Pavement Material (CIV 434 )

Aggregates
Aggregates
• Combination of distinct particles gathered into
an aggregate mass (sand, gravel, crushed stone
or other materials comprising individual particles)
• Used in base / sub-base courses, shoulders
• Ingredients for bituminous mixes (92 to 96%
mass)
• Ingredients for cement concrete (80 to 85% mass)
Cross Section of Flexible pavement

embankment

Typical Flexible Pavement

Embankment Subgrade Subbase Base

Wearing course (surfacing) shoulder (treated/untreated)
Cross section of rigid pavement

embankment

Typical Concrete Pavement

Embankment Subgrade base Concrete slab

shoulder (treated/untreated)
Function of Aggregates
• To bear stresses occurring due to the wheel loads
on the pavement
• To resist wear due to abrasive action of traffic on
the surface coarse.
Aggregate Sources
• Natural
Obtained from large rock formation by quarrying
Excavated rock is usually crushed to obtain
aggregates of different sizes

• Manufactured
Byproduct of other manufacturing industries
(slag which is a by-product of metallurgical
industry (steel, tin, copper)
Broken bricks, over-burnt bricks etc
Classification of Natural Aggregates
Igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic
• Igneous
Formed by cooling of molten rock material
(magma) beneath the earth’s crust
Crystalline in structure
Grain Size Classification
Coarse grained (grain size larger than 2mm)
Fine grained (Finer than 0.2mm)
Classification on the basis of Composition
Acidic - > 66% Silica, < 2.75 Sp. Gravity, light Colour
Basic - < 55% Silica, > 2.75 Sp. Gravity, dark Colour
Intermediate
Examples – Granite, Basalt
Classification of Natural Aggregates

• Sedimentary
Insoluble material deposited on the bottom of
ocean or lake floors is transformed to rock by
heat and pressure – layered in structure

Further classified based on predominant mineral

Calcareous (lime stone), Siliceous (Sand stone),
argillaceous (shale)

Examples – Lime stone, Sand stone

Classification of Natural Aggregates

• Metamorphic
Igneous or Sedimentary rocks subjected to heat
and / or pressure to change their mineral
structure (different from parent rock)

Examples – Quartzite, marble, Slate

Types of aggregate
• The aggregates are classified based on their grain
size, shape, texture and its gradation
Grain size - coarse (>4.76mm) , fine (<4.76mm)
& filler (< 0.075mm)
Shape - angular, rounded, elongated, flaky
Gradation - Well graded, Poorly graded
• Based on their strength property, hard & Soft
aggregate
Hard aggregate – used for bearing coarse
Soft aggregate – used for lower layers
Desirable Properties of Aggregates
• Clean and free of clay and organic matter
• Be angular and not excessively flaky
• Be strong enough to resist to crushing
during mixing, laying, compaction,
consolidation and in service
• Be resistant to abrasion and polishing when
exposed to traffic
• Be non- absorptive
• Have good affinity to bitumen in case of
bituminous pavements
 Desirable Properties of Road Aggregates
• Strength – should be sufficient strength resistance to
crushing
• Hardness – should be hard enough to resist the wear due
to abrasive action of traffic.
• Toughness – should be sufficient impact or toughness
value to resist impact load due to moving wheels of
vehicle
• Durability – should be durable and resist disintegration
due to the action of weather
• Shape of aggregates- should be angular shape and non
flaky
• Adhesion with Bitumen – should have less affinity with
water otherwise the bituminous coating on the aggregates
will be stripped off in presence of water
Physical Properties of Aggregates
• Gradation and Size
• Toughness and Abrasion Resistance
• Durability and Soundness
• Particle Shape and Surface Texture
• Specific Gravity
• Cleanliness and Deleterious materials
Aggregate Size
• Aggregates of different sizes are normally used in
combination

• Maximum Size – The smallest size of sieve

through which 100% of the aggregates smaple
particles pass

• Nominal Maximum Size – Largest sieve that

retains some of the aggregate particles but not
more than 10% by weight
Aggregate Size & Gradation
Sieve Size (mm) % of agg. Passing the sieve
19 100
13.2 92
9.5 77
4.75 62
2.36 50
1.18 41
0.60 32
0.30 23
0.15 16
0.075 7
Maximum Aggregate Size – 19mm
Nominal Maximum Aggregate Size – 13.2mm
Aggregate Gradation
Aggregate gradation is obtained by sieving material through
successive sieves
100
Sieve % Pass 90
22.4 100 80
% Passing the sieve
13.2 100 70
9.5 95 60
50
4.75 43 40
2.36 31.5 30
1.18 22.5 20
0.3 14 10
0.075 5.5 0
0.01 0.1 1 10 100
Sieve size, mm
Tests for Road aggregate
• Crushing test
• Abrasion test
• Impact test
• soundness
• Shape test
Flakiness Index, elongation Index and Angularity number
• Specific gravity and water absorption test
• Bitumen adhesion test
(Procedure and permissible value - Text book 1 (Highway Engg. - Khanna & Justo)