Aggregate Properties

Learning Outcomes

 Learn about aggregate physical properties.

 Learn about Superpave aggregate gradation

and blending.

Physical Properties
•Toughness
•Soundness
•Impurities
•Gradation

1
 Size Definitions
* Coarse Aggregate
- Retained on 4.75 mm (No. 4) ASTM D692
- Retained on 2.38 mm (No. 8) Asphalt Institute
- Retained on 2.00 mm (No. 10) HMA Book

* Fine Aggregate.
- Passing 4.75 mm (No. 4) ASTM D1073
- Passing 2.38 mm (No. 8) Asphalt Institute

* Mineral Filler
- Passing 0.075 mm (No. 200) ASTM D242

Toughness
* Los Angeles Abrasion (AASHTO T96, ASTM C131):
Resistance of coarse aggregate to
abrasion and mechanical degradation
during handling, construction and use

* Aggregate at standard gradation subjected to

damage by rolling with prescribed number of steel
balls in a large drum for a given number of rotations

* Result expressed as % change in original weight

passing No. 12 (1.68 mm or 0.066”)

Toughness Test: LA Abrasion

- Approx. 10% loss for extremely hard igneous rocks

- Approx. 60% loss for soft limestones and sandstones
6

2
 Soundness
* Estimates resistance to weathering (ASTM C88).

* Simulates freeze/thaw action by successively wetting

and drying aggregate in sodium sulfate or magnesium
sulfate solution. One immersion and drying is considered
as one cycle.

* Result is total percent loss over various sieve intervals

for a prescribed number of cycles. Max. loss values
typically range from 10 to 20% per 5 cycles

Soundness Test

Magnesium Sulfide Sodium Sulfide

Soundness

Before After

3
 Impurities

• Determines the amount of clay/friable particles

• ASTM C142
• Dry to a constant weight at 110 ºC ±5 ºC
• Separate coarse from fines using the No. 4 sieve
• Soak sample for 24 hrs
• Roll-squeeze sample between fingers
• Wet sieve using No. 16, 4, 19 mm and 37.5 mm
• Dry again to a constant weight at 110 ºC ±5 ºC
• Compute the percent of clay lumps/friable
particles as the loss in the amounts retained on
prescribed sieves.
10

Gradations

• Definition:
– The distribution of particle sizes expressed as
a percent of total weight.
• Determined by sieve analysis

11

Steps in Gradation Analysis

• Part 1 - Washed sieve analysis

– Dry aggregate and determine mass
– Wash and decant water through 0.075
mm sieve until water is clear
– Dry aggregate to a constant mass

12

4
 Washed Sieve

13

Steps in Gradation Analysis

(cont.)
Part 2 - Mechanical sieve analysis
– Place dry aggregate in standard stack
of sieves
– Place sieve stack in mechanical shaker
– Determine mass of aggregate retained
on each sieve

14

Mechanical Sieve

Individual Sieve Stack of Sieves

15

5
 Mechanical Sieve

Stack in
Mechanical
Shaker

16

Gradations - Example
Sieve Mass Cumulative
Retained Mass Retained % Retained % Passing

9.5 0.0
4.75 6.5
2.36 127.4
1.18 103.4
0.60 72.8
0.30 64.2
0.15 60.0
0.075 83.0
Pan 22.4

17

Computations

Cum. Wt Retained
% Retained = * 100
Original Dry Wt.

% Passing = [ 1 - Cum. Wt Retained

Original Dry Wt.
] * 100

18

6
 Gradation Calculated
Sieve Mass Cumulative
Retained Mass Retained % Retained % Passing

9.5 0.0 0.0 0.0 100.0

4.75 6.5 6.5 1.2 98.9
2.36 127.4 133.9 24.8 75.2
1.18 103.4 237.3 44.0 56.0
0.60 72.8 310.1 57.5 42.6
0.30 64.2 374.3 69.4 30.6
0.15 60.0 434.3 80.5 19.5
0.075 83.0 517.3 95.8 4.2
Pan 22.4 539.7 100.0 0.0

19

Gradation Terminology
* Uniformly graded
- Few points of contact
- Poor interlock (shape dependent)
- High permeability
* Well graded
- Good interlock
- Low permeability
* Gap graded
- Only limited sizes
- Good interlock
- Low permeability
20

Plotting a Gradation

• Use 0.45 Power Gradation Chart

• Max Size Definitions
– maximum size
– nominal maximum size
• Gradation Limits
– control points
– restricted zone

21

7
 0.45 Power Grading Chart
Percent Passing
100

80

60 Example:

40 4.75 mm sieve plots at (4.75)0.45 = 2.02

20

0
0 1 2 3 4
Sieve Size (mm) Raised to 0.45 Power
22

0.45 Power Grading Chart

Percent Passing
100

80
max
60
size
40

20
maximum density line
0
0 .075 .3 .6 1.18 2.36 4.75 9.5 12.5 19.0
Sieve Size (mm) Raised to 0.45 Power
23

Max Size Definitions

100
(Superpave) 99
• Nominal Max. Aggregate Size 89
72
– one size larger than the largest
sieve to retain > 10% 65
48
• Max. Aggregate Size 36
– one size larger than nominal 22
maximum size 15
9
4

24

8
 Superpave Max Size
Designations
Superpave Nom Max Size Max Size
Designation (mm) (mm)

37.5 mm 37.5 50
25 mm 25 37.5
19 mm 19 25
12.5 mm 12.5 19
9.5 mm 9.5 12.5

25

Gradation Requirements
• Be within gradation band specified
• Stay off the maximum density (Fuller) line
• Stay off the restricted zone (assumed to limit
natural sand and control mix tenderness).

26

Percent Passing
100
max density line

restricted zone

control point nom max

max size
size

0
.075 .3 2.36 4.75 9.5 12.5 19.0

Sieve Size (mm) Raised to 0.45 Power

27

9
Superpave Aggregate Gradation
Percent Passing
100

Design Aggregate Structure

0
.075 .3 2.36 12.5 19.0
Sieve Size (mm) Raised to 0.45 Power
28

Need for Blending Aggregates

• Reasons for Blending
– Obtain desirable gradation
– Single natural or quarried material not enough
– Economical to combine natural and processed
materials

29

Blending Methods
• Mathematical calculation of percentages
on as many critical sieves as gradations to
be blended. Subsequently, determine if
the determined percentages satisfy the
remaining sieve ranges.
• Trial and error by plotting combined
gradations

30

10
 Mathematical Method

• Basic formula for combining stockpiles to

achieve a target gradation is:

p = Aa + Bb + Cc + ….

where:
p = percent of material passing given sieve size
A, B, C, .. = percent passing given sieve for each agg.
a, b, c, … = decimal fraction of A, B, C, … to be used

31

Trial and Error Plotting Method

• Plot individual gradations

• Plot specification limits
• Can be used for initial assessment
– Can blend be made from available
materials?
– Identification of critical sieves
– Est. trial proportions

32

All possible combinations fall between A and B

Percent Passing, %
100
90
Gradation B
80
70 Control points for
12. 5 nominal max. size
60
50
40 Gradation A
30
20
10
0
0.075 0.3 1 .18 4.75 9.5 12.5 19

Sieve Size, mm
33

11
No poss. combination of A and B will meet spec.
Percent Passing, %
100 Gradation B Gradation A
90
80
70
60
50 Control points for
12. 5 nominal max. size
40
30
20
10
0
0.075 0.3 1 .18 4.75 9.5 12.5 19

Sieve Size, mm
34

All poss. combinations pass through cross-over point

Blends containing more A than B will be closer to A
Percent Passing, %
100 Gradation A
90
80
70
60
Gradation B
50
40
30
20 Control points for
12. 5 nominal max. size
10
0
0.075 0.3 1 .18 4.75 9.5 12.5 19

Sieve Size, mm
35

Trial and Error Blending Example

Material Agg. #1 Agg. #2
% Used Blend Target
% % % %
U.S. Sieve
Passing Batch Passing Batch
3/8 “ 100 100
No. 4 90 100
No. 8 30 100
No. 16 7 88
No. 30 3 47
No. 50 1 32
No. 100 0 24
No. 200 0 10
36

12
Trial and Error Blending Example
Material Agg. #1 Agg. #2 First Try
(remember trial & error)
% Used 50 % 50 % Blend Target
% % % %
U.S. Sieve
Passing Batch Passing Batch
3/8 “ 100 50 100 100 * 0.5 = 50 100
No. 4 90 45 100 90 * 0.5 = 45 80 - 100
No. 8 30 15 100 30 * 0.5 = 15 65 - 100
No. 16 7 3.5 88 7 * 0.5 = 3.5 40 - 80
No. 30 3 1.5 47 3 * 0.5 = 1.5 20 - 65
No. 50 1 0.5 32 1 * 0.5 = 0.5 7 - 40
No. 100 0 0 24 0 * 0.5 = 50 3 - 20
No. 200 0 0 10 0 * 0.5 = 0 2 - 10
37

Trial and Error Blending Example

Material Agg. #1 Agg. #2
% Used 50 % 50 % Blend Target
% % % %
U.S. Sieve
Passing Batch Passing Batch
3/8 “ 100 50 100 50 100 100
No. 4 90 45 100 50 95 80 - 100
No. 8 30 15 100 50 65 65 - 100
No. 16 7 3.5 88 44 47.5 40 - 80
No. 30 3 1.5 47 23.5 25 20 - 65
No. 50 1 0.5 32 16 16.5 7 - 40
No. 100 0 0 24 12 12 3 - 20
No. 200 0 0 10 5 5 2 - 10
38

Trial and Error Blending Example

Material Agg. #1 Agg. #2
% Used 50 % 50 % Blend Target
% % % %
U.S. Sieve
Passing Batch Passing Batch
3/8 “ 100 50 100Let’s Try 50 100 100
No. 4 90 45 100 and get 50 95 80 - 100
No. 8 30 15 100a little closer
50 65 65 - 100
No. 16 7 3.5 to
88the middle
44 of 47.5 40 - 80
the target values.
No. 30 3 1.5 47 23.5 25 20 - 65
No. 50 1 0.5 32 16 16.5 7 - 40
No. 100 0 0 24 12 12 3 - 20
No. 200 0 0 10 5 5 2 - 10
39

13
 Trial and Error Blending Example
Material Agg. #1 Agg. #2
% Used 30 % 70 % Blend Target
% % % %
U.S. Sieve
Passing Batch Passing Batch
3/8 “ 100 30 100 70 100 100
No. 4 90 27 100 70 97 80 - 100
No. 8 30 9 100 70 79 65 - 100
No. 16 7 2.1 88 61.6 63.7 40 - 80
No. 30 3 0.9 47 32.9 33.8 20 - 65
No. 50 1 0.3 32 22.4 22.7 7 - 40
No. 100 0 0 24 16.8 16.8 3 - 20
No. 200 0 0 10 7 7 2 - 10
40

Blended Aggregate Specific

Gravities

• Once the percentages of the stockpiles

have been established, the combined
aggregate specific gravities can also be
calculated

41

Specific Gravity of Blend

1
G=
P1 + P2 + ……. Pn
G1 G2 Gn

P1, P2, …, Pn : percentage of each aggregate source to the blend

G1, G2, …, Gn : specific gravity of each aggregate source
42

14
 Questions - ?

43

Recall: Learning Outcomes

 Learn about aggregate physical properties.

 Learn about Superpave aggregate gradation

and blending.

44

15