Petrographic Analysis
Dr. Safeer Abbas
Associate Professor
Civil Engineering Department
UET Lahore, Pakistan
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Petrographic Examination
• Characterize the aggregate source and quantify
the various rock and mineral constituents
present.
• Quality, condition and chemical stability of the
individual constituents.
• Aggregate source is suitable for use in
concrete w.r.t. to ASR.
• Guidelines of ASTM C295.
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ASTM C295
Standard Guide for Petrographic Examination of Aggregates for Concrete
• 5 years experience in Petrography.
• Identification of individual minerals in
aggregate particles, classification of rock
types, and categorizing the physical and
chemical properties of rocks and minerals
• Optical microscopy
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ASTM C295: Significance and Use
Standard Guide for Petrographic Examination of Aggregates for Concrete
• To determine the physical and chemical
characteristics of the material
• To describe and classify the constituents of the
sample
• Petrographic examinations provide
identification of types and varieties of rocks
present in potential aggregates
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ASTM C295: Significance and Use
Standard Guide for Petrographic Examination of Aggregates for Concrete
• The petrographic examination should establish
whether the aggregate contains chemically
unstable minerals such as soluble sulfates,
unstable sulfides that may form sulfuric acid
or create distress in concrete exposed to high
temperatures
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ASTM C295: Significance and Use
Standard Guide for Petrographic Examination of Aggregates for Concrete
• Petrographic examination should identify the
portion of each coarse aggregate that is
composed of weathered or otherwise altered
particles and the extent of that weathering or
alteration, whether it is severe, moderate, or
slight, and should determine the proportion of
each rock type in each condition
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ASTM C295: Significance and Use
Standard Guide for Petrographic Examination of Aggregates for Concrete
• Petrographic examinations may also be used to
determine the proportions of cubic, spherical,
ellipsoidal, pyramidal, tabular, flat, and
elongated particles in an aggregate sample or
samples.
• Flat, elongated, and thin chip-like particles in
aggregate increase the mixing water
requirement and hence decrease concrete
strength
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ASTM C295: Significance and Use
• Petrographic examination should identify the potential
of alkali-silica reactivity
• Alkali-silica reactive constituents found in aggregates
include: opal, chalcedony, cristobalite, tridymite,
highly strained quartz, microcrystalline quartz,
cryptocrystalline quartz, volcanic glass, and synthetic
siliceous glass.
• Aggregate materials containing these constituents
include: glassy to cryptocrystalline intermediate to
acidic volcanic rocks, some argillites, phyllites,
graywacke, gneiss, schist, gneissic granite, vein quartz,
quartzite, sandstone, chert, and carbonate rocks
containing alkali reactive forms of silica
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ASTM C295: Apparatus for Petrography
• Cutting Saw*, preferably with 350-mm [14- in.]
diameter or larger diamond blade, and automatic
feed.
• Horizontal Grinding Wheel, * preferably 400-mm
[16-in.] diameter. 6.1.1.3 Polishing Wheel,
preferably 200- to 300-mm [8 to 12-in.] diameter.
• Abrasives*, Silicon carbide grit No. 100 [122 µm],
220 [63 µm], 320 [31 µm], 600 [16 µm], and 800
[12 µm]; alumina M-305 [5 µm].
• Geologist’s Pick or Hammer.
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ASTM C295: Apparatus for Petrography
• Microscope Slides*, clear, noncorrosive, 25 by 45
mm [1 by 2 in.] in size.
• Mounting Medium for Powder Mounts*—Canada
balsam, neutral, in xylene; suitable low-viscosity
epoxy resins
• Petrographic Microscope
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ASTM C295: Apparatus for Petrography
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ASTM C295: Sampling Procedure
• Should be represented by not less than 45 kg [100
lb] or 300 pieces, whichever is larger, of each size
of material to be examined
• Selection of Samples for Examination --- Samples
of gravel and natural sand for petrographic
examination should be dry sieved in accordance
with Method C136 (Test Method for Sieve Analysis
of Fine and Coarse Aggregates) to provide samples
of each sieve size.
• at least 150 particles of each sieve fraction should
be identified
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ASTM C295: Results and Reporting
• Should be represented by not less than 45 kg [100
lb] or 300 pieces, whichever is larger, of each size
of material to be examined
• Each rock type should be described: Particle shape,
Particle surface texture, Grain size, Internal
structure, including observations of pore space,
packing of grains, cementation of grains, Color,
Mineral composition, General physical condition of
the rock type in the sample, Coatings or
incrustations, and Presence of constituents known
to cause deleterious chemical reaction in concrete
