Concrete 2

Department of Architectural Engineering/2nd stage

Dr. Zaid Al Hamdany
Aggregates are the important constituents in concrete. They give body to the concrete,

reduce shrinkage and effect economy. The mere fact that the aggregates occupy 70–80 per

cent of the volume of concrete, their impact on various characteristics and properties of concrete

is undoubtedly considerable. To know more about the concrete it is very essential that one

should know more about the aggregates which constitute major volume in concrete. Without the

study of the aggregate in depth and range, the study of the concrete is incomplete. Cement is

the only factory made standard component in concrete. Other ingredients, namely, water and

aggregates are natural materials and can vary to any extent in many of their properties.
Aggregate is relatively inexpensive and does not enter into complex chemical reactions with
water; it has been customary, therefore, to treat it as an inert filler in concrete. However,
due to increasing awareness of the role played by aggregates in determining many
important properties of concrete, the traditional view of the aggregate as an inert filler is
being seriously questioned.
Classification

Aggregates can be classified as

• Normal weight aggregates

• Light weight aggregates

• Heavy weight aggregates.

Normal weight aggregates can be further classified as natural aggregates and artificial
aggregates.
Natural aggregates

Natural mineral aggregates form the most important class of aggregates for making

portland cement concrete. Approximately half of the total coarse aggregate consumed by

the concrete industry in the United States consists of gravel; most of the remainder is

crushed rock. Carbonate rocks comprise about two-thirds of the crushed aggregate;

sandstone, granite, diorite, gabbro, and basalt make up the rest. Natural silica sand is

predominantly used as fine aggregate, even with most lightweight concrete.

Aggregates from Recycled Concert and Municipal Waste (Artificial aggregates)

Rubble from demolished concrete buildings yields fragments in which the aggregate is
contaminated with hydrated cement paste, gypsum, and minor quantities of other substances.
The size fraction that corresponds to fine aggregate contains large amounts of hydrated cement
and gypsum, and it is unsuitable for making fresh concrete mixtures. However, the size fraction
that corresponds to coarse aggregate, although coated with cement paste, has been used
successfully in several laboratory and field studies. Compared with concrete mixtures containing
natural aggregate, the mixtures containing recycled-concrete aggregate generally gave at least
two-thirds of the compressive strength and modulus of elasticity, and show satisfactory
workability and durability.
Source of aggeragte

Almost all natural aggregate materials originate from bed rocks. There are three kinds of

rocks, namely, igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic. These classifications are based on the

mode of formation of rocks. It may be recalled that igneous rocks are formed by the cooling of

molten magma or lava at the surface of the crest (trap and basalt) or deep beneath the crest

(granite). The sedimentary rocks are formed originally below the sea bed and subsequently

lifted up. Metamorphic rocks are originally either igneous or sedimentary rocks which are

subsequently metamorphosed due to extreme heat and pressure.

Size of aggeragte
The largest maximum size of aggregate practicable to handle under a given set of
conditions should be used. Perhaps, 80 mm size is the maximum size that could be
conveniently used for concrete making. Using the largest possible maximum size will result
in (i) reduction of the cement content (ii) reduction in water requirement (iii) reduction of
drying shrinkage. However, the maximum size of aggregate that can be used in any given
condition may be limited by the following conditions:
Coarse & Fine Aggregates
Shape of aggregate
The shape of aggregates is an important characteristic since it affects the workability of concrete. It
is difficult to really measure the shape of irregular body like concrete aggregate which are derived
from various rocks. Not only the characteristic of the parent rock, but also the type of crusher used
will influence the shape of aggregates.
Based on their shape, aggregates can be classified as rounded, irregular, angular, and flaky.

Rounded aggregate These are generally obtained from river or sea shore and produce minimum
voids (about 32 per cent) in the concrete. They have minimum ratio of surface area to the volume,
and the cement paste required is minimum. Poor interlocking bond makes it unsuitable for high
strength concrete and pavements.

Irregular aggregate

They have voids about 36 per cent and require more cement paste as compared to rounded
aggregate. Because of irregularity in shape they develop good bond and are suitable for making
ordinary concrete.
Angular aggregate

They have sharp, angular and rough particles having maximum voids, about 40 per cent. Angular
aggregate provide very good bond than the earlier two, are most suitable for high strength concrete
and pavements; the requirement of cement paste is relatively more.

Flaky aggregate

These are sometimes wrongly called as elongated aggregate. However, both of these influence the
concrete properties adversely. The least lateral dimension of flaky aggregate (thickness) should be
less than 0.6 times the mean dimension.
Aggregates units weight.
Absorption and surface moisture of aggregates

Various states of moisture absorption in which an aggregate particle can exist are shown in
Fig Below:
Soundness of aggregates

An aggregate is considered unsound when the volume changes in aggregate induced by

weather (e.g., alternate cycles of wetting and drying, or freezing and thawing), result in the

deterioration of concrete. Unsoundness is shown generally by rocks having a certain

characteristic pore structure. Concretes containing some cherts, shales, limestones, and

sandstones have been found susceptible to damage by frost action or by salt crystallization

within the aggregate particle.

Strength of aggregate
The strength should be at least equal to that of the concrete. Rocks commonly used as aggregates
have a compressive strength much higher than the usual range of concrete strength.
Bond Strength of Aggregates

Due to difference between the coefficients of thermal expansion of paste and

aggregate and to the shrinkage of cement paste during hardening, concrete is in a state of
internal stress even if no external forces are present. It is reported that the stresses are likely
to be greatest at the paste-aggregate interfaces where minute cracks exist, even in concrete
that has never been loaded. Under increasing external load, these cracks spread along the
interfaces before extending into the paste or aggregate particles. The strength of the bond
between aggregate and cement paste thus has an important influence on the strength of
concrete.
There is no standard test for bond but it is known that the rougher the
surface texture of the particles, the better the bond. The role of particle
shape is less well understood; the greater specific surface of angular
particles should enable greater adhesive force to be developed, but the
angular shape probably causes more severe concentrations of internal
stress.