Jordan University of Science and Technology

Department of Civil Engineering

Materials of Construction Laboratory
(CE 326)

Specific Gravity and

Absorption of Aggregate

Aggregate

VS : volume of solid
Vop : volume of open pores, capillary pores, permeable pores
Vcp : volume of closed pores, impermeable pores
V = VS + Vp = VS +( Vop +Vcp )

Diagrammatic Representation of Moisture in Aggregate

Moisture State of Aggregate

Bone-dry (OD) condition
When the pores free of water.

Air dry (AD) condition

When the pores partially filled with water.

Saturated and surface dry (SSD) condition

When the pores are saturated with water and the surface of
aggregate is dry, it is consider as equilibrium point (ideal
condition)

Moisture State of Aggregate

Saturated and surface wet (SSW) condition
When the pores are saturated with water and the surface of
aggregate is wet.

Specific Gravity
It is defined as the ratio of mass ( or weight in air) of a
unit volume of material to the mass ( or weight in air) of
the same volume of gas free distilled water at the
stated temperature. Specific gravity is a dimensionless
term.
material
Wmaterial
material

W
material
SG
SG

.water
water
material.
water
water
VVmaterial
33 1000 kg / m33
;

1
g
/
cm
water 1 g / cm 1000 kg / m
; water

There are three different definitions of specific gravity:

Specific Gravity
1) Absolute specific Gravity:
Refer to the volume of the solid material excluding all pores. Thus,
we write;
s s
Ws

W
Abs.SG
.SG s
Abs
ww VVs s..ww
Ws
W
;;s s s
VVs
s

It is not normally required in concrete technology work

Specific Gravity
2) The Apparent specific Gravity (ASG) :

the ratio of the weight in air of a unit volume of the impermeable

portion of aggregate to the weight in air of an equal volume of
gas free distilled water at specified temperature. Thus, we
write;

WAggregate
Agg
W
Agg
AggregateDry
Dry
ASG
ASG

.ww
ww VVss VVCP
CP .
WAggregate
W
AggregateDry
Dry

;;Agg
Agg
VVss VVCP
CP

Specific Gravity
3) The bulk Specific Gravity (BSG,OD)
the ratio of the weight in air of a unit volume of aggregate
(including the permeable and impermeable voids in the
particles, but not including the voids between particles) to the
weight in air of an equal volume of gas free distilled water
at specified temperature. Thus, we write:

WAgg
Agg
W
Agg
AggDry
Dry
BSGDry

BSG
;;Agg
Dry
Agg
VVOP
ww
VVss VVCP
CP
OP

Specific Gravity
4) The bulk Specific Gravity (BSG,SSD )
the ratio of the weight in air of a unit volume of aggregate,
including the weight of water within the voids filled to the
extent achieved by submersion in water for 24 hours (but not
including the voids between particles) to the weight in air of
an equal volume of gas free distilled water at specified
temperature. Thus, we write:

Agg
W
WAgg
Agg
AggSSD
SSD
BSG

BSGSSD

Agg
SSD
Agg
ww
VVSS VVCP

VOP
CP
OP

Specific Gravity
The BSG (SSD) value is used in the mix Design; since the water
contained in all the pores does not participate in the chemical
reaction of cement and is, therefore, considered as part of the
aggregate.

Porosity and Absorption

Porosity, and absorption of aggregate test are performed according
to ASTM C127 and C128.
Porosity, Permeability and Absorption of aggregate:
* Influence bond ( between aggregate. & cements)
* Influence freeze-Thaw resistance of concrete
* Influence chemical stability
* Influence resistance to abrasion
* Influence Specific Gravity.

Absorption Capacity (Absorption)

Absorption : the increase in the weight of aggregate due to water in
the pores of the material, but not including water adhering to the
outside surface of the particles, expressed as percentage of the
dry weight. (represent the maximum amount of water an
aggregate can absorb).

W((SSD
SSD))W
W((DD))
VVopop W
Absorption
or
Absorption
or
W((DD))
VV
W

The assumption that oven dry aggregate in an actual mix would

absorb sufficient water to bring it to the saturated and surface dry
state may not be valid. The amount of water absorbed depends on
the order of feeding the ingredients into the mixer and on the
coating of coarse aggregate with cement paste. Therefore, a more
realistic time for the determination of water absorption is 10 to 30
minutes rather than 24 hours. Moreover, if the aggregate is in air
dry states, the actual water absorption will be corresponding less.
The actual water absorption of the aggregate has to be deducted from
the total water requirement of the mix to obtain the effective W/C
ratio, which controls both the workability and the strength of
concrete.

The moisture content must be allowed for in the calculation of

batch quantities and the total water requirement of the mix. In
effects the mass of water added to the mix has to be decreased and
the mass of aggregate must be increased by an amount equal to the
mass of moisture content.
Moisture content: [Test performed according to BS 812]
Moisture Content: The water in excess of the Dry condition
A: Mass of an air-tight container
B: Mass of container + Sample
C: Mass of container + Sample - Dried
Moisture content M.C(%) = B-C / C-A
or In general = (Moist-Dry) weight
Dry weight

Determination of Specific Gravity &

Absorption Experimentally
Coarse Aggregate
Methods: ASTM C 127; BS 812
Sample: See Table
Specifications: Jordanian Standards
BSG (D) or BSG (SSD) 2.4
Fine Aggregate
Methods: ASTM C 128; BS 812
Sample: 400-1000 Grams

Specific Gravity - Coarse Aggregate

(Displacement Method or wire-basket method)
A. Soaking In Water

B. Dry with a Cloth :

Weight of saturated, surface-dry aggregate
,B

Specific Gravity - Coarse Aggregate

C. Immerse In Water:

D. Dry In An Oven:

Weight of aggregate submerged in

water, C

Weight of oven dry aggregate, A

Specific Gravity - Coarse Aggregate

Calculations:

A
A
BSG((D
D))
BSG
BBCC
A
A
ASG((D
D))
ASG
AACC

B
B
BSG((SSD
SSD))
BSG
BBCC
B-- AA
B
Absorption
100%
%
Absorption
100
AA
1
1
BSGaverage

BSG
average
PP11 PP22 PPnn

BSG11 BSG
BSG22 BSG
BSGnn
BSG
Weight Fraction
Fractionof
of Each
EachSize
Size
PP11,,PP22,,PPnn ::Weight

Specific Gravity-Fine Aggregate

(Lechatelier Flask method (Pycnometer method))

Specific Gravity-Fine Aggregate

Specific Gravity-Fine Aggregate

Specific Gravity - Fine Aggregate

Definitions:
A: Mass of the oven dried fine aggregate, g.
B: Mass of the Flask filled with water to the calibration mark; g.
C: Mass of the aggregate (SSD) + Flask+ water filled to the calibration
mark, g.
Calculations:

A
500
A
500
BSG((D
D))
BSG((SSD
SSD))
BSG
BSG
500BBCC
500BBCC
500
500
A
500--AA
A
500
ASG((D
D))
Absorption
100%
%
ASG
Absorption
100
AABBCC
AA
1
1
BSGaverage
BSG
average
PP11 PP22 PPnn
BSG BSG
BSG
BSG 1 BSG 2 BSG n