Concrete Technology

4th
Sem
Civil BE
Engineering
Lec 5: Aggregates:
Classifications, Sources
 Covered so far
Cement: Manufacture, Types,
Constituents, Compounds of
cements, Hydration and Rate of
hydration of cement
Various tests conducted on
Cements Relevant IS codes for
cement
 This lecture
Aggregates:
General
requirements
Types
Various properties
of aggregates
 Aggregates
The total aggregates (fine aggregates + coarse
aggregates) are used in concrete as filler and
generally occupy 60 % to 75 % of the concrete
volume (70 % to 85 % by weight).
 Typical % proportions of
constituents of concrete

Air, 5
Cement, 10

Gravel, 40
Water, 20

Sand, 25
 Aggregates
cheap
fillers hard
material
provide for volume
stability reduce volume
changes provide
abrasion resistance
 Types
• Natural
Fine Sand/
Crushed
stone
• 4.75 mm
and less

Coarse
• Gravels/
Crushed stone
•
Fine Aggregates
Coarse Aggregates
 Aggregate
Requirement
Aggregates should consist of
particles with adequate strength
against compression, impact, and
abrasion.

Aggregate particles should have

resistance against aggressive
exposure conditions such as highly
fluctuating temperature and
humidity
 Aggregate
Requirement
Aggregates should not contain
deleterious materials such as
chloride, sulfate, etc. that will cause
deterioration of concrete.

The size, shape and particle size

distribution (gradation), of the
aggregates should be such that the
least amount of paste is required to
fill the spaces between aggregate
particles.
 Ideal Aggregate

Ideal aggregates:
– spherical or cubical
– round shape, fine porous surface
– reduced particle interaction (friction)
– results in good workability and good surface area for
bonding
– natural sands are good examples of this

Substandard aggregates:
– angular
– elongated
– flaky or rough
– high particle interaction
– requires more cement paste to achieve workability
– results in increased cost
 Study of aggregates
(a) Classification (b) Source
(c) Size (d) Shape
(e) Texture (f ) Strength
(g) Specific gravity /bulk density (h) Moisture content
(i ) Bulking factor ( j ) Cleanliness
(k) Soundness (l ) Chemical properties
(m) Thermal properties (n) Durability
(o) Sieve analysis (p) Grading
 (a) Classification
Sand, Gravel,
Crushed Rock such
Natur as Granite,
Norm al Quartzite, Basalt,
Sandstone
al
Broken Brick, Air-
weigh Artifici cooled Slag.
Aggre tLight Sintered fly ash
al Bloated clay
g weig
ates ht
Heav
y
weigh
t
 Unit Weight
Unit Weight Typical Typical
of Dry-
of Concrete
Category rodded Applicatio
Concrete Strengths
Aggregate
ns
(kg/m3) (kg/m3) (MPa)

Ultra <500 300-1100 <7 Nonstructural

lightweight

insulating
Lightweight 500-800 1100-1600 7-14
material

Structural Masonry units,

650-1100 1450-1900 17-35
Structural
Light weight

Normal weight 1100-1750 2100-2550 20-40 Structural

Radiation
Heavyweight >2100 2900-6100 20-40 Mindes
shielding
 (b)
Source

Source (Rocks )

Igneous Sedimentary Metamorphic

 (c) Size
Use the largest size possible for
(i) reduction of the cement content
(ii)reduction in water requirement
(iii)reduction of drying shrinkage
Max size depends upon
(i ) Thickness of section;
(ii ) Spacing of
reinforcement; (iii ) Clear
cover;
(iv) Mixing, handling and
placing techniques.
 (d)
Rounded
Shape
Fully water worn or completely shaped by attrition
River/ seashore gravels; desert, seashore/ wind-
blown sands
Naturally irregular/partly shaped by attrition, having
Irregular or rounded edges Pit sands and gravels; land or dug flints;
Partly
cuboid rock
rounded

well-defined edges at the intersection of roughly

Angular planar faces Crushed rocks of all types

Material, usually angular, of which the thickness is small

relative to the width and/or length
Flaky
Laminated rocks
 Classificatio Description Examples
n
Rounded Fully water –worn or completely River or seashore
shaped by attrition gravel; desert,
seashore, and
windblown sand
Irregular Naturally irregular, or partly Other gravels; sand or
shaped dug flint
by attrition and having rounded
edges
Angular Possessing well-defined edges Crushed rocks of all
formed at the intersection of types; talus; crushed
roughly planar faces slag
Flaky Material of which the thickness is Laminated rock
small relative to the
other two dimensions
Elongated Material, usually angular, in -
which
the length is considerably larger
than the other two dimensions
Flaky and Material having the length -
elongated considerably larger than the
 (e) Texture
The table on next
slide
Group Surface Characteristics Examples
Texture
1 Glassy Conchoidal fracture Black flint,
obsidian, vitreous
slag
2 Smooth Water-worn, or smooth due Gravels, chert,
to fracture of laminated or slate,
fine- grained rock marble,
some
rhyolites
3 Granular Fracture showing more-or- Sandstone, oolite
less uniform rounded
grains
4 Rough Rough fracture of fine- or Basalt, felsite,
medium –grained rock porphyry,
containing no easily limestone
visible crystalline
constituents
5 Crystalline Containing easily visible Granite,
crystalline constituents gabbro, gneiss
6 Honeycombe With visible pores and Brick, pumice,
d cavities foamed slag,
 Surface
texture
property, the measure of which depends
upon the relative degree to which
particle surfaces are polished or dull,
smooth or rough.
Surface texture depends on
hardness,
grain size,
pore
structure,
structure of
 (f ) Strength
Aggregate Crushing Value
Aggregate Impact Value
Aggregate Abrasion Value
(i)Deval attrition test
(ii)Dorry abrasion test
(iii)Los Angels test.
Modulus of Elasticity
(g) Specific gravity /bulk
density
Indicates shape and grading
of the aggregate
More imp for light weight and heavy
weight aggregate
specific gravity vary from 2.6 to 2.8.
 Specific Gravity

Ratio of the
weight of an
object to the
weight of an
equal volume of
water (at std.
temp. &
pressure).
 Lightweight aggregates
natural or synthetic
weight less than 1100 kg/m3
The lightweight is due to the cellular
or high internal porous
microstructure, which gives this type
of aggregate a low bulk specific
gravity. The most important aspect of
lightweight aggregate is the porosity.
They have high absorption values
 (h) Moisture
content
Porosity and absorption of water will
affect the w/c ratio and workability
Since aggregates contain some porosity, water
can be absorbed into the body of the particles or
retained on the surface of the particle as a film of
moisture. The following four moisture states are
defined:
 Oven-dry (OD): All moisture is removed from the
aggregate by heating in an oven at 105 C to
constant weight (overnight heating usually is
sufficient). All pores are empty.
 Air-dry (AD): All moisture removed from surface, but
internal pores partially full.
 Saturated-surface-dry (SSD): All pores filled with
water, but no
film of water on the surface.
 Wet: All pores completely filled with water with a
film on the surface.
Of these four states, only OD and SSD states correspond to
specific moisture contents, and either of these states can
be used as reference states for calculating moisture
contents. The AD and wet states represent the variable
moisture contents that will exist in stockpiled aggregates.
The SSD state is the best choice as a reference state for
the following reasons:
 It represents the "equilibrium moisture" state of the
aggregate in concrete; that is, the aggregate will neither
absorb water nor give up water to the paste.
 The moisture content of aggregates in the field is much
closer to the SSD state than the OD state.
 The bulk specific gravity (BSG) of aggregates is more
accurately determined by the displacement method in
the SSD condition.
 The moisture content can be calculated directly from
measurements of (BSG) using the displacement method.
 (i ) Bulking factor
The free moisture content in fine aggregate
results in
bulking of volume
Apparent increase in volume due to
presence of moisture
Applicable more for F.A.
Determination of moisture content
(i)Drying Method
(ii)Displacement Method
(iii)Calcium Carbide Method
(iv)Measurement by electrical meter.
(v)Automatic measurement
Absorption Capacity:Absorption capacity (AC or
absorption) represents the maximum amount of water the
aggregate can absorb. It is calculated from the difference
in weight between the SSD and OD states, expressed as a
percentage of the OD weight:
AC = (WSSD - WOD) / (WOD) x 100%
WSSD and WOD represent the weight of the aggregate
sample in the SSD and OD states. The absorption capacity
is used in mix proportioning calculations and can be used
to convert from SSD to OD system or vice versa. Most
normal weight aggregates have absorption capacities in
the range of 1 to 2%. Abnormally high absorption
capacities indicate high-porosity aggregates, which may
have potential durability problems.
 Effective Absorption
The effective absorption (EA) represents the
amount of water required to bring an aggregate
from the AD state to the SSD, expressed as a
fraction of the SSD weight:
EA = (WSSD – WAD) / WSSD x 100%
The effective absorption is used to calculate the
weight of water absorbed (Wabs) by the weight of
aggregate (Wagg) in the mix:
Wabs = (EA) Wagg
If the aggregate is close to the OD condition
when batched, it takes the aggregate some
time to absorb all the water necessary to reach
the SSD condition.
 Absorption

Absorption is the
moisture
content in the
SSD state
Moisture content
when permeable
voids just filled
with water

Abs. = (WSSD
- WOD) / WOD x
100%
Surface Moisture:
The surface moisture (SM) represents
water in excess of the SSD state, also
expressed as a fraction of the SSD
weight:
SM = (Wwet – WSSD) / WSSD x 100%
It is used to calculate the additional water
(Wadd) added to the concrete with the
aggregate.
Wadd = (SM) Wagg
 ( j ) Cleanliness
Impurities and deleterious substances
Coal and
lignite Clay
lumps
Materials finer than 75-micron IS
Sieve Soft fragments
Shale
They can
interfere with process of
hydration,
prevent effective bond between aggregates
 (k) Soundness
Soundness refers to the ability of
aggregate to resist excessive changes in
volume as a result of changes in
physical conditions
Alkali Aggregate
Reaction Factors
Promoting:
(i) Reactive type of
aggregate;
(ii)High alkali content
in cement;
 Control of Alkali-Aggregate
Reaction
(i) Use of non-reactive aggregates;
(ii)use of low alkali cement;
(iii) use of corrective admixtures
such as pozzolanas;
(iv)By controlling void space in
concrete;
(v) By controlling moisture
condition and temperature
Cracking of concrete from
alkali silica
reactivity
 (m) Thermal
properties
Imp for concrete
making:
(i) Coefficient of
expansion;
(ii)Specific heat;
(iii)Thermal
conductivity.
Thermal expansion of concrete is greatly influenced by the type of
aggregate because of the large differences in the thermal
properties of various types of aggregates, and because the
aggregate constitutes from 70 to over 80 percent of the total solid
volume of the concrete. Siliceous aggregates such as chert,
quartzite, and thermal coefficients of expansion between 2.5 and
3.6 millionths per degree Celsius, while the coefficients for pure
limestone, basalt, granite, and gneiss may vary between 0.7 and
2.5 millionths per degree Celsius. Further, single-mineral crystals
may have different coefficients along three different axes. As an
example, feldspar has values of 5.4, 0.3, and 0.6 millionths per
degree Celsius along three different axes. An estimated value of
the coefficient of thermal expansion for concrete may be
computed from weighted averages of the coefficients of the
aggregate and the hardened cement paste.
It has been suggested that significant internal stresses due to
temperature variations may develop because of differences in the
thermal coefficients of the cement paste and the aggregate. The
 (o) Sieve analysis
operation of dividing a sample of aggregate into
various
fractions each consisting of particles of the same
size
Sieve Sizes:
80 mm, 40 mm, 20 mm, 10 mm, 4.75 mm, 2.36
mm, 600
micron, 300 micron and 150 micron.
On a logarithmic scale, lines can be spaced at
equal intervals to represent the successive
sizes.
4.75 mm is a common fraction appearing both in
coarse aggregate and fine aggregate
The
aggregate
particle size
is
determined
by using
wire- mesh
sieves with
square
openings
 (p) Grading
IS Standard Grading curves to be
referred.
Amount of
cement paste
required in
concrete is
greater than the
volume of voids
between the
aggregates.
Proper selection of various sizes will be
very effective in reducing the total
volume of voids between aggregates.
The cement paste requirement is
related the void content of the
combined aggregates.

Production of satisfactory; economical

concrete requires aggregates of low
void content, but not the lowest.
Aggregates can
occasionally
contain particles
of iron oxide and
iron sulfide that
result in stains on
exposed concrete
surface.
 Next Lecture
IS codes for aggregates and their
tests Tests on aggregates
Thank
You