Aggregate Testing

Experiment 1

SUBMITTED ON
October 1, 2015

Aggregate Testing
Experiment 1

Experiment 1(a)
Aim
To determine the specific gravity and absorption of fine grained aggregates.

Apparatus
Weighing Balance, Volumetric Flask, Conical Mould, Tamping Rod and Sand.

Theory
1. Specific Gravity[1]:

Aggregate Testing | 10/1/2015

Specific gravity is the ratio of the density of a substance to the density (mass of the same unit
volume) of a reference substance. Apparent specific gravity is the ratio of the weight of a
volume of the substance to the weight of an equal volume of the reference substance. The
reference substance is nearly always water at its densest (4C) for liquids and for gases it is air at
room temperature (21C). Nonetheless, the temperature and pressure must be specified for
both the sample and the reference. Pressure is nearly always 1 atm (101.325 kPa).

Procedure
1.
2.
3.
4.

Take 500 gm of oven dry sand.

Wet the sample for 24 hrs.
Spread this wet sand on the floor and expose it to gentle warm light.
Loosely pack the fine aggregate in the conical mould and tamp the surface 25 times with the
tamping rod.
5. Lift the mould up. If there is any free moisture then aggregate will retain its shape.

6. Sample was dried further until aggregate slumps upon removal of the mould.
7. After aggregate has reached its SSD condition, sample (500gm) of the sand was taken in
volumetric flask.
8. It is then kept at 20 degree Celsius in oven for 1 hour.
9. Fine aggregates are then removed, dried in oven, and then allowed to cool to room
temperature and weighed.

Observations and Calculations

(Group#4)
W1 = 196.8 gm
W2 = 671.1 gm
W3 = 501.8 gm
W4 = 226.4 gm
Sample Weight kept in Oven = 226.4 gm
Dry weight of Sample = 687 gm
Wdry = 687-226.4 = 460.6 gm
Where,
W1 = Weight of Flask
W2 = Weight of flask filled with Water
W3 = Weight of flask filled one-third with sand

Specific Gravity = (W3-W1) / (W2-W3-(W4-W3)) = 2.65

Water Absorbed = (Wsample-Wdry) / Wdry = ((500-460.6) / 460.6)*100 = 8.56 %

Result
1. The value of specific gravity was found to be equal to 2.65.
2. The amount of water absorbed was found to be equal to 8.56%.

Aggregate Testing | 10/1/2015

W4 = Weight of flask filled with sand and water

Discussion and Analysis

1. Aggregate tests are used to determine the material characteristics and properties of
aggregate materials. Test results are an important part of mix design and can help predict
structure quality.
2. The fine aggregate specific gravity test is used to calculate the specific gravity of a fine
aggregate sample by determining the ratio of the weight of a given volume of aggregate to
the weight of an equal volume of water.
3. Aggregate specific gravity is needed to determine weight-to-volume relationships and to
calculate various volume-related quantities such as voids in mineral aggregate (VMA), and
voids filled by asphalt (VFA). Absorption can be used as an indicator of aggregate durability
as well as the volume of asphalt binder it is likely to absorb.

References

Aggregate Testing | 10/1/2015

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Specific_gravity
2. http://www.pavementinteractive.org/article/fine-aggregate-specific-gravity/

Experiment 1(b)
Aim
To determine specific gravity and absorption of course grained aggregates.

Apparatus
Weighing Balance, Bowl, Sample of Course Aggregate, Oven and Distilled Water.

Theory
1. Specific Gravity[1]:
Specific gravity is the ratio of the density of a substance to the density (mass of the same unit
volume) of a reference substance. Apparent specific gravity is the ratio of the weight of a
volume of the substance to the weight of an equal volume of the reference substance. The
reference substance is nearly always water at its densest (4C) for liquids and for gases it is air at
room temperature (21C). Nonetheless, the temperature and pressure must be specified for
both the sample and the reference. Pressure is nearly always 1 atm (101.325 kPa).

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Take an aggregate sample oven dried.

Immense aggregate sample in water for 24 hours.
Take the weight of aggregate in water.
Dry the aggregates in large absorbent cloth.
Take SSD weight.
Dry that sample in oven and take the dry weight of sample.

Aggregate Testing | 10/1/2015

Procedure

Observations and Calculations

(Group#4)
i)

For sample size = 20 mm

A = Mass of oven dry test = 2891.6 gm
B = Mass of surface dry sample = 2904.2 gm
C = Apparent Mass of Saturated Sample = 1263.6 gm
Specific Gravity (SSD) = B / (B-C) = 2904.2 / (2904.2 1963.6) = 2.79
Specific Gravity (OD) = / (A-C) = 2.77
Apparent Specific Gravity = A / (A-C) = 2891.6 / (2891.6 1863.6) = 2.81

ii)

For Sample Size = 10 mm

A = Mass of oven dry test = 2203.9 gm
B = Mass of surface dry sample = 2222.3 gm
C = Apparent Mass of Saturated Sample = 1419.1 gm
Specific Gravity (SSD) = B / (B-C) = 2904.2 / (2904.2 1963.6) = 2.76
Specific Gravity (OD) = / (A-C) = 2.74
Apparent Specific Gravity = A / (A-C) = 2891.6 / (2891.6 1863.6) = 2.80

Aggregate Testing | 10/1/2015

Result

1. The value of specific gravity (SSD) was found to be equal to 2.79 and 2.76 for 20 mm and
10 mm samples respectively.
2. The value of specific gravity (OD) was found to be equal to 2.77 and 2.74 for 20 mm and
10 mm samples respectively.
3. The value of apparent specific gravity was found to be equal to 2.81 and 2.80 for 20 mm
and 10 mm samples respectively.

Discussion and Analysis

1. The coarse aggregate specific gravity test is used to calculate the specific gravity of a coarse
aggregate sample by determining the ratio of the weight of a given volume of aggregate to
the weight of an equal volume of water. It is similar in nature to the fine aggregate specific
gravity test.

2. Aggregate specific gravity is needed to determine weight-to-volume relationships and to

calculate various volume-related quantities such as voids in mineral aggregate (VMA), and
voids filled by asphalt (VFA). Absorption can be used as an indicator of aggregate durability
as well as the volume of asphalt binder it is likely to absorb.
3. Absorption, which is also determined by the same test procedure, is a measure of the
amount of water that an aggregate can absorb into its pore structure. Pores that absorb
water are also referred to as water permeable voids.

References

Aggregate Testing | 10/1/2015

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Specific_gravity
2. http://www.pavementinteractive.org/article/coarse-aggregate-specific-gravity/

Experiment 1(c)
Aim
To carry out sieve analysis of course and fine aggregate sample modulus.

Apparatus
A Set of Course Sieves, Weighing Balance, Sieve Shaker and Brush.

Theory
1. Sieve Analysis[1]:
A sieve analysis is a practice or procedure used to assess the particle size distribution (also called
gradation) of a granular material.
The size distribution is often of critical importance to the way the material performs in use. A
sieve analysis can be performed on any type of non-organic or organic granular materials
including sands, crushed rock, clays, granite, feldspars, coal, soil, a wide range of manufactured
powders, grain and seeds, down to a minimum size depending on the exact method. Being such
a simple technique of particle sizing, it is probably the most common.
% Retained = (Wsieve / Wtotal)*100 %

Aggregate Testing | 10/1/2015

Procedure

1.
2.
3.
4.

The test was performed on the sample of fine aggregates which has dried.
Put the material on the top of the sieve and shake it for at least 2 minutes.
Sieving was continued until no more material passed through sieve.
Material retained on each sieve were weighed.

Observations and Calculations

(Group#4)
i)

For sample size = 20 mm

A = Mass of oven dry test = 2891.6 gm

B = Mass of surface dry sample = 2904.2 gm

C = Apparent Mass of Saturated Sample = 1263.6 gm
Specific Gravity (SSD) = B / (B-C) = 2904.2 / (2904.2 1963.6) = 2.79
Specific Gravity (OD) = / (A-C) = 2.77
Apparent Specific Gravity = A / (A-C) = 2891.6 / (2891.6 1863.6) = 2.81
ii)

For Sample Size = 10 mm

A = Mass of oven dry test = 2203.9 gm
B = Mass of surface dry sample = 2222.3 gm
C = Apparent Mass of Saturated Sample = 1419.1 gm
Specific Gravity (SSD) = B / (B-C) = 2904.2 / (2904.2 1963.6) = 2.76
Specific Gravity (OD) = / (A-C) = 2.74
Apparent Specific Gravity = A / (A-C) = 2891.6 / (2891.6 1863.6) = 2.80

Result
1. The value of specific gravity (SSD) was found to be equal to 2.79 and 2.76 for 20 mm and
10 mm samples respectively.
2. The value of specific gravity (OD) was found to be equal to 2.77 and 2.74 for 20 mm and
10 mm samples respectively.
3. The value of apparent specific gravity was found to be equal to 2.81 and 2.80 for 20 mm
and 10 mm samples respectively.

1. Sieve analysis helps to determine the particle size distribution of the coarse and fine
aggregates.
2. The size distribution is often of critical importance to the way the material performs in use.
A sieve analysis can be performed on any type of non-organic or organic granular materials
including sands, crushed rock, clays, granite, and soil, a wide range of manufactured
powders, grain and seeds, down to a minimum size depending on the exact method. Being
such a simple technique of particle sizing, it is probably the most common.

References
1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sieve_analysis

Aggregate Testing | 10/1/2015

Discussion and Analysis