AGGREGATES

2.1 INTRODUCTION

Aggregates are the inert materials which are used in the

preparation of mortar and concrete.
2.1) NECESSITY:

To reduce the cost factor (aggregates are cheaper)

To improve the workability and avoid cracking.

Due to less heat of hydration.

provide abrasion resistance.

reduce volume changes.

hard material
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2.2 CLASSIFICATION

2.2 CLASSIFICATION (Cont.)

Coarse aggregate
are the particles
which retain on
ASTM sieve no. 4 or
having size greater
than 4.75 mm.

Fine aggregates are
the particles which
pass through ASTM
sieve no. 4 or having
size less than 4.75
mm but not less
than 0.07 mm i.e.
retained on ASTM

2.3 FUNCTIONS OF SAND IN

MORTAR
1. It is used as an adulterant to increase the
volume of the mortar.
2. It reduces shrinkage and cracking of mortar on
setting.
3. It helps pure lime to set because it allows the
penetration of the air which provides CO2
needed for carbonization and setting of the lime.
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2.4 QUALITIES OF GOOD SAND

Good sand should have coarse and angular
grains of pure silica.

Sand should be free from silt, clay or any such
salt which may attack the reinforcement.

It should not contain any organic matter.

The grains of sand should be hard, strong and
durable.

It should be well-graded i.e. should contain in
suitable proportion particles of various sizes.
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2.5 BULKING OF SAND

Volume of sand fluctuates (vary irregularly) with the
variations in its moisture content. When the sand (fine
aggregate) is wet then each particle gets a coating of
water which due to surface tension keeps them apart
thereby causing an increase in the volume of sand. This
increase in volume due to the sand being wet is known
as BULKING OF SAND.

Bulking increases gradually with the increase in moisture
contents. At four percent moisture content by weight, the
increase in volume is about 25%. It then decreases with
the increase in moisture, till it becomes zero when the
water is more then 20%. Bulking is more in finer sands
than in the coarser ones.

In measuring sand by volume its bulking due to moisture7
content should be taken care off.

2.6 PROPERTIES OF STONE

AGGREGATES

Stone Gravel and Crush stone fall into this category and
make up a large percentage of the aggregates used in
concrete.

Since they generally consist 60% to 80% of the volume
of concrete, their properties (characteristics) influence
the properties of concrete. They should therefore meet
certain requirements if the concrete is to be strong,
durable and economical. They must be of the proper
shape either rounded or approximately cubical in shape,
clean, hard, strong and well-graded. They must possess
chemical stability and in many cases exhibit abrasion
resistance and resistance to freezing and thawing.
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2.6 PROPERTIES OF STONE

AGGREGATES (Cont.)
2.6.1 Shape and Surface Texture:
The particle shape and surface texture of the aggregate
influence the properties of fresh concrete more than those
of harden concrete. Sharp, angular, and rough aggregate
particle require more paste to make good concrete than do
rounded ones. Flat pieces made concrete more difficult to
finish and should be limited to not more than 15% of the
total. This requirement is particularly important for crushed
fine aggregate since material made in this way contain
more flat and elongated particles.

2.6 PROPERTIES OF STONE

AGGREGATES (Cont.)
2.6.1 Shape and Surface Texture:

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2.6 PROPERTIES OF STONE

AGGREGATES (Cont.)
2.6.1 Shape and Surface Texture

Sharp, angular
particles

Rounded Particles
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2.6 PROPERTIES OF STONE

AGGREGATES (Cont.)

A particle is called Flaky if its thickness (least
dimension) is less than 0.6 times the mean sieve size of
the size fraction to which the particle belongs. Similarly,
a particle whose length (largest dimension) is, more than
1.8 times the mean sieve size of the size fraction is said
to be elongated. The, mean size is defined as the
arithmetic mean of the sieve size on which the particle is
just retained and the sieve size through which the
particle just passes.

The mass of flaky particles expressed as a percentage
of the mass of the sample is called the flakiness Index
while the mass of elongated particles expressed as a
percentage of the mass of the sample is called the
Elongation Index.
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2.6 PROPERTIES OF STONE

AGGREGATES (Cont.)
2.6.2 Cleanliness:
Particles should be free from coatings of clay or other fine
material and from organic impurities which may affect the
setting of the cement paste. In the case of coarse
aggregates visual inspection will often disclose the
presence of such deleterious materials but with doubt exist
the aggregate should be tested. It is not easy to inspect the
fine aggregates in the same way. And the standard tests
may be carried out to determine the amount of silt and
organic material present in the aggregate.
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2.6 PROPERTIES OF STONE

AGGREGATES (Cont.)
2.6.3 Aggregate Grading:
Grading on particle size distribution is an important
feature of aggregates and is determined by a sieve
analysis as specified by ASTM C-136. The various
grades are well-graded, gap-graded & uniform-graded.
Limits are usually specified for the percentage of material
passing each sieve. Grading limits and maximum size of
aggregates are important because they affect relative
aggregate proportions, cement and water requirements,
workability, economy, porosity, shrinkage and durability of
concrete. In general, aggregates which confirm to the
grading limit produce the most satisfactory result.
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2.6 PROPERTIES OF STONE

AGGREGATES (Cont.)
2.6.3 Aggregate Grading:
Grading

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2.6 PROPERTIES OF STONE

AGGREGATES (Cont.)

A well-graded sample of aggregates contains a
wide range of particles. The gradation curve of a
well-graded sample is evenly spread across the
chart (i.e. the curve is flat).

A poorly-graded sample of aggregates will
stretch across the chart but be deficient in
intermediate sizes. This is also known as skipgraded or gap-graded.

A uniformly-graded sample of aggregates
contains particles of almost same size and has a
steep vertical curve.
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2.6 PROPERTIES OF STONE

AGGREGATES (Cont.)
2.6.3 Aggregate Grading:
Grading

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2.6 PROPERTIES OF STONE

AGGREGATES (Cont.)
2.6.4 Moisture Contents of Aggregates:
Two types of moistures are recognized in aggregates.

Absorbed moisture

Surface moisture.
Absorbed moisture is that which is taken in by the voids
(spaces) in aggregate particles and may not be apparent
on the surface while surface moisture is that which clings to
the surface of the particles. The absorption and surface
moisture of aggregates need to be determined in order to
control the net-water contents of a concrete mixture and to
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make adjustments in batch weights of the materials.

2.6 PROPERTIES OF STONE

AGGREGATES (Cont.)
2.6.5) Specific Gravity:
Specific gravity of an aggregate is another characteristic of
the material which needs to be determined. It is not a
measure of the aggregate quality but used in making
calculation relative to mix design. The specific gravity of
most normal weight aggregates, range from 2.4 to 2.9. Test
methods for determining the specific gravity of both coarse
and fine aggregates are specified in ASTM C-127 & C-128.

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2.6 PROPERTIES OF STONE

AGGREGATES (Cont.)
2.6.6 Hardness of Aggregates:
The hardness of aggregates is expressed in terms of their resistance to
abrasion. This characteristic is important if the aggregate is used in
concrete intended for such purpose as heavy duty floors.
2.6.7 Strength of Aggregate:
One measure of the strength of an aggregate is its resistance to freeze
and thaw. This resistance is an important characteristic in concrete
which is exposed to severe weather. The freeze thaw resistance of an
aggregate is related to its porosity absorption and pole structure. If a
particle of the aggregate absorbs so much water that there is not
enough pore space available, it will not accommodate the expansion
which takes place, when the water freezes, the particle will fail. Freeze
thaw tests on aggregates are commonly carried out on specimen of
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concrete made with aggregates.

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2.6 PROPERTIES OF STONE

AGGREGATES (Cont.)
2.6.8 Chemical Stability of the Particle:
Aggregates need to be chemically stable so that they will
neither react chemically with cement nor be affected
chemically by outside influences. In some cases,
aggregates with certain chemical constituents react with
alkalies in cement. This reaction may cause abnormal
expansion and resultant cracking of cement.

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2.7 TESTS FOR AGGREGATES

Various Tests performed for aggregates to be used in the
concrete are as follows:

Sieve or Screen Analysis of Fine and Coarse aggregates

Specific Gravity and Absorption of Coarse aggregates

Specific Gravity and Absorption of fine aggregate

Fineness Modulus

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2.7 TESTS FOR AGGREGATES (Cont.)

2.7.1 Sieve or Screen Analysis of aggregate:
The purpose of this test is to determine the particle size of
fine and coarse aggregates to be used in various tests.
In this procedure, a weighed sample of dry aggregate is
separated through a series of sieves or screens of
progressively smaller openings for determination of
particle-size distribution.
In this test, the results are dependent upon individual
technique. The test is placed in two categories: mechanical
sieving and hand sieving. This excellent test determines
the gradation of the aggregates, which is very important in
mix design procedure.
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2.7 TESTS FOR AGGREGATES

(Cont.)

2.7.1 Sieve or Screen Analysis of aggregate:

Washing the Aggregate Before
a Sieve Analysis

Weighing Aggregate During a

Sieve Analysis
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2.7 TESTS FOR AGGREGATES

(Cont.)

2.7.2 Specific Gravity and Absorption of Coarse

Aggregate:
The purpose of this test is to ultimately determine the solid
volume of coarse aggregate and the unit volume of the dry
rodded aggregate such that a weight volume characteristic
can be determined so that a concrete design mix can be
determined.
The bulk specific gravity is used to determine the volume
occupied by the aggregates.
The specific gravity of a porous solid ,when the volume of
the solid as used in the calculation includes both the
permeable and impermeable voids is called Bulk Specific25
Gravity.

2.7 TESTS FOR AGGREGATES

(Cont.)

2.7.3 Specific Gravity and Absorption of Fine

Aggregate:
The purpose of this test is to determine the bulk and
apparent specific gravity of fine aggregate as well as the
absorption.
This is an important test because the volume of aggregate
is determined for the concrete mix. The results of this test
are used in all concrete mix design procedures, whether
Portland cement or bituminous.

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2.7 TESTS FOR AGGREGATES

(Cont.)

2.7.4 Fineness Modulus:

Fineness Modulus is defined as
The sum of cumulative percentage retained upto sieve no. 100 divided
by 100.

Fineness modulus (F.M.) indicates relative fineness of aggregates.
It is an abstract or empirical number used to classify the concrete
aggregates. It has no fixed value but varies within a range likely to
give the best results.

Coarser the aggregate, greater is the value of fineness modulus. It
also gives an index of average surface area of aggregates.
Aggregates of different particle size distribution may have similar
F.M. and it is reasonably certain that all such aggregates will
produce concrete of similar plasticity. The same value of fineness
modulus may be given by a number of gradings. Therefore this test
should be considered as a routine test for fine and coarse
aggregates.

F.M. is a guide to inspection and at once discloses changes in
concrete making quality of materials from a particular source.
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2.8 Global Standards for Aggregates

COUNTRY

SPECIFICATION FOR
CONCRETE AGGREGATES

New Zealand

None, everyone produces aggregate from

an impactor mostly Barmacs with good
shape characteristics

Australia

Flakiness Index not more than 35%

India

Combined Flakiness and Elongation of

not more than 30%

Toughest shape specification in the
world

USA

ASTM C33 does not specify coarse

aggregate shape

UK

Flakiness Index not more than 35%

Europe

Flakiness Index of not more than 35%

South Africa

Flakiness Index not more than 35%

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CRUSHER PLANT

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2.9 Crushing Technology

The selection of crusher is the most
important factor in determining the resultant
property of the crushed aggregates in terms
of shape, texture, size grading and etc.
The best possible product shape can be
achieved above all by designing the
crushing plant in such a way that it can be
utilized in the optimum manner.
Compressive type of crushers for example
uses the compression mode to achieve size
reduction and shaping whereas impactors
purely uses the concept of impact crushing
technology for production of superior quality
crushed products.

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JAW CRUSHER
moving jaw
compresses the
particle entering into
the crushing chamber

Primary crusher
Subjection of compression force leads towards crack propagation
failure of particle by mode of cleavage fracture
Reduction ratio, R is about 4 5 : 1
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CONE
CRUSHER

Secondary crusher
accepts much smaller feed
Subjection of compression force leads
towards crack propagation & failure of
particle by mode of cleavage fracture
Reduction ratio, R is about 7 : 1
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Angular
particle

Elongated
particle

Irregular
particle

Flaky
particle

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CRUSHING CHAMBER
ROCK BUILD - UP

rotor
body

Size reduction by impact or shatter, cleavage,

attrition & abrasion
fracture mechanisms due to the high intensity
interparticle & particle to rock lining collisions within
the rotor & crushing chamber
excellent cubical shape particles
reduction ratio, R seldom above 2 except for
very friable materials

IMPACT CRUSHER
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Angular
particle

Cubical
particle

Model : Metso Barmac Rock on Rock Vertical Shaft Impact Crusher

{B3000 DUOPACTOR}
Rotor Size : 0.30m
Crushing Chamber : 0.94 m
Max. Rotor Speed : 5000 rpm
Max. Feed Rate : ~20 tph
Max. Feed Size : 20 mm
Power range : 7.5 15 kW
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Flaky &
Elongated Particles

COMPRESSION CRUSHED
PRODUCTS

IMPACT CRUSHED
PRODUCTS

Cubical Shape
Particles
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VISIT TO A QUARRY

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Quarry
- view of the screen or bund which conceals the quarry

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The view across the quarry from the viewing platform

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The view of the main plant from the viewing platform

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The primary and secondary crushers from across the quarry

Primary Crusher
Secondary Crusher

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Looking down into the quarry- notice the benches which mark previous
working levels

benches

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Freshly blasted rock on quarry floor

freshly blasted rock ready to be processed

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The big digger or Walking Dragline

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The shovel lifts 9 -> 10 tonnes of rock

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The digger picks up the rock

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11 tonnes at a time

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and as each dumper truck arrives

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the digger drops the rock into the dumper truck

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which then drives off to the crushers

the minibus is dwarfed

by the dumper truck

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carrying the rock from the rock face to the primary crusher.

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The dumper reverses towards the primary crusher

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and then tips the rocks into the primary crusher.

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The rocks then cross the grissly rollers with the finer dust falling through >

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and then the coarser rocks fall into the crusher ->

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where it is broken into fragments of different sizes and fed onto the
stockpiles to be fed into the secondary crusher.

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the lorry is loaded with limestone aggregate

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All lorries are spray washed before leaving the quarry

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Before leaving the quarry all lorries are weighed on the weigh bridge

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After being weighed the lorry leaves the quarry

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