What Is Aggregate? Aggregates are small pieces of rock that are mixed with a binding material to produce concrete or mortar. The binding material used is cement, bitumen, etc. Thus, cement concrete & bituminous concrete are produced, respectively. The size of the concrete quality aggregate depends upon the usage of concrete. This concept shall be elaborated on later in this article. The aggregate plays an important role in defining concrete properties.The texture, shape, size, chemical nature, and gradation of aggregate affect the concrete quality. The choice of the wrong aggregate for concrete can lead to the degradation of concrete quality that, ultimately results in poor performance or failure, or both. The aggregate-cement compatibility should be checked before use. The high silica aggregate reacts with the alkali of cement and forms deleterious compounds that adversely affect the concrete quality,Types of Aggregates The aggregates may be classified on the basis of sources, shape, and weight. The different types of aggregates used in construction are briefly discussed below. Classification Of Aggregates Based Geological Origin Natural & Artificial Aggregates The rock fragments that need minimal processing before use are called natural aggregates. The natural aggregates are generally available at the earth’s surface. They are collected by excavating pits in-ground, on Eaiverbeds, and on the seabed.Artificial aggregates are produced from materials that are produced through an artificial process. Examples of artificial aggregates are broken bricks, burnt-clay aggregate, blast furnace slag, and synthetic aggregates. Crushed & Recycled Aggregates Concrete grade aggregate is not available everywhere, and hence it needs to be produced. The rocks are quarried and crushed with mechanical means to produce the aggregate. Such aggregate is called crushed aggregate. They are high-quality aggregates as they are produced under controlled pes echanical equipment. The recycledThey are high-quality aggregates as they are produced under controlled mechanical equipment. The recycled aggregate serves multiple purposes. It fulfills its’ desired duties, and it is sustainable as it is produced from concrete waste. The debris of the old concrete structures is crushed to produce recycled aggregate. Hence, no quarry is required. The recycled aggregates are an excellent alternative to conservative aggregates in backfilling, drainage, and embankment.Classification Of Aggregates Based On Grain Size Fine & Coarse Aggregates As per IS 383:1970 (Reaffirmed 2002), the aggregates passing through |S Sieve of 4.75mm are termed as fine aggregates, and aggregates retained on the 4.75 mm sieve are identified as coarse aggregates. The criteria form the basis of segregation between the fine & coarse aggregate. Both types differ largely in properties and find their uses for different purposes.The general maximum coarse aggregate size used in cement concrete is 40mm, while 4.75-20mm is the most used size. For bituminous concrete, <10mm size aggregate is an apt choice. For mass concrete works, the permitted coarse aggregates sizes are classified as follows- Sr. No. Class Size475mm 2.36mm 1.18mm 600p 300 p 150 p 90-100 60-95 30-70 15-35, 5-20 0-10 90-100 75-100 55-90 25-59 8-30 0-10 90-100 85-100 75-100 60-79 12-40 0-10 90-100 95-100 90-100 80-100 15-50 0-15Classification Of Aggregates Based On Shape Rounded & Angular Aggregates The rounded and angular correspond to the shape of aggregate. The shape of the aggregate affects the strength of concrete and is hence a point of consideration when selecting the aggregate. The round aggregates tend to roll over each other and are hence unsuitable for the embankment. They have voids ranging from 30-35%. The cement paste requirement is low.The angular aggregates are interlocked with each other. Therefore, the angular aggregates offer better strength as compared to the rounded aggregates. Only angular aggregates are used in construction to maintain the quality of concrete. Irregular Aggregates Pit sands and gravel are examples of irregular aggregates. They have partly nature-made shapes with 35- 37% of voids. Irregularly shaped aggregate offers lesser workability and has bond strength slightly good compared to rounded aggregate but not as required for hiqh-strenath concrete.Flaky & Elongated Aggregates Flaky aggregates are thin aggregates. Their thickness is less than 60% of the particle’s mean dimension. The flaky aggregates are undesirable as they have more voids and need more cement slurry to bind them together. Elongated aggregates have a length greater than 180% of the particle mean dimension. Flaky and elongated aggregates offer lower workability and hence should be avoided.Classification Of Aggregates Based On Shape Weight Lightweight Aggregate Lightweight aggregates have a unit weight of up to 121kn/m3. They are available in either natural such as pumice, diatomite, sawdust, rice husk, volcanic cinders, scoria, or artificial forms such as foamed slag, sintered fly ash, bloated clay, coke breeze, expanded perlite, etc.Normal Weight Aggregate Normal weight aggregate produces concrete with unit weight ranging from 23 to 26 KN/m3 with a specific gravity between 2.5 and 2.7. The crushing strength at 28 days of these aggregates ranges between 15 to 40 MPa. Examples: Sand, gravel, and crushed rocks such as granite, basalt, quartz, sandstone, and limestone.Normal Weight Aggregate Normal weight aggregate produces concrete with unit weight ranging from 23 to 26 KN/m3 with a specific gravity between 2.5 and 2.7. The crushing strength at 28 days of these aggregates ranges between 15 to 40 MPa. Examples: Sand, gravel, and crushed rocks such as granite, basalt, quartz, sandstone, and limestone. Heavy Weight Aggregate Heavyweight aggregates are those having specific gravities ranging from 2.8 to 2.9 and unit weights from 28 to 29 kN/m3.Quality Of Aggregates 1. The aggregate should be hard, clean, and well graded. 2. The fineness modulus of natural sand should be in the range of 2.2-3.0. and that of artificial sand should be in the range of 2.4-2.8. 3. The moisture content of aggregate should be stable and in artificial sand, it should not exceed 6%.Uses Of Aggregate In Construction In construction, the aggregates have multiple uses. Some of the uses are with binding materials and some are independent uses. e The aggregate is the base material for concrete and provides bulk (70- 80% of cement concrete volume is coarse aggregate). e It limits the shrinkage of cement concrete upon drying. e The coarse and fine aggregate mixture is used as a base and sub- wa base course in road construction.e The coarse aggregate mixed with bitumen is used in wearing coats of roads. e In railways, the high-strength crushed coarse aggregate is used as ballast to safely transfer the loads and vibration to the subgrade. e A graded mixture of fine and coarse aggregate is used as filtration media in water and sewage treatment. The aggregates are often used as backfilling material.e¢ Sometimes, the aggregates are used below the foundations as an alternative to boulder soling. Final Words The aggregates have been classified under various heads such as origin, chemical composition, shape & size. An aggregate can fall under multiple categories and hence shouldn't be confused. For example, an aggregate can be artificial, angular, and coarse at the same time. While selecting the type of aggregate, the other properties such as bulking, compatibility with cement, thermal pe sulation, specific gravity, waterthe other properties such as bulking, compatibility with cement, thermal insulation, specific gravity, water absorption, cleanliness, etc. should also be given weightage. Also, the economy is a major factor too.“ rTparticles of finely divided rock. The major and the most common component of sand is silica (SiO2 or Silicon dioxide), found usually in the form of quartz. Sand, consisting of tiny particles, is formed by the weathering of rocks. We all know sand is one of the important building materials used for various purposes. In this article, we will briefly discuss different types of sand used in construction. Usually, the major source of sand is river, sea, etc. from where the sand can be obtained naturally. Other than such natural sources of sand, it can also be manufactured artificially, about which we will further learn in detail.Usually, the major so river, sea, etc. from w be obtained naturall natural sources of sama manufactured artificially, about which we will further learn in detail. Particles of sand are coarser than silt and finer than gravels. So, according to the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), earlier known as the Indian Standard B&ictitution (sh the size af sandWhat Is Sand? Sand is a material obtained naturally from the locations like rivers, seas, beaches, and desserts. Sand is a granular material which consists of particles of finely divided rock. The major and the most common component of sand is silica (SiO2 or Silicon dioxide), found usually in the form of quartz. Sand, consisting of tiny particles, is formed by the weathering of rocks. We all know sand is one of the important building materials used for various purposes. In this article, we will briefly discuss different types of sand used in construction.Usually, the Major SOUrCE OF SAN IS river, Sea, etc. from where the sand can be obtained naturally. Other than such natural sources of sand, it can also be manufactured artificially, about which we will further learn in detail. Particles of sand are coarser than silt and finer than gravels. So, according to the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), earlier Known as the Indian Standard Bhistitution (ISI), the size of sandBased on the size of sand particles, it is further subdivided into fine sand, medium sand, and coarse sand. The size range of fine sand, medium sand, and coarse sand is as given in the table below: Coarse sand Sand Category Size Range . 0.075 mm - Fine sand 0.425 mm . 0.425 mm - 2.0 Medium sand mm 2.0 mm - 4.75 mmTypes Of Sand Sand is classified into different categories, based on the size of the particles of sand, color of sand, shape of particle of sand, structure of sand, location of availability of sand, texture of sand, etc. But officially there is no classification of sand.We will learn about some of the major types of sand, below in detail, which is extensively used in construction work. Different types of sand are as follows:- e River sand ¢ Concrete sand e Pit sand e M-sand e Fill sand Utility sand River Sand Or Natural Sand River sand is naturally occurring sand obtained from the banks of river. It is the most widely used type of sand for construction. River sand is fine particle wesand. It has a smooth texture. So it isRiver Sand Or Natural Sand River sand is naturally occurring sand obtained from the banks of river. It is the most widely used type of sand for construction. River sand is fine particle sand. It has a smooth texture. So it is used for plaster works where a smooth finish is required and also used for RCC works. The color of river sand is whitish-grey type. Due to the smooth and fine texture, this sand makes a good bond with cement, aggregates, and water to form concrete. The river sand is extensively used for construction purposes since the river sand is pegheaper in terms of cost as it isConcrete Sand The name itself indicates that the concrete sand is made up of crushed concrete particles. This type of sand is generally used in concrete works. Concrete sand provides strength and stability to a building.Pit Sand Pit sand is a type of naturally occurred sand which is obtained from the pits into the soil, at a depth of 2 to 4 meter below the level of the ground. The particles of pit sand are coaster than other types of sand. So before using, the pit sand is screened properly so that the unwanted particles from the sand are removed. The pit sand is generally used for mortars. Due to the presence of iron - oxide in it, the pit sand appears to be of red-orange color.M = Sand or Artificial Sand M - Sand is the short name for “Manufactured Sand”. This is artificial sand, manufactured in the factory itself. Due to the increase in demand for good quality sand, the quantity of naturally occurring sand is decreased day by day. So to compensate for the increasing demand & shortage of naturally occurring sand, artificial sand is manufactured.As M - Sand is artificially prepared, it has some advantages over the naturally occurring sand such as: i) The cost of transportation of sand from the river banks to the construction site is eliminated. ii) Itis free from impurities and unwanted particles. iii) Better quality of material obtained due to its manufacturing under a controlled environment.Fill Sand Fill sand is mainly used for filling. The fill sand is a mixture of fine particles of sand and aggregates. This type of sand can be used for several purposes during the construction work as the fill sand possess excellent properties of compaction. Fill sand can also be utilized as a base material for the activities like laying the concrete, paving, and filling large holes. The fill sand is also known as utility sand. Like pit sand, the fill sand or utility sand is also composed of coarse particles. The size of its particles is relatively larger.Utility Sand Utility sand is a type of artificial sand manufactured from high quality industrial quartz. This sand provides excellent compaction and superior mechanical properties due to their uniform grain shapes. It can be Suitably used in corrosive environments since they are non- reactive. Quality Of Good Sand Good quality sand should have the following properties:i) The sand should be thick and granular. ii) The particles of sand should be hard, strong and long lasting. iii) The sand should be free of dust, clay and dirt. iv) Sand should not contain salts and organic matter.v) The size of sand particles should not be same but should be thick and fine. vi) Sand should not contain any water- absorbing ingredients. So these are some best and majorly used types of sand used in construction. It is always important to choose the right construction sand to build a strong and durable structure. While selecting one should consider the above factors.How To Check Quality Of Sand In Field: There are some useful tests that can be done in the field for checking the quality of sand used for construction. The following tests may be performed to determine the quality of sand. Field Test To Check Sand Quality: 1. Take a glass and add some water in it. 2.Add a few amount of sand in the glass. At that point, shake it vivaciously and permit it to settle. If there is clay present in the sand, an apparent layer will be formed at the top level of sand.4. Mix the sand into sodium hydroxide or caustic soda solution to distinguish the presence of organic impurities. If organic impurities are present in the sand, the color of the solution will be turned into brown. 4. Now take a squeeze of sand and taste it. If it is salty that means salt is present in the sand. 5. Take little amount of sand in the hand, and then rub it against the fingers. If the fingers are recolored it means sand consists of some earthy materials. 6. The color of sand describes the peg canness of sand. The size and