EXPERIMENT -3: DETERMINATION OF SPECIFIC GRAVITY ANDWATER

ARSORPTION OF COARSE AGGREGATE

OBJECTTVE: To determine specific gravity and water absorption of a given sample of coarse aggregate
DURCES: A wire basket of not more than 6-3 mm mesh, A stout watertight container in which the
basket may be freely suspended, well-ventilated oven, Taping rod,An airtight container of capacity similar to
that of the basket, etc.

PRECAUTIONS:

1. Keep in mind that the saturated surface dry sample is the condition when all the visible films of water are
removed from the sample
2. All the weighing should be done carefully and accurately

PROCEDURE:

1. A sample of not less than 2000 g of the aggregate shall be thoroughly washed toremove finer particles
and dust, drained and then placed in the wire basket andimmersed in distilled water at a temperature between
22°C to 32°C with a cover of at least 5 cm of water above the top of the basket.

2. Immediately. after immersion the entrapped air shal be removed from the sample by lifting the basket
containing it 25 mm above the base of the tank and allowing it to drop
25 times at the rate of about one drop per second. The basket and aggregate shall remain completely immersed
during the operation and for a period of 24 + /2 hours afterwards.
3. The basket and the sample shall then be jolted and weighed in water at a temperatureof 22°C to 32°C (weight
Al)
4. The basket and the aggregate shall then be removed from the water and allowed to drain for a few
minutes, after which the, aggregate shall be gently emptied from the basket on to one of the dry clothes, and the
empty basket shall be returned to the waterand weighed in water ( weight A2 ).
5. The aggregate placed on the dry cloth shall be gently surface dried with the cloth, transfering it to the second
dry cloth when the first will remove no further moisture. The aggregate shall then be weighed (weight B).

6. The aggregate shall then be placed in the oven in the shallow tray, at a temperature of 100 to 110°C and
maintained at this temperature for 24 2 hours. It shall then be removed from the oven, cooled in the airtight
container and weighed (weight C).

7. Calculations-Specific gravity, apparent specific gravity and waterabsorption shall be calculated as follows.

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3.5 DIAGRAM:

3.6 TABLE AND CALCULATION:

1. Size of aggregates
2. Types of aggregates:

test test mean

Sr. No. Details number1 number 2 value

wt. of saturated aggregate and basket

1 in water = wigm

wt. of basket in water = w2 (gm)

2

wt. of saturated surface dry aggregates

3 in air = w3 gm

wt. of oven dried aggregates in air =

W4 gm

5 Sp. Gravity = (w4)/(w3-(w1-w2))

(w3-w4) x 100/w4
6 Water absorption =

3.7 RESULT:

given sample of course aggregate is found to be .

1. The Specific Gravity of a

course aggregate is found to be . %

2. The Water Absorption of a given sample of

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 PRE LAB QUESTIONS:

1. Discuss the importance of specific gravity and water absorption test on raod
aggregate
2. Differentiate between true and apparent specific gravity of aggregates

LAB ASSIGNMENT:

How do you determine the specific gravity of the coarse aggregate?

POST LAB QUESTIONS:

1. What are the application ofspecific gravity test in mix design

2. Mention the allowable limits of water absorption values in 1.Bituminous concrete surfacecourse 2. Bituminous
surface dressing 3 .Wet mix Macadam base course

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