREGATE A AGGREGATE B Combined

Sieve size
Total A= % B= % grading Mid-point Spec. Limits
Total bp
ap ap*A bp*B T

14mm 100 100 90-100

5mm 36 100 60-75

2.5mm 7 89.2 40-55

630um 3 56 20-35

160um 1 34.1 12-22

80um 0.4 14 5-10

 Agg "A" Agg "B"
A= B=
Combined
Sieve Total Total grading Mid Spec
Size ap ap x A bp bp x B "T" Point Limits
14mm 100.0 100.0 90 - 100
5mm 36.0 100.0 60 -75
2.5mm 7.0 89.2 40 - 55
630um 3.0 56.0 20 - 35
160um 1.0 34.1 12 - 22
80um 0.4 14.0 5 - 10
 Agg "A" Agg "B"

A =% B =%
Combined
Sieve Total Total grading Mid Spec
Size ap ap x A bp bp x B "T" Point Limits
14mm 100.0 100.0 95.0 90 - 100
5mm 36.0 100.0 67.5 60 -75
2.5mm 7.0 89.2 47.5 40 - 55
630um 3.0 56.0 27.5 20 - 35
160um 1.0 34.1 17.0 12 - 22
80um 0.4 14.0 7.5 5 - 10
 Agg "A" Agg "B"

A =% B =%
Combined
Sieve Total Total grading Mid Spec
Size ap ap x A bp bp x B "T" Point Limits
14mm 100.0 100.0 95.0 90 - 100
5mm 36.0 100.0 67.5 60 -75
2.5mm 7.0 89.2 47.5 40 - 55
630um 3.0 56.0 27.5 20 - 35
160um 1.0 34.1 17.0 12 - 22
80um 0.4 14.0 7.5 5 - 10
Critical
sieve
 ap x A + bp x B = T
ap = Decimal fraction of material “A” (% passing) for a sieve size
A = % of Aggregate “A”

bp = Decimal fraction of material “B” (% passing) for a sieve size

B = % of Aggregate “B”
T = Combined grading for a sieve size
 Consider Critical Sieve 80 um
Mid point is 7.5
0.4 x A + 14.0 x B = 7.5
Assume contribution from A is negligible
0 + 14.0 x B = 7.5
B = 7.5/14.0 = 0.536 = 53.6%

A = 100%- 53.6%= 46.4%

 Agg "A" Agg "B"

A= B=
46.4% 53.6%
Combined
Sieve Total Total grading Mid Spec.
Size ap ap x A bp bp x B "T" Point Limits Met?
14mm 100.0 46.4 100.0 53.6 100 95.0 90 - 100 Yes

5mm 36.0 16.7 100.0 53.6 70.3 67.5 60 -75 Yes

2.5mm 7.0 3.3 89.2 47.8 51.1 47.5 40 - 55 Yes

630um 3.0 1.4 56.0 30.0 31.4 27.5 20 - 35 Yes
160um 1.0 0.5 34.1 18.3 18.8 17.0 12 - 22 Yes
 Agg "A" Agg "B"

A =% B =%
Combined
Sieve Total Total grading Mid Spec
Size ap ap x A bp bp x B "T" Point Limits
14mm 100.0 100.0 95.0 90 - 100
5mm 36.0 100.0 67.5 60 -75
2.5mm 7.0 89.2 47.5 40 - 55
630um 3.0 56.0 27.5 20 - 35
160um 1.0 34.1 17.0 12 - 22
80um 0.4 14.0 7.5 5 - 10
Critical
sieve
 Consider Critical Sieve 160 um
Mid point is 17
1 x A + 34 x B = 17
Assume contribution from A is negligible
0 + 34 x B = 17
B = 17/34 = 0.499 = 50%

A = 100% - 50% = 50%

 Agg "A" Agg "B"

A = 50% B = 50%
Combined
Sieve Total Total grading Mid Spec
Size ap ap x A bp bp x B "T" Point Limits Met?
14mm 100.0 50.0 100.0 50 100 95.0 90 - 100 Yes

5mm 36.0 18.0 100.0 50 68 67.5 60 -75 Yes

2.5mm 7.0 3.5 89.2 44.6 48.1 47.5 40 - 55 Yes

630um 3.0 1.5 56.0 28.0 29.5 27.5 20 - 35 Yes
160um 1.0 0.5 34.1 17.1 17.6 17.0 12 - 22 Yes