Experiment No: 4.

2
Experiment Name: SPECIFIC GRAVITY OF COARSE AGGREGATES
Aim:
To determine the bulk specific gravity and apparent specific gravity of coarse aggregates.
Relevant Codes:
IS 2386-part III (1963) - Methods of test for aggregates for concrete: Part III- Specific gravity,
density voids, absorption and bulking.
Relevance and Importance:
Specific gravity of any material directly relates to the strength or quality of the material.
Aggregates having low specific gravity are generally weaker than those with higher specific
gravity values. This information can be utilized for the Hot Mix Asphalt Design for calculating
air voids, voids in mineral aggregates and voids filled with bitumen.
Test Description:
This test covers the procedures for determining the specific gravity of coarse aggregates. 2 kg of
material is taken which is retained on the 4.75 mm sieve. And then it is soaked in water for 24
hours, the surface dry weight of the aggregates are taken after surface drying them with a moist
towel. Then aggregates are dried in oven for 24 hours and then oven dry weight is taken. And the
specific gravity is calculated with a suitable formula.
Apparatus Required:
1. Balance -capacity not less than 3 kg, readable and accurate to 0.5 g
2. Oven - well ventilated, thermostatically controlled, to maintain a temperature of 100 to
110 C
3. Wire Basket - not more than 6.3 mm mesh or a perforated container of convenient size,
with wire hangers not thicker than 1 mm for suspending it from the balance
4. Watertight Container - for freely suspending the basket
5. Dry Soft Absorbent cloths- 2 no, each not less than 75 x 45 cm and in moist condition.
2
6. Shallow tray - area not less than 650 cm

7. Airtight container- capacity similar to that of the basket

Procedure:
1. A sample of not less than 2000 g of aggregates is tested.
2. The sample is thoroughly washed so as to remove fine particles and dust, drained and
then placed in the wire basket and immersed in distilled water at a temperature between
22 C and 32 C with a cover of at least 5 cm of water above the top of the basket for
24 hours.
3. Immediately after immersion the entrapped air is removed from the sample by lifting the
basket containing it 25 mm above the base of the tank and allowing it to drop 25 times at
the rate of 1 drop per second. The basket and aggregates are made to remain completely
immersed during the operation and for a period of 241/2 hours afterwards.
4. The basket and the sample are then jolted and weighed in water at a temperature of 22 to
32 C.
5. The basket and aggregates are then removed from water and allowed to drain for a few
minutes. The aggregates are gently emptied from the basket on to one of the dry clothes
and the empty basket is returned to the water, jolted 25 times and weighed in water.
6. The aggregates placed on the dry cloth are gently surface dried with the moist cloth and
transferred to the second dry cloth after the first one removes no further moisture.
7. The aggregates are then spread out not more than one stone deep on the second cloth, and
lest exposed to the atmosphere away from direct sunlight or any other source of heat for
not less than 10 minutes, or until they appear to be completely surface dry. They are
weighed afterwards. The aggregates are then placed in an oven in a shallow tray at a
temperature of 100 to 110 C and maintained at this temperature for 241/2 hours. They
are then removed from the oven, cooled in an airtight container and weighed.

Observations Table:
1.
2.
3.
4.

Weight of Empty wire basket: _____________.

Weight of the pan; _____________.
Weight of the saturated aggregates in water (A): _____________.
Weight of saturated surface dry aggregate in air (B): ____________.

5. Weight of oven dried aggregate in air (C): ______________.

Calculation:
The specific gravity shall be calculated as follows:
Bulk specific gravity = C / (B-A).
Apparent specific gravity = C / (C-A)

Results and Discussions:

1. The bulk specific gravity & the apparent specific gravity of the coarse aggregates is
_______ & _______ respectively.