FINENESS MODULUS AND PARTICLE SIZE

DISTRIBUTION OF AGGREGATES

OBJECTIVE

To determine the particle size distribution

and fineness modulus of fine and coarse
aggregates.

BASIC CONCEPT

Fine aggregate(sand) used in mortar and in

concrete.Coarse aggregate is the broken stone APPARATUS
used in concrete.Mixed aggregate is the Sample divides(metal tray for use
combination of coarse aggregate and fine in quartering),test sieve and
aggregate used in concrete.Fine aggregate particle nesting guard size,sieve
will fill the voids in between the coarse aggregate shaker,weighing machine.
when compacted in a concrete
mix.Therefore,proportion of different sizes of
aggregate are used in a concrete mix.Grading of
the particle size distribution is determined by
sieve analysis test.Fineness mould is only a
numerical index of fineness,giving some idea of
the mean size of particle in the entire bulk of
aggregate,sample of which is taken for the test
 PROCEDURE

5 kg coarse Sieve the coarse

aggregates taken for aggregates using
sieving. mechanical sieve
shaker for 10
minutes.

Measure the mass Measure the mass of

of pan and sieves. sieves and weight
retained in each
sieve.

OBSERVATION
COURSE AGGREGATE
Weight of coarse aggregate taken: 5 kg

Percentage Cumulative Cumulative

Sieve size Weight retained (%) percentage percentage
retained (kg) passing (%) retained (%)
25 mm 0.6 12 88 12
20 mm 0.95 19 69 31
14 mm 1.52 30.4 38.6 61.4
12.5 mm 0.35 7 31.6 68.4
10 mm 0.3 6 25.6 74.4
9.5 mm 0.1 2 23.6 76.4
7.1 mm 0.25 5 18.6 81.4
6.3 mm 0.1 2 16.6 83.4
pan 0.8 16 0.6 99.4

total 4.97 total 587.8

Fineness 5.878
modulus
 PERCENTAGE PASSING (%)
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
0 6.3 7.1 9.5 10 12.5 14 20 25
PERCENTAGE PASSING…

DISCUSSION:

This experiment is to determine the particle size distribution and fineness modulus of coarse
aggregates. The theory given suggested that fineness modulus of coarse aggregates is 7.47 and the
average value of aggregates is between 7th and 8th sieves. It is stated that coarse aggregates varies
from 5.5 to 8.8. In this case, we got 5.88 for fineness modulus thus shows that this experiment is a
success. Despite this, there are some error found from the data that was taken. The total weight
retained got from the sum of weight retained in data gives a total of 4.97kg, 0.03kg less than the
original weight of coarse aggregate taken. This effect the cumulative percentage passing data. This
could happened because some probability that may cause error. Error that may happened during this
experiment is may due to surrounding such as wind that flies some of the aggregates and maybe some
pour out of the sieve while pouring the aggregates in preparation to shake the sieves.

CONCLUSION:

As a conclusion, the particle size distribution and fineness modulus of coarse aggregates were determined
through this experiment. The theory showed that the fineness modulus of coarse aggregates varies from 5.5
to 8.0 and this experiment give a result of 5.878. The theory supports that the data achieve in this
experiment is in the fineness modulus of coarse aggregates.
 FINE AGGREGATE

PROCEDURE

1)1 kg of sand was 2)The sieves were 3)The material

taken from the arranged in order of retained on each
sampling sieve size and were sieve was weighed.
shaked for 10 minutes

RESULTS
Weight of fine aggregate taken : 1 kg
Sieve size Weight retained Percentage Cumulative Cumulative
(kg) retained (kg) percentage percentage
passing (%) retained (%)
2.00 mm 0.296 29.51 70.49 29.51
1.18 mm 0.175 17.35 53.14 46.86
600 µm 0.202 20.14 33.0 67
425 µm 0.086 8.57 24.43 75.57
300 µm 0.089 8.87 15.56 84.44
212 µm 0.073 7.28 8.28 91.72
150 µm 0.041 4.09 4.19 95.81
63 µm 0.034 3.39 0.8 99.2
pan 0.007 0.71 0.09 99.91
Total 1.003 Total 690.02
Fineness 6.9
Modulus

CALCULATION
Fineness Modulus = sum of cumulative percentage retained
100
 Cumulative percentage passing(%) versus Particle size
80
cumulative percentage passing(%)

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

0
0 63 150 212 300 425 600 1.18 2
Particle size

DISCUSSION
We have used sieving method to determine the particle size distribution and the
fineness modulus of fine aggregates. The fineness of modulus of fine aggregates
is 6.9. The value of fineness modulus for fine aggregates should not more than
3.2 to be categorize as fine aggregates. For this experiment, the value of fineness
modulus for this aggregates are less/more than 3.2. So this aggregates can/cannot
categorize as fine aggregates.
There are few errors that we have made during the experiment that affect our
result. There were spills when we transferred the aggregates to set of sieves for
sieving. The sieve also does not very clean and there are few aggregates left stuck
at the opening size of the sieve. This affect our result especially when weigh each
pan on balance because it not shows the actual mass of the sieve. So, make sure
each pan is cleaning using blower to get rid the aggregate from the sieve pan.

CONCLUSION
From this experiment, we can determine
the particle size distribution of fine
aggregates. The fineness modulus of fine
aggregates is 6.9