Professional Documents
Culture Documents
06
Subject: Sources of
Aggregates
Objectives of Lecture
To explain the sources of aggregates
used for making concrete.
Aggregates
The total aggregates (fine aggregates + coarse
aggregates) are used in concrete as filler and
generally occupy 60 % to 75 % of the concrete
volume (70 % to 85 % by weight).
Expanded shale
(right)
Constituents in Naturally
Occurring Aggregates
Naturally occurring concrete aggregates are a mixture of rocks
and minerals (see Table 5-1)
Minerals
Silica (ex. Quartz)
Silicates (ex. Clay)
Carbonate (ex. Calcite, dolomite)
Igneous rocks
Granite
Basalt
Sedimentary rocks
Sandstone
Limestone
Shale
Metamorphic rocks
Marble
slate
Range of particle sizes found in
aggregate for use in concrete
Making a sieve analysis test of
coarse aggregate in a Lab
Amount of cement
paste required in
concrete is greater
than the volume of
voids between the
aggregates.
Fine aggregate grading limits
Type of aggregate and drying
shrinkage
Harmful materials in aggregates
Aggregates can
occasionally contain
particles of iron oxide
and iron sulfide that
result in stains on
exposed concrete
surface.
Cracking of concrete from alkali
silica reactivity
Influence of Adding mineral admixture on
alkali-silica reactivity (ASR)
Heavily reinforced concrete is
crushed with a beam-crusher
Recycled-concrete aggregate
Local Aggregates Sources
Eastern Province:
Fine aggregates:
Most of the fine aggregate in the eastern province is dune sands with silica contents
ranging from 79% to 98%.
Coarse Aggregates:
The coarse aggregates are limestone and they contain high content of calcite and
some quartz.
Central Province:
Fine aggregates:
Good quality fine aggregates are available throughout the central province; they
contain quartz, feldspar, and calcite. In general, the fine aggregates contain 82% to
99% silica.
Coarse Aggregates:
The coarse aggregates are limestone, diorite, and amphibolites. These
aggregates contain calcite, quartz, and dolomite.
Western Province:
Fine aggregates:
The quantity of fine materials in all the coarse aggregates was less
than the allowable value of 1%. However, the quantity of fine
materials in the coarse aggregates from quarries in Abu-Hadriyah
was more than that in the coarse aggregates from quarries in Hofuf
and on the Riyadh road.
The loss on abrasion in all the coarse aggregates was less than the
allowable value of 40%. The loss on abrasion in the coarse
aggregates from quarries in Abu-Hadriyah was generally more than
that in the coarse aggregates from quarries in Hofuf and on the
Riyadh road.
In conclusion
The water absorption in the coarse aggregates from
quarries in Abu-Hadriyah was more than that in the
coarse aggregates from quarries in Hofuf and on the
Riyadh road.