SIZE GRADATION

Why should we
grade?

Minimize voids

Why should we want

to minimize voids?

workability

underfilling will result

in entrapped air

corrosion of
reinforcements

SIEVE ANALYSIS

Sieve analysis
A known weight of material is placed on the top of the
nested sieves
The top sieve has the largest opening and decreases
down to the bottom sieve
Shaken in a period of time
The material in each sieve is weighed

Maximum and
Maximum Nominal
size

Percent Passing
3/4" : 100%
1/2" : 95%
3/8" : 89%
#4 : 63%
#8 : 39%
CT202

HOW TO DECIDE MAXIMUM SIZE

OF COARSE AGGREGATE TO BE
USED IN CONCRETE?

 Larger size lesser cement

Lesser cement lesser cost
Larger size-lesser W-C ratio-greater strength

CONDITIONS THAT DECIDE MAXIMUM SIZE OF COARSE AGGREGATE TO BE

USED IN CONCRETE
It should not be more than one fourth of the minimum thickness of the
member provided that the concrete can be placed without difficulty so as to
surround all reinforcement thoroughly and fill the corner of the form.
For heavily reinforced concrete members the nominal maximum size of the
aggregate should be usually restricted to 6 mm less than the minimum clear
distance between the main bar or 5 mm less than the minimum cover to the
reinforcement, whichever is less.
Where the reinforcement is widely spaced as in solid slabs, limitations of
the size of the aggregate may not be so important and the nominal
maximum size may sometime be as great as or greater than the maximum
cover except where porous aggregate are used.
For reinforced concrete work aggregates having a maximum size of 20
mm are generally considered satisfactory.

Grading Curves

Fuller and Thompsons Equation

Where:
P = percent finer than an aggregate size

d = aggregate size being considered

D = maximum aggregate size

n = parameter which adjusts curve for fineness or

coarseness (for maximum particle density n 0.5
according to Fuller and Thompson)

Gradation Types

Dense or well-graded. Refers to a gradation that is

near the FHWAs 0.45 power curve for maximum
density. The most common HMA mix designs in the
U.S. tend to use dense graded aggregate. Typical
gradations are near the 0.45 power curve but not right
on it. Generally, a true maximum density gradation
(exactly on the 0.45 power curve) would result in
unacceptably low VMA.
Gap graded. Refers to a gradation that contains only
a small percentage of aggregate particles in the
mid-size range.
Open graded. Refers to a gradation that contains only
a small percentage of aggregate particles in the
small range.
Uniformly graded. Refers to a gradation that contains
most of the particles in a very narrow size range.