CEE/CNE 353: Civil Engineering Materials

Solutions to Selected Problems in Homework – 3

Solution 1.
625.2 − 589.9
𝑀𝑜𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑒 𝐶𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑡 = ∗ 100 = 6.0%
589.9
𝐹𝑟𝑒𝑒 𝑀𝑜𝑖𝑠𝑡𝑢𝑟𝑒 = 6.0 − 16 = 4.4%

Solution 2.
Step 1: Determine the dry weights of gravel and sand.

50
𝐷𝑟𝑦 𝑊𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝐺𝑟𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑙 = = 48.123 𝑘𝑔
3.9
1+
100
30
𝐷𝑟𝑦 𝑊𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑆𝑎𝑛𝑑 = = 28.986 𝑘𝑔
3.5
1+
100
Step 2: Determine the amount of water required for gravel and sand to reach SSD condition

𝑊𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑟𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑟𝑒𝑑 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑔𝑟𝑎𝑣𝑒𝑙 𝑡𝑜 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑐ℎ 𝑎𝑏𝑠𝑜𝑟𝑝𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 = 48.123(0.047 − 0.039) = 0.385 𝑘𝑔

𝑊𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑟𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑟𝑒𝑑 𝑓𝑜𝑟 𝑠𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑡𝑜 𝑟𝑒𝑎𝑐ℎ 𝑎𝑏𝑠𝑜𝑟𝑝𝑡𝑖𝑜𝑛 = 28.986(0.049 − 0.035) = 0.406 𝑘𝑔
Step 3: Compute total water required.

𝑇𝑜𝑡𝑎𝑙 𝑤𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑟 𝑟𝑒𝑞𝑢𝑖𝑟𝑒𝑑 = 0.385 + 0.406 = 0.791 𝑘𝑔

It is important to determine the amount of water absorbed by the aggregates to ascertain the adjustment in the water
content to maintain the correct water to cement ratio in the mixture. If aggregates absorb or release water to get to SSD
condition, that will affect the amount of water available for cement hydration and change the water to cement ratio.

Solution 3.
55.9 − 18.5 𝑙𝑏
𝐷𝑟𝑦 − 𝑟𝑜𝑑𝑑𝑒𝑑 𝑢𝑛𝑖𝑡 𝑤𝑒𝑖𝑔ℎ𝑡 = = 112.3 3
0.333 𝑓𝑡
112.3
% 𝑉𝑜𝑙𝑢𝑚𝑒 𝑜𝑐𝑐𝑢𝑝𝑖𝑒𝑑 𝑏𝑦 𝑎𝑔𝑔𝑟𝑒𝑔𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑠 = ∗ 100 = 68.5%
2.630 ∗ 62.3
𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑒, % 𝑣𝑜𝑖𝑑𝑠 = 100 − 68.5 = 31.5%

Solution 7.
Since moisture content and absorption are related to the aggregate dry weight, the first step of the solution is
determining the dry weight of coarse and fine aggregates.

Dry weight of fine aggregate = 46.5/1.02 = 45.6 kg

Dry weight of coarse aggregate = 72.3/1.013 = 71.4 kg

 Water required for fine aggregate to reach absorption = 45.6 (0.034 – 0.020) = 0.6 kg

Water required for coarse aggregate to reach absorption = 71.4 (0.038-0.013) = 1.8 kg

Water required for both coarse and fine aggregate to reach absorption = 0.6 + 1.8 = 2.4 kg

When mixing concrete, it is important to maintain the correct moisture content for strength and workability. Failure to
properly compute absorbed and/or free water can affect all the desirable properties of concrete.

Solution 10.
Sieve Size, Amount Cumulative Cumulative Percent
mm Retained, Amount Percent Retained Passing
g Retained, g
25 0.0 0.0 0.0 100
19 376.7 376.7 5.5 95
12.5 888.4 1265.1 18.6 81
9.5 506.2 1771.3 26.0 74
4.75 1038.4 2809.7 41.3 59
2.36 900.1 3709.8 54.5 46
1.18 891.5 4601.3 67.6 32
0.6 712.6 5313.9 78.0 22
0.3 625.2 5939.1 87.2 13
0.15 581.5 6520.6 95.8 4
0.075 242.9 6763.5 99.3 0.7
Pan 44.9 6808.4 100.0 0.0
Total 6808.4

Semi-log gradation chart

100

90

80

70
Percent Passing, %

60

50

40

30

20

10

0
0.01 0.1 1 10 100
Sieve Size, mm
 0.45 gradation chart
100

90

80

70

Percent Passing, %
60

50

40

30

20

10

0
0.075 0.15 0.3 0.6 1.18 2.36 4.75 9.5 12.5 19.0 25.0

Sieve Size, mm

The Maximum Size = 25 mm

The Nominal Maximum Size = 19 mm

Solution 11.
Gradation A B C
Max. Size (mm) 12.5 19.0 19.0
Nominal Max. Size 9.5 12.5 12.5
(mm)
Classification Open Dense Gap

Solution 13.
Use equation: % 𝑃𝑎𝑠𝑠𝑖𝑛𝑔 = 0.35 ∗ 𝐴 + 0.40 ∗ 𝐵 + 0.25 ∗ 𝐶

Sieve Size % Passing % Passing % Passing % Passing

(mm) Agg. A Agg. B Agg. C Blended Agg.
9.5 85 50 40 60
4.75 70 35 30 46
0.6 35 20 5 22
0.3 25 13 1 14
0.15 17 7 0 9

Solution 14.
Assume decimal fraction of fine aggregate by weight is x
1−𝑥 1−𝑥
𝑆𝑜, 𝑤𝑒 𝑐𝑎𝑛 𝑤𝑟𝑖𝑡𝑒: ∗ 0.5 + ∗ 1.5 + 11.5 ∗ 𝑥 = 4
2 2
𝑇ℎ𝑒𝑟𝑒𝑓𝑜𝑟𝑒, 𝑥 = 0.29, 𝑎𝑝𝑝𝑟𝑜𝑥𝑖𝑚𝑎𝑡𝑒𝑙𝑦 30%.