Specific Gravity and Water Absorption Tests on

Aggregates

What is specific gravity test of aggregate?

Specific gravity test of aggregates is done to measure the strength or quality of the material.
Specific Gravity is the ratio of the weight of a given volume of aggregate to the weight of an
equal volume of water. It is the measure of strength or quality of the specific material.
Aggregates having low specific gravity are generally weaker than those with higher specific
gravity values.

Coarse Aggregate Specific Gravity

The coarse aggregate specific gravity test is used to calculate the specific gravity of a
coarse aggregate sample by determining the ratio of the weight of a given volume of aggregate to
the weight of an equal volume of water. It is similar in nature to the fine aggregate specific
gravity test.
The coarse aggregate specific gravity test measures coarse aggregate weight under three different
sample conditions:

• Oven-dry (no water in sample).

• Saturated surface-dry (SSD, water fills the aggregate pores).
• Submerged in water (underwater).

Using these three weights and their relationships, a sample’s apparent specific gravity, bulk
specific gravity and bulk SSD specific gravity as well as absorption can be calculated.
Aggregate specific gravity is needed to determine weight-to-volume relationships and to
calculate various volume-related quantities such as voids in mineral aggregate (VMA), and voids
filled by asphalt (VFA). Absorption can be used as an indicator of aggregate durability as well as
the volume of asphalt binder it is likely to absorb.

The standard coarse aggregate specific gravity and absorption test is:
• AASHTO T 85 and ASTM C 127: Specific Gravity and Absorption of Coarse Aggregate

Specific gravity is a measure of a material’s density (mass per unit volume) as compared to the
density of water at 73.4°F (23°C). Therefore, by definition, water at a temperature of 73.4°F
(23°C) has a specific gravity of 1.
Absorption, which is also determined by the same test procedure, is a measure of the amount of
water that an aggregate can absorb into its pore structure. Pores that absorb water are also
referred to as “water permeable voids”.
 Sample Aggregates

What is Water-absorption test?

A test to determine the moisture content of soil as a percentage of its dry weight (British
Standard 1377:1967). The sample is weighed, dried in an oven, then reweighed under standard
conditions. It is calculated as the moisture content, which is equal to: (weight of the container
with wet soil minus the weight of the container with dry soil) divided by (weight of the container
with dry soil minus the weight of the container); then multiplied by 100 to express it as a
percentage.
Water absorption test determines the water holding capacity of the coarse and fine aggregates.

Procedure of Water Absorption and Specific Gravity Test on Aggregates

There are three methods of testing for the determination of the specific gravity of aggregates,
according to the size of the aggregates larger than 10 mm, 40 mm and smaller than 10 mm. For
Samples larger than 10 mm, 40 mm, the below given test method is used and for samples smaller
than 10 mm Pycnometer test is done.

1. About 2 kg of aggregate sample is washed thoroughly to remove fines, drained and placed in
wire basket and immersed in distilled water at a temperature between 22- 32º C and a cover of at
least 5cm of water above the top of basket.
 2. Immediately after immersion the entrapped air is removed from the sample by lifting the
basket containing it 25 mm above the base of the tank and allowing it to drop at the rate of about
one drop per second. The basket and aggregate should remain completely immersed in water for
a period of 24 hour afterwards.
3. The basket and the sample are weighed while suspended in water at a temperature of 22° –
32°C. The weight while suspended in water is noted = W1g.
4. The basket and aggregates are removed from water and allowed to drain for a few minutes,
after which the aggregates are transferred to the dry absorbent clothes. The empty basket is then
returned to the tank of water jolted 25 times and weighed in water= W2 g.
5. The aggregates placed on the absorbent clothes are surface dried till no further moisture could
be removed by this cloth. Then the aggregates are transferred to the second dry cloth spread in
single layer and allowed to dry for at least 10 minutes until the aggregates are completely surface
dry. The surface dried aggregate is then weighed = W3 g
6. The aggregate is placed in a shallow tray and kept in an oven maintained at a temperature of
110° C for 24 hrs. It is then removed from the oven, cooled in an air tight container and
weighted=W4 g.

Apparatus Required

1. A balance of capacity about 3kg, to weigh accurate 0.5g, and of such a type and shape as to
permit weighing of the sample container when suspended in water.

2. A thermostatically controlled oven to maintain temperature at 100-110° C.

3. A wire basket of not more than 6.3 mm mesh or a perforated container of convenient size with
thin wire hangers for suspending it from the balance.
4. A container for filling water and suspending the basket

5. An air tight container of capacity similar to that of the basket

6. A shallow tray and two absorbent clothes, each not less than 75x45cm.

Procedures:

1. About 2 kg of aggregate sample is washed thoroughly to remove fines, drained and placed in
wire basket and immersed in distilled water at a temperature between 22- 32º C and a cover of at
least 5cm of water above the top of basket.

2. Immediately after immersion the entrapped air is removed from the sample by lifting the basket
containing it 25 mm above the base of the tank and allowing it to drop at the rate of about one
drop per second. The basket and aggregate should remain completely immersed in water for a
period of 24 hour afterwards.

3. The basket and the sample are weighed while suspended in water at a temperature of 22° – 32°C.
The weight while suspended in water is noted = W1g.
4. The basket and aggregates are removed from water and allowed to drain for a few minutes, after
which the aggregates are transferred to the dry absorbent clothes. The empty basket is then
returned to the tank of water jolted 25 times and weighed in water= W2 g.
5. The aggregates placed on the absorbent clothes are surface dried till no further moisture could be
removed by this cloth. Then the aggregates are transferred to the second dry cloth spread in
single layer and allowed to dry for at least 10 minutes until the aggregates are completely surface
dry. The surface dried aggregate is then weighed = W3 g
6. The aggregate is placed in a shallow tray and kept in an oven maintained at a temperature of
110° C for 24 hrs. It is then removed from the oven, cooled in an air tight container and
weighted=W4 g.

FOR FINE AGGREGATES PROCEDURES

1. Partially fill pycnometer with water
2. Introduce 50+/- 10g of S.S.D. aggregate in to pycnometer and fill with additional water to
90% of capacity.
3. Manually roll, invert and agitate the pycnometer to eliminate all air bubbles.
4. If necessary adjust the temperature of the water to 23+/- 1.7°C
5. Determine the total mass of pycnometer specimen and water.
6. Record this and all subsequent masses to the nearest 0.1g
7. Remove fine aggregate from pycnometer and place in oven until sample is dried to a constant
mass
8. Determine the mass of a pycnometer filled with just water to the calibration mark
9. Perform calculation

Observations of Test

Weight of saturated aggregate suspended in water with basket = W1g

Weight of basket suspended in water = W2 g
Weight of saturated surface dry aggregate in air = W3g
Weight of oven dry aggregate = W4 g
Weight of saturated aggregate in water = W1 – W2 g
Weight of water equal to the volume of the aggregate = W3– (W1–W2) g
Water Absorption of Aggregates

WATER ABSORPTION
This test helps to determine the water absorption of coarse aggregates as per IS: 2386 (Part III) – 1963.
For this test a sample not less than 2000g should be used. The apparatus used for this test are :

Wire basket
Perforated, electroplated or plastic coated with wire hangers for suspending it from the balance, Water-
tight container for suspending the basket, Dry soft absorbent cloth – 75cm x 45cm (2 nos.), Shallow tray
of minimum 650 sq.cm area, Air-tight container of a capacity similar to the basket and Oven.

Formula used is Water absorption = [(A – B)/B] x 100%

Two such tests should be done and the individual and mean results should be reported. A sample
proforma for the record of the test is:

Formulas:

(1) Specific gravity = W3 / (W3– (W1– W2))

(2) Apparent specific gravity = W4/ (W4– (W11– W2))
(3) Water Absorption = ((W3 – W4) / W4) X 100
** The size of the aggregate and whether it has been artificially heated should be indicated.
** Though high specific gravity is considered as an indication of high strength, it is not possible
to judge the suitability of a sample aggregate without finding the mechanical properties such as
aggregate crushing, impact and abrasion values.

Recommended Values of Specific Gravity and Water Absorption for

Aggregates

The specific gravity of aggregates normally used in road construction ranges from about 2.5 to
3.0 with an average of about 2.68.
Water absorption shall not be more than 0.6 per unit by weight.
 CE 416- CONSTRUCTION
MATERIALS AND TESTNG
“WRITTEN REPORT”

INSTRUCTOR:
ENGR. CHRIS GERALD CRUZ, CE, MAT.E

STUDENTS:
GENE PIERRE B. LUMACTUD
JAYA MAE YSULAN
ERCIL VIRTUDAZO
RUEL OLINARES
RUEL DACANAYA