Main properties of aggregates

The main characteristics of aggregates made of natural rock materials are:

 Activity of natural radionuclides (radioactivity);

 Grain size composition and grain shape;
 Strength;
 Frost resistance;
 Content of dust and clay particles;
 Actual, average and bulk densities;

Additional characteristics of aggregates made of natural rock materials are:

 Adhesion or "agglutinating" (clinging with bitumen);

 The content of contaminative and chemically harmful additives, etc.

Radioactivity of aggregates

One of the most important characteristics that usually open discussion of the construction aggregates quality is its radioactivity.

 Natural radionuclides (NRN): the main radionuclides of natural origin that are contained in construction materials are radium (226Ra),
thorium (232Th) and kalium (40K);
 The specific activity of the radionuclide (A) is the ratio of the radionuclide activity in the sample to the mass of the sample, Bq/kg;
 The specific effective activity of NRN (A (eff)) is the total specific activity of NRN in the material determined by its biological impact on the
human body.

The criterion for approving the usage of aggregates in accordance with hygiene norms is A (eff):

 Up to 370 Bq/kg - aggregates that can be used for all types of construction work (Ist class).
 Over 370 Bq/kg - such aggregates can be used in road construction (II, III, and IV class).

Grain content of aggregates:

Aggregates are divided into fractions according to the size of the grain, for example: 5-10 mm; 5-20 mm; 10-20 mm; 20-40 mm; 25-60 mm; 40-70
mm; upon agreement between a client and a producer it is also possible to establish different grain parameters and sizes.

The size of grains in every aggregates fraction depending on its use must correspond to technical requirements (state standard specifications).

For example, for aggregates of 20-40 mm fraction for construction work (state standard specifications - ГОСТ 8267-93) the following requirements
are:

 Content of grain 20 mm in size. (d), % of the mass - 90 to 100%;

 Content of grain 30 mm in size. (0.5(d+D)), % of the mass - 30 to 80%;
 Content of grain 40 mm in size. (D), % of the mass - up to 10%;
 Content of grain 50 mm in size. (1.25D), % of the mass - up to 0,5%.

Adherence to these requirements is reflected during sifting.

Grain shape of aggregates
In aggregates lamellar (flakiness) and needle shapes of grain are normalized.
Aggregates are divided into four groups according to the shape of grains (index of grains with lamellar and needle shapes, their % in the mass):

 I group - up to 15%;
 II group - from 15% to 25%;
 III group - from 25% to 35%;
 IV group - from 35% to 50%;

It is important to mention that flakiness is one of the most important characteristics of aggregate quality. The smaller the flakiness index, the higher
the quality of aggregates is. The presence of lamellar and needle shapes leads to an increase of intergranular porosity in a mixture. That
consequently leads to an increase of the conjunctive component usage and therefore causes additional expenses.

Recently cubic-shape aggregates are becoming more and more popular. The content of lamellar and needle grains does not exceed 15% (that means
that it belongs to the Ist group). Using aggregates of cubic shape allows for the densest ramming.

Strength of aggregates
The strength of aggregates is characterized by the limit of the extracted rock strength while being compressed (crushed) in a cylinder. This indicator
is imitated, for example, the resistance of rock material impacted by passing transport vehicles over a road surface or by mechanical impact in the
road building process (laying and compaction by road rollers).

Depending on mass losses during testing, aggregates are marked as 200, 300, 400, 600, 800, 1,000, 1,200, or 1,400. The higher the mark, the
stronger are aggregates.
Depending on the type of rock and the grade at crushing, the content of poor rock grains is normalized in aggregates and marked from 300 to 1,400.

Frost resistance of aggregates

The frost resistance of aggregates is characterized by the number of freeze-thaw cycles. It is permitted to evaluate the frost resistance of aggregates
by the number of saturation cycles in a solution of sodium sulfate, with further drying. In terms of frost resistance aggregates are divided into grades:
F15; F25; F50; F100; F150; F200; F300; F400. The higher the grade, the higher is the frost resistance of aggregates.

Indicators of frost resistance of aggregates and gravel are determined in test that involves freezing and thawing them, or by saturating them in a
sodium sulfate solution with subsequent drying. In construction, aggregates of a frost resistance grade not lower than F300 is usually used.

Content of dust and clay particles, content of clay in lumps

The content of dust and clay particles in aggregate is normalized (under 0.05 mm in size).
For aggregates of all types and strength grades, the content of clay lumps in the total volume of dust and clay particles must not exceed 0.25% of the
mass.

Bulk density
The quantity of aggregate is determined by the volume or mass. Aggregates are measured in freight cars and trucks.

Aggregates that are shipped in wagons or trucks are weighed on rail or truck scales. The mass of aggregates that is shipped by boat is determined by
the draught of the ship. The calculation of the aggregate quantity from the units of mass to the units of volume is done according to the index of the
aggregate bulk density, determined by its humidity during the shipment.

The volume of aggregate that is shipped in a wagon or a truck is determined by measuring; the determined volume is multiplied by the compaction
coefficient during transportation, which depends on the method of loading, the transportation distance, and the grain content. The maximum
allowed humidity indicator and compaction coefficient, which must not exceed 1.10, is set in the shipping contract.

Adhesion
One of the specific aggregates properties is adhesion. This parameter reflects the evaluation of the quality of the clinging of bitumen binding
components with the surface of the aggregates. It is important to point out that the color of aggregates affects the clinging. The best adhesion
results are granted by grey and dark grey aggregates.

Content of contaminative and chemically harmful additives

The content of sulfurous and sulfate compounds in conversion to S03 must not exceed 0.5% of the mass. Aggregates must contain no more than 25%
of the mass in general iron. Aggregates are used in concrete without limitations if the content of each of the rock-forming minerals (magnetite,
goethite, hematite and others) is no more than 10% in volume, or if their total volume does not exceed 15%. The allowed content of other harmful
additives and compounds in aggregates is accepted in accordance with the mandatory appendix Б (B) to the state standard specification ДСТУ Б
В.2.7-75 (B V.2.7-75).

Aggregates must not contain extraneous polluting additives that can be seen with the naked eye.

Application of aggregate products

The consumers of aggregates are companies that operate in various fields of the construction industry.

Depending on a company specialization, aggregates can be used in different ways:

 Concrete product plants, integrated house-building factories, and ready-mixed concrete producers use it as aggregates for concrete and
concrete products;
 Road building enterprises and road maintenance companies use it for making road surfaces and bases.
 Companies that repair railway tracks use aggregates for rail ballast.
 Organizations that provide services in the fields of park and garden industry and landscaping use aggregates for paving and bases for paths
and grounds.
 Companies that provide housing and communal services, site improvement use aggregates to make surfaces and bases for pedestrian
paths and grounds.

www.lafarge.ua/wps/portal/ua/3_5_1-Aggregates_properties

The Effect of Aggregate Properties on Concrete

Concrete is a mixture of cementious material, aggregate, and water. Aggregate is commonly considered inert filler, which accounts for 60 to 80
percent of the volume and 70 to 85 percent of the weight of concrete. Although aggregate is considered inert filler, it is a necessary component that
defines the concrete’s thermal and elastic properties and dimensional stability. Aggregate is classified as two different types, coarse and fine. Coarse
aggregate is usually greater than 4.75 mm (retained on a No. 4 sieve), while fine aggregate is less than 4.75 mm (passing the No. 4 sieve). The
compressive aggregate strength is an important factor in the selection of aggregate. When determining the strength of normal concrete, most
concrete aggregates are several times stronger than the other components in concrete and therefore not a factor in the strength of normal strength
concrete. Lightweight aggregate concrete may be more influenced by the compressive strength of the aggregates.

Other physical and mineralogical properties of aggregate must be known before mixing concrete to obtain a desirable mixture. These properties
include shape and texture, size gradation, moisture content, specific gravity, reactivity, soundness and bulk unit weight. These properties along with
the water/cementitious material ratio determine the strength, workability, and durability of concrete.
The shape and texture of aggregate affects the properties of fresh concrete more than hardened concrete. Concrete is more workable when smooth
and rounded aggregate is used instead of rough angular or elongated aggregate. Most natural sands and gravel from riverbeds or seashores are
smooth and rounded and are excellent aggregates. Crushed stone produces much more angular and elongated aggregates, which have a higher
surface-to-volume ratio, better bond characteristics but require more cement paste to produce a workable mixture.

The surface texture of aggregate can be either smooth or rough. A smooth surface can improve workability, yet a rougher surface generates a
stronger bond between the paste and the aggregate creating a higher strength.

The grading or size distribution of aggregate is an important characteristic because it determines the paste requirement for workable concrete. This
paste requirement is the factor controlling the cost, since cement is the most expensive component. It is therefore desirable to minimize the amount
of paste consistent with the production of concrete that can be handled, compacted, and finished while providing the necessary strength and
durability. The required amount of cement paste is dependent upon the amount of void space that must be filled and the total surface area that
must be covered. When the particles are of uniform size the spacing is the greatest, but when a range of sizes is used the void spaces are filled and
the paste requirement is lowered. The more these voids are filled, the less workable the concrete becomes, therefore, a compromise between
workability and economy is necessary.

The moisture content of an aggregate is an important factor when developing the proper water/cementitious material ratio. All aggregates contain
some moisture based on the porosity of the particles and the moisture condition of the storage area. The moisture content can range from less than
one percent in gravel to up to 40 percent in very porous sandstone and expanded shale. Aggregate can be found in four different moisture states
that include oven-dry (OD), air-dry (AD), saturated-surface dry (SSD) and wet. Of these four states, only OD and SSD correspond to a specific moisture
state and can be used as reference states for calculating moisture content. In order to calculate the quantity of water that aggregate will either add
or subtract to the paste, the following three quantities must be calculated: absorption capacity, effective absorption, and surface moisture.

Most stockpiled coarse aggregate is in the AD state with an absorption of less than one percent, but most fine aggregate is often in the wet state
with surface moisture up to five percent. This surface moisture on the fine aggregate creates a thick film over the surface of the particles pushing
them apart and increasing the apparent volume. This is commonly known as bulking and can cause significant errors in proportioning volume.

The density of the aggregates is required in mixture proportioning to establish weight-volume relationships. Specific gravity is easily calculated by
determining the densities by the displacement of water. All aggregates contain some porosity, and the specific gravity value depends on whether
these pores are included in the measurement. There are two terms that are used to distinguish this measurement; absolute specific gravity and bulk
specific gravity. Absolute specific gravity (ASG) refers to the solid material excluding the pores, and bulk specific gravity (BSG), sometimes called
apparent specific gravity, includes the volume of the pores. For the purpose of mixture proportioning, it is important to know the space occupied by
the aggregate particles, including the pores within the particles. The BSG of an aggregate is not directly related to its performance in concrete,
although, the specification of BSG is often done to meet minimum density requirements.

For mixture proportioning, the bulk unit weight (a.k.a. bulk density) is required. The bulk density measures the volume that the graded aggregate will
occupy in concrete, including the solid aggregate particles and the voids between them. Since the weight of the aggregate is dependent on the
moisture content of the aggregate, a constant moisture content is required. This is achieved by using OD aggregate. Additionally, the bulk density is
required for the volume method of mixture proportioning.

The most common classification of aggregates on the basis of bulk specific gravity is lightweight, normal-weight, and heavyweight aggregates. In
normal concrete the aggregate weighs 1,520 – 1,680 kg/m3, but occasionally designs require either lightweight or heavyweight concrete. Lightweight
concrete contains aggregate that is natural or synthetic which weighs less than 1,100 kg/m3and heavyweight concrete contains aggregates that are
natural or synthetic which weigh more than 2080 kg/m3.

Although aggregates are most commonly known to be inert filler in concrete, the different properties of aggregate have a large impact on the
strength, durability, workability, and economy of concrete. These different properties of aggregate allow designers and contractors the most
flexibility to meet their design and construction requirements.

References
Mehta and Monteiro. (1993) Concrete Structure, Properties, and Materials, Prentice-Hall, Inc., Englewood Cliffs, NJ
Mindess and Young (1981) Concrete, Prentice-Hall, Inc., Englewood Cliffs, NJ
Kosmatka and Panarese (1994) Design and Control of Concrete Mixtures, Portland Cement Association, Skokie, Illinois
http://www.engr.psu.edu/ce/courses/ce584/concrete/library/materials/aggregate/aggregatesmain.htm

WHAT ARE THE PROPERTIES OF AGGREGATES FOR CONCRETE?

Engineering Properties of Aggregates

Aggregates are used in concrete to provide economy in the cost of concrete. Aggregates act as filler only. These do not react with cement and water.

But there are properties or characteristics of aggregate which influence the properties of resulting concrete mix. These are as follow.

1. Composition
2. Size & Shape
3. Surface Texture
4. Specific Gravity
5. Bulk Density
6. Voids
7. Porosity & Absorption
8. Bulking of Sand
9. Fineness Modulus of Aggregate
10. Surface Index of Aggregate
11. Deleterious Material
 12. Crushing Value of Aggregate
13. Impact Value of Aggregate
14. Abrasion Value of Aggregate

1. Composition

Aggregates consisting of materials that can react with alkalies in cement and cause excessive expansion, cracking and deterioration of concrete mix
should never be used. Therefore it is required to test aggregates to know whether there is presence of any such constituents in aggregate or not.

2. Size & Shape

The size and shape of the aggregate particles greatly influence the quantity of cement required in concrete mix and hence ultimately economy of
concrete. For the preparation of economical concrete mix on should use largest coarse aggregates feasible for the structure. IS-456 suggests
following recommendation to decide the maximum size of coarse aggregate to be used in P.C.C & R.C.C mix.

Maximum size of aggregate should be less than

 One-fourth of the minimum dimension of the concrete member.

 One-fifth of the minimum dimension of the reinforced concrete member.
 The minimum clear spacing between reinforced bars or 5 mm less than the minimum cover between the reinforced bars and form,
whichever is smaller for heavily reinforced concrete members such as the ribs of the main bars.

Remember that the size & shape of aggregate particles influence the properties of freshly mixed concrete more as compared to those of hardened
concrete.

3. Surface Texture

The development of hard bond strength between aggregate particles and cement paste depends upon the surface texture, surface roughness and
surface porosity of the aggregate particles.

If the surface is rough but porous, maximum bond strength develops. In porous surface aggregates, the bond strength increases due to setting of
cement paste in the pores.

4. Specific Gravity

The ratio of weight of oven dried aggregates maintained for 24 hours at a temperature of 100 to 1100C, to the weight of equal volume of water
displaced by saturated dry surface aggregate is known as specific gravity of aggregates.

Specific gravities are primarily of two types.

 Apparent specific gravity

 Bulk specific gravity

Specific gravity is a mean to decide the suitability of the aggregate. Low specific gravity generally indicates porous, weak and absorptive materials,
whereas high specific gravity indicates materials of good quality. Specific gravity of major aggregates falls within the range of 2.6 to 2.9.

Specific gravity values are also used while designing concrete mix.

5. Bulk Density

It is defined as the weight of the aggregate required to fill a container of unit volume. It is generally expressed in kg/litre.

Bulk density of aggregates depends upon the following 3 factors.

 Degree of compaction
 Grading of aggregates
 Shape of aggregate particles

6. Voids

The empty spaces between the aggregate particles are known as voids. The volume of void equals the difference between the gross volume of the
aggregate mass and the volume occupied by the particles alone.

7. Porosity & Absorption

The minute holes formed in rocks during solidification of the molten magma, due to air bubbles, are known as pores. Rocks containing pores are
called porous rocks.

Water absorption may be defined as the difference between the weight of very dry aggregates and the weight of the saturated aggregates with
surface dry conditions.
Depending upon the amount of moisture content in aggregates, it can exist in any of the 4 conditions.

 Very dry aggregate ( having no moisture)

 Dry aggregate (contain some moisture in its pores)
 Saturated surface dry aggregate (pores completely filled with moisture but no moisture on surface)
 Moist or wet aggregates (pores are filled with moisture and also having moisture on surface)

8. Bulking of Sand

It can be defined as in increase in the bulk volume of the quantity of sand (i.e. fine aggregate) in a moist condition over the volume of the same
quantity of dry or completely saturated sand. The ratio of the volume of moist sand due to the volume of sand when dry, is called bulking factor.

Fine sands bulk more than coarse sand

When water is added to dry and loose sand, a thin film of water is formed around the sand particles. Interlocking of air in between the sand particles
and the film of water tends to push the particles apart due to surface tension and thus increase the volume. But in case of fully saturated sand the
water films are broken and the volume becomes equal to that of dry sand.

9. Fineness Modulus

Fineness modulus is an empirical factor obtained by adding the cumulative percentages of aggregate retained on each of the standard sieves ranging
from 80 mm to 150 micron and dividing this sum by 100.

Fineness modulus is generally used to get an idea of how coarse or fine the aggregate is. More fineness modulus value indicates that the aggregate is
coarser and small value of fineness modulus indicates that the aggregate is finer.

10. Specific Surface of Aggregate

The surface area per unit weight of the material is termed as specific surface. This is an indirect measure of the aggregate grading. Specific surface
increases with the reduction in the size of aggregate particle. The specific surface area of the fine aggregate is very much more than that of coarse
aggregate.

11. Deleterious Materials

Aggregates should not contain any harmful material in such a quantity so as to affect the strength and durability of the concrete. Such harmful
materials are called deleterious materials. Deleterious materials may cause one of the following effects

 To interfere hydration of cement

 To prevent development of proper bond
 To reduce strength and durability
 To modify setting times

Deleterious materials generally found in aggregates, may be grouped as under

 Organic impurities
 Clay , silt & dust
 Salt contamination

12. Crushing Value

The aggregates crushing value gives a relative measure of resistance of an aggregate to crushing under gradually applied compressive load. The
aggregate crushing strength value is a useful factor to know the behavior of aggregates when subjected to compressive loads.

13. Impact Value

The aggregate impact value gives a relative measure of the resistance of an aggregate to sudden shock or impact. The impact value of an aggregate is
sometime used as an alternative to its crushing value.

14. Abrasion Value of Aggregates

The abrasion value gives a relative measure of resistance of an aggregate to wear when it is rotated in a cylinder along with some abrasive charge.

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