Aggregates for Concrete

CE 3420 Concrete Technology

Prof. Ravindra Gettu
IIT Madras

Aggregate Plant

Role of Aggregates in Concrete

60-80% of the volume of concrete is occupied by
aggregates.
Main significance:
Cost
Dimensional stability
Strength and stiffness
Abrasion resistance

Classification of Aggregates
Grain size ranges:
Fine aggregate: 60 m 5 mm
Coarse aggregate: > 5 mm
Roundness
Well-rounded is better (improves packing and
workability)
Crushing strength and Modulus of elasticity
Higher the better; should be considerably
higher than the values expected in concrete

Commonly Determined Properties

Abrasion resistance:
Los Angeles test
Density or Unit weight
For dry and saturated surface-dry states
(Coefficient of) Absorption
Relative increase in the mass of an oven-dry
sample when immersed in water for 24 hours

Humidity of Aggregates

Size Gradation
uniform size

continuous grading

gap grading

smaller versus larger sizes

no-fines

Mindess & Young

Other Important Considerations

Bulking of sand
Increase in the volume of sand caused by the films of water
pushing the particles apart.
In volume batching, this distorts the mix proportions and
decreases the yield of concrete.

Unsoundness
Low density particles can decrease strength.
Mica, and gypsum and other sulphates could react with the
hydration products leading to harmful effects.

Alkali-silica reactivity
Reactive forms of silica present in the aggregates are
attacked by the alkaline hydroxides in pore water. The
resulting gel swells, and can cause expansion and cracking.

Alkali-carbonate reactivity
Some dolomitic limestones and the alkalis in cement react to
form an expansive gel.

Manufactured Sand in Concrete

Manufactured sand aggregate material less than 4 mm in size,
processed from crushed rock or gravel
Advantages

Disadvantages

Less prone to bleeding and segregation

Higher need for vibration due to higher

cohesion

High fines content gives good finish

Higher wear on equipment due to

abrasion

Cheaper

Difficult to control fines content

Srinivas K, Indian Cement Review, 2009

Grade of concrete: M 20, Max. Aggregate Size: 30mm, 53 Grade OPC, w/c = 0.5
The crushed stone sand (i.e., quarry dust) and manufactured sand was collected from
different sand production units in Kerala.

Property

Natural
Sand

Crushed
Stone
Sand

Manufactured
Sand

Manufactured
Sand with 15%
fines (< 75m)

Cement content
(kg/m3)

405

387

372

368

Water content
(l/m3)

203

199

186

184

Slump obtained
(mm)

45

45

40

30

Cohesiveness

Cohesive

Cohesive

Not Cohesive

Cohesive

Compressive
strength (MPa)

29

28

35

35

Srinivas K, Indian Cement Review, 2009

References
Properties of Concrete, A.M. Neville, Pearson
Education, Delhi, 1995
Concrete: Microstructure, properties and
materials, P.K. Mehta and P.J.M. Monteiro,
Indian Concrete Institute, Chennai, 1999
Concrete, S. Mindess and J.F. Young, PrenticeHall, USA, 1981