Experiment No:- CVE-426-P-02

Object: - Determination of specific gravity and absorption of coarse aggregate.

Apparatus: Balance of capacity of 5 kg or more (sensitive to 0.05 gm), weight box,

wire basket 200 mm height of 4.75 mm IS sieve net, water tub for
immersing the wire basket in water, suitable arrangement for suspending
the wire basket from centre of scale pan of balance and absorbent cloth for
surface drying of the sample.

Procedure:- 1) Take about 5 kg of aggregate by method of quartering, rejecting all

material passing a 10 mm IS sieve.
2. Wash thoroughly to remove dust etc. from the surface of particles. Dry to constant
mass at a temperature of 105 +5oC.
(Where the aggregate is used in moist condition it is not necessary to dry it too
constant mass.
3. Immerse the sample in water at 22 to 32 oC for a period of (24+1/2) hours (30
minutes for laboratory practice.).
4. Remove the aggregate from water and roll the same in large piece of an absorbent
cloth until all visible films of water are removed, although the surface of particles
will still appear to the damp.
5. Now, weigh 3 kg of this sample in the saturated surface dry condition and note
down the mass as W1 gm.
6. Place the weighed aggregate immediately in the wire basket and dip it in water.
Weight this basket with aggregate, while keeping it in water, with the help of the
balance. Note its mass as W3 gm.
7. Dry the sample to the constant weight at the temperature of 100 to 110 oC for
(24+1/2) hours.
8. Cool to room temperature and weigh.
9. Calculate the specific gravity and absorption of the aggregate.
10. Repeat the procedure for fresh aggregate.

Calculations and Observations:

The specific gravity of coarse aggregate is defined as the ratio between the mass of
equal volumes of coarse aggregate and water at the same constant temperature.

Bulk specific gravity = Mass of sample in air

Loss in mass of sample in water
= W1
W1 – (W3 – W2)
In this expression:

W1 = mass of saturated surface dry sample of air,

W2 = mass of basket in water.
W3= mass of basket + sample in water
W4= mass of oven dry sample in air.

Apparent specific gravity W4

W4 – (W3 – W2)
Percentage absorption W1 – W4 x 100
W4
Tabulate the Observations as follows:

Material
Mass of saturated surface dry sample W1, gm
Mass of basket suspended in water W2, gm
Mass of material + basket suspended in water W3, gm
Mass of aggregate suspended in water (W3 – W2), gm
Mass of oven dry aggregate in air W4, gm
Bulk sp. Gr. saturated surface dry basis
Apparent specific gravity
Absorption percent

Precautions:-

1) The mass of sample should be accurate at all stages and should be determined to the
nearest 0.05 gm.
2) The sample should be free from foreign matters.
3) The large fragments should be wiped individually.
4) Avoid evaporation during surface drying operation
5) Duplicate determination should be checked within 0.02 in case of specific gravity and
0.05 gm percent in case of absorption.
6) The absorbent cloth should be 1000 mm x 1000 mm in size. It must be of such a type
that it can absorb quite a large quality of water.