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CVE 3013: Materials Lab Fall 2019
LAB # 5
TESTS ON CONCRETE AGGREGATES
SIEVE ANALYSIS & BULK RODDED UNIT WEIGHT
OBJECTIVE:
To determine the material properties of coarse and fine aggregate to be used for the production of
a concrete trial mix (Lab 6.0-Material Properties of Concrete). The gradation of both coarse and
fine aggregate, as well as the dry rodded unit weight of coarse aggregate, are determined
according to the appropriate ASTM specifications. The fineness modulus of fine aggregate will
be determined. Finally, the ASTM C 33 Gradation Number for the coarse aggregate can be
identified. These material properties will later be used to determine the appropriate proportions
of a concrete mix design.
EQUIPMENT & MATERIALS:
Dry Coarse and Fine Aggregate
Balance
Proctor mold with base plate and extension Shovel
(5/8 in) Tamping Rod with hemispherical tip Sieves
PROCEDURE:
PART I - Sieve Analysis of Coarse Aggregate
1. Weigh out approximately 2.5 Kg of air dry aggregate.
2. Select appropriate sieve sizes to represent all particle sizes. Pre-weight the sieves. A
typical arrangement of coarse aggregate sieves is; 1.0", 3/4", 3/8", 1/4", #4, and pan.
Sieves are sorted and stacked in descending order.
3. Place pre-weighed sample in upper most sieve and operate sieve shaker for ten minutes.
4. Determine the retained weight of aggregate in each sieve and the pan.
5. Check to see if the sum of the retained weights corresponds to the original sample weight.
If there is a difference, typically weight lost, apply correction factor to obtain corrected
weight retained.
Weight . lost
Correction= x Individual .Weight . Retained
Original . Sample . Weight
Corrected Weight Retained = Correction + Weight Retained
6. Calculate the percent of aggregate retained on each sieve (counting from top)
Weight . Retauned
Percent Aggregate Retained= x 100
Total .Weight
7. Calculate the cumulative percent of aggregate retained ( percent coarser) on each sieve.
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CVE 3013: Materials Lab Fall 2019
i=n
Cumulative Percent Retained=∑ Percent . Retained
i=1
8. Calculate the cumulative percent passing (percent finer) for each sieve.
i=n
Cumulative Percent Passing=100−∑ Percent . Retained
i=1
9. Plot a graph of percent finer vs. grain size ,in millimeters, on a semi-log graph. Grain
size, (sieve opening) is plotted on the log scale.
10. Using ASTM C 33 identify the size number of the coarse aggregate used in this sieve
analysis.
PART II - Sieve Analysis of Fine Aggregate
Repeat similarly to Part I except that arrangement of fine aggregate sieves
must be; #4, #8, #16, #30, #50, #100, and pan. This arrangement of sieve sizes is
necessary to compute the Fineness Modulus.
Fineness Modulus = sum of cumulative percent retained on the #4, #8, #16, #30, #50,
and the #100 sieves divided by 100. The fineness modulus computation is not
appropriate for coarse aggregate!
PART III - Dry Rodded Unit Weight of Coarse Aggregate
1. Obtain approximately ten ponds of air dry coarse aggregate.
2. Obtain a proctor mold of known volume with base plate and extension.
3. Determine the weight of the proctor mold and the base plate (W1).
4. Attach the extension to the top of the proctor mold which is seated in the base plate.
5. Place the coarse aggregate in three equal layers. Each layer shall be rodded with a 5/8-
inch diameter rod, having a hemispherical tip, 25 times.
6. Remove the extension from the mold and use a straight edge to trim the excess aggregate
above the mold.
7. Determine the weight of the mold + base plate + dry rodded coarse aggregate (W2).
W 2−W 1
Calculate the dry rodded unit weight=
Proctor . mold . volume
QUESTIONS
Note: full lab is not due for Aggregates week 1, instead a full lab will be due for Aggregates
week 2 containing both weeks 1 and 2 information
1. What type of gradation was obtained for both fine and coarse aggregate , (well graded,
uniformly graded, gap graded)? Identify uniform or gap graded regions on curves if
applicable.
Note:
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CVE 3013: Materials Lab Fall 2019
Well graded implies a good representation of all particles sizes over a wide range.
Uniformly graded implies most of the particles are of the same size, a
concentration of particle size.
Gap Graded implies a deficiency of a size of particles.
2. Does the coarse aggregate meet the grading requirements of one of the ASTM C 33
ranges? If so, which gradation, or size number.
3. Why is the ASTM C 33 coarse aggregate size number important?
4. What is the fineness modulus an indication of, and why is it only determined for fine
aggregate?
5. What was the fineness modulus of the fine aggregate, and how is this parameter useful
for establishing a concrete mix design?
6. By visual inspection describe the physical properties of the aggregates. (fine, hard,
porous, angular, rounded, et...)
7. How will the physical properties of the aggregate affect a final concrete product?
REFERENCES:
American Concrete Institute (ACI), Manuals of Concrete Practice.
ASTM C 29 Standard Test Method for Unit Weight.
ASTM C 33 Standard Specifications for Concrete Aggregates.
ASTM C136 Standard Method for Sieve Analysis of Fine & Coarse Aggregate.
Criswell M. E. and Vanderbilt, Properties & Tests of Engineering Materials. Colorado, 1984.
Das M. Braja., Soil Mechanics Laboratory Manual.
Portland Cement Association. Design and Control of Concrete Mixes
Data Sheet
Sieve Analysis of Coarse Aggregate
Description of Coarse Aggregate: ………………………………………………………
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CVE 3013: Materials Lab Fall 2019
Wt. of Oven Dry Sample, W : ………………………………………………………….
Sieved Sieved Wt. Retained Corrected Wt. Percent of Wt. Cumulative Percent
No. Opening on each sieve Retained on Retained on Percent Finer
each sieve each sieve Retained
Sum = ……………………….,=W1
Loss during sieve analysis = (W-W1)/W x…………………………….
Sieve Analysis of Fine Aggregate
Description of Fine Aggregate: ………………………………………………………
Wt. of Oven Dry Sample, W : ………………………………………………………….
Sieved Sieved Wt. Retained Corrected Wt. Percent of Wt. Cumulative Percent
No. Opening on each sieve Retained on Retained on Percent Finer
(mm) each sieve each sieve Retained
Sum = ……………………….,=W1
Loss during sieve analysis = (W-W1)/W x 100 …………………………….
