What is Aggregates?

sand and gravel found in riverbeds are your most

common rounded aggregates. Rounded aggregates
Aggregates are raw materials that are produced from are the main factor behind workability.
natural sources and extracted from pits and quarries, 2. IRREGULAR – These are also shaped by attrition,
including gravel, crushed stone, and sand. When used with but are not fully rounded. These consist of small
a binding medium, like water, cement, and asphalt, they stones and gravel, and offer reduced workability to
are used to form compound materials, such as asphalt rounded aggregates.
concrete and Portland cement concrete 3. ANGULAR – Used for higher strength concrete,
comes in the form of crushed rock and stone.
Classification of aggregates based on: GRAIN SIZE Workability is low, but this can be offset by filling
voids with rounded or smaller aggregates.
1. FINE AGGREGATES is defined as 4.75mm or 4. FLAKY – Defined as aggregates that are thin in
smaller. That is, aggregates which can be passed comparison to length and width. Increases surface
through a number 4 sieve, with a mesh size of area in a concrete mix.
4.75mm. Fine aggregates include things such as 5. ELONGATED – Adds more surface area to a mix –
sand, silt and clay. Crushed stone and crushed meaning more cement paste is needed. And longer
gravel might also fall under this category. than they are thick or wide.
2. COARSE AGGREGATES measure above the 6. FLAKY AND ELONGATED – A mix of the previous
4.75mm limit. These are more likely to be natural two – and the least efficient form with regards to
stone or gravel that has not been crushed or workability.
processed. These aggregates will reduce the
amount of water needed for a concrete mix, Classification of aggregates based on: GEOGRAPHICAL
ORIGIN
which may also reduce workability but improve its
innate strength. NATURAL – taken from natural sources, such as riverbeds,
quarries and mines. Sand, gravel, stone and rock are the
Classification of aggregates based on: DENSITY most common, and these can be fine or coarse.
LIGHTWEIGHT AGGREGATES - ranges between 800 to
PROCESSED – (Artificial aggregates/‘by-product’),
1100 Kg/Cum. The lightweight aggregates will have a high
commonly taken from industrial or engineering waste,
absorption value compared to other aggregates. Used as a then treated to form construction aggregates for high
filling material in flooring, deck slab & insulating the fire quality concrete. Common processed aggregates include
line pipes, etc., industrial slag, as well as burnt clay. And are used for both
lightweight and high-density concrete mixes.
NORMAL WEIGHT AGGREGATES - are such as sand, gravel
Properties of Aggregates
material, which we regularly use in construction. The
normal weight aggregates are used for column, beam & 1. STRENGTH– Possess high resistance to crushing
slab concrete. The density of normal weight aggregates in and to withstand the stresses due to load.
Aggregates used in top layers are subjected to;
ranges between 1520 to 1680 Kg/Cum.
 Stress action due to traffic wheel load
 Wear and Tear
HEAVY WEIGHT AGGREGATES The heavyweight
 Crushing
aggregates are mostly used in construction to protect the 2. HARDNESS – Resist abrasive action caused by the
radiation room. The main drawback of heavyweight movements of traffic.
aggregates is it produces very low workability in concrete. 3. TOUGHNESS – Resistance to impact.
The density of heavyweight aggregates ranges between 4. SHAPE OF AGGREGATES – happen to fall in
2100 to 2900 Kg/Cum. particular size. Flaky and Elongated has less
durability and has to be avoided.
Classification of aggregates based on: SHAPE 5. ADHESION WITH BITUMEN - aggregates used in
bituminous pavements should have less affinity
with water when compared with bituminous
materials, otherwise the bituminous coating on
the aggregate will be stripped off in presence of
water.
1. ROUNDED – Natural aggregates smoothed by 6. FREEDOM FROM DELETERIOUS PARTICLES - in
weathering, erosion and attrition. Rocks, stone, bituminous mixes usually require the aggregates
 to be clean, tough and durable in nature and free Role of aggregate in Concrete, Construction and
from excess amount of flat or elongated pieces, Engineering
dust, clay balls and other objectionable material.
Concrete is a building material made from a mixture of
Quality Test for Aggregates broken stone or gravel, sand, cement, and water, which
can be spread or poured into molds and forms a stone-like
1. Crushing Strength Test – measure of mass on hardening.
resistance of an aggregate to crushing under
Aggregate is one of the three principal ingredients of
a gradually applied compressive load.
𝑾𝟏 concrete, it comes in different sizes, starting from sand to
Aggregate Crushing Value = ( )x100 larger particles like rocks and these particles fit together to
𝑾𝟐
2. Abrasion Test – measure of resistance along produce a dense material.
with some abrasive charge. Los Angeles
Aggregates make up 60-80% of the volume of concrete
Abrasion Testing Machine is used.
and 70-85% of the mass of concrete.
3. Impact Test – measure of the resistance of an
aggregate to sudden shock or loads. Aggregate is also very important for strength, thermal and
𝑾𝟏 elastic properties of concrete, dimensional stability, and
Aggregate Impact Value = ( )x100
𝑾𝟐
volume stability.
<10% - Exceptional strong
10-20% - Strong Aggregate materials help to make concrete mixes more
10 – 30% - Satisfactory for road surfacing compact. Gravel and crushed stone are suitable for making
>35% - Weak for road surfacing quality concrete.
4. Shape Test - It determines the shape and size
Aggregates are classified as: fine aggregates and coarse
of aggregates. aggregates
5. Bitumen Adhesion Test –test will give the
stripping of bitumen from the aggregate. Sand should be hard, clean, and free from adherent
6. Soundness Test - determine the weathering coating and any organic matter. These materials adversely
resistance of aggregate. affect the hardening, strength, and also durability of
7. Specific Gravity Test - of solid is the ratio of concrete by initialization of corrosion of reinforcement.
its mass to that of an equal volume of Sea sand should not be used as it causes efflorescence.
distilled water at a specified temperature.
 Apparent Specific Gravity - basis of Efflorescence occurs when water containing dissolved salts
the net volume of aggregates is brought to the surface of masonry.
excluding water-permeable voids. Some common uses for fine aggregates include:
𝑴𝑫/𝑽𝑵
Gapp=
𝑾
 Athletic Infield Material - Fine aggregates have
 Bulk Specific Gravity - basis of the
shown to be an excellent performer in baseball and
total volume of aggregates
softball infields. Its ultra-fine texture makes it ideal
including water permeable voids.
𝑴𝑫/𝑽𝑩 for sliding and performance.
Gbulk=  Compacted Base – Fine aggregates, can be used as
𝑾
8. Water Absorption Test – determine the a base for pathways as it contains no rock
water absorption value of aggregates. particles. It can also be used as a base layer below
9. Sieve Analysis – (gradation test), is a basic the surface layer for horse arenas and horse stalls
essential test for all aggregate technicians. to provide a firm yet safer footing for the horses.
10. Fineness Modulus – The sum of cumulative
percentage of residues retained on each of Coarse aggregates help with strength and cost because it
the Standard Sieves divided by 100. occupies more volume. Most used coarse aggregates are
crushed stones, gravel; broken pieces of burnt bricks, etc.
Sand Fineness
Modulus Coarse aggregate occupies 75% of the space in concrete.
Fine 2.6
Coarse aggregates are mainly used in concrete and
Medium 2.9
railway track ballast.
Coarse 3.2
 Rail Ballast - Coarse aggregates are often used to
form the bed for which railroad tracks are laid.
Washed material is preferred because the when the
rock is free of clay and debris, it makes for better
drainage. If rail ballast contains too much clay and
 debris, the rail bed will not drain as well since the
water will flow slower as it fights its way through all
the other leftover materials.
 Concrete Production - coarse aggregates are one of
the main ingredients in concrete production. The
aggregate put into concrete must be clean because
if there is too much clay in the mix it tends to create
a drying effect that can lead to potential cracking in
the future.

Two Constructional Material Innovations

What is Graphene?

Graphene is the name for a honeycomb sheet of carbon

atoms. Its striking physical, electronic, and mechanical
properties originate from the two-dimensional (2D)
electron confinement within a one-atom-thick layer.

Concretene, also known as Graphene-enhanced Concrete.

Concretene has been designed for use in the construction
industry for cementitious products, in particular concrete,
to provide a viable CO2 reduction technology that can be
easily adopted internationally into the industry with
minimal change to existing processes.

What is flexible/bendable concrete?

Bendable concrete also known as Flexible concrete or

Engineered Cementitious Composite (ECC), was developed
by the Professor Victor Li at the University of Michigan. It is
a type of concrete that can take the bending stresses. It
consists of special type of materials that makes it flexible.