AGGREGATES FOR CONCRETE

Submitted by Submitted to
Sapana Thapa Magar Dr.Naresh kaji Tamrakar
Symbol no: 392 Central Department of Geology
 INTRODUCTION
• The aggregates used in the production of concrete are inert granular materials
such as gravel, crushed stone, sand, slag, recycled concrete, and geosynthetic
aggregates.
• Concrete may be defined as a mixture of water, cement or binder, and aggregate,
where the water and cement or binder form the paste and the aggregate forms the
inert filler.
• The essential requirement of an aggregate for concrete is that it remains stable
within the concrete and in the particular environment throughout the design life of
the concrete.
• The characteristics of the aggregate must not affect
adversely the performance or cost of the concrete in
either the fresh or hardened state.
• In absolute volume terms the aggregate amounts to
60-80% of the volume of concrete and is, therefore,
the major constituent.

Aggregates used in production of concrete

 Classification of Aggregates
On the basis of their geological origin
• Natural Aggregate
These are obtained by crushing from quarries of igneous, sedimentary
or metamorphic rocks. Gravels and sand reduced to their present size
by the natural agencies.
Aggregates obtained from pits or dredged from river, creek or sea.
• Artificial Aggregates
Broken bricks, blast furnace slag and synthetic aggregates are
artificial aggregates.
They are not used for reinforced concrete works. Blast furnance slag
aggregate is obtained from slow cooling of the slag followed by
crushing. The dense and strong particles as obtained are used for
making precast concrete products. Synthetic aggregates are produced
by thermally processed materials such as expanded clay and shale
used for making light weight concrete.
Based on shape of grains
• Angular Aggregate:
The angular aggregates consist well
defined edges formed at the
intersection of roughly planar
surfaces and these are obtained by
crushing the rocks
• Rounded Aggregate
Natural aggregates smoothed by
weathering, erosion and attrition.
Rocks, stone, sand and gravel found
in riverbeds are your most common
rounded aggregates.
Based on unit weight
• Aggregates are classified as normal-weight, heavy-weight and light-
weight aggregate depending on weight and specific gravity as given in
Table.
 SLAKE DURABILITY
• The overall stability of concrete aggregates may be defined as the ability of individual
particles to retain their integrity and not to suffer physical, mechanical or chemical
changes to an extent which could adversely affect the properties or performance of
concrete in either engineering or aesthetic respects.
• The principal characteristics influencing durability normally stem from the geological
nature and origin of the parent rock, an understanding of which is important,
especially when investigating the potential of new deposits.
• Aggregates can sometimes be impaired by the effects of seasonal climatic, diurnal and
other influences acting upon the concrete. These may include temperature, tides,
evaporation, rainfall, dewfall, humidity, ultraviolet radiation, ice, snow and frost.
 500g of dry rock is broken into 10 pieces and put into a drum of
140mm dia and 100mm length.

 The cylindrical wall of the drum is made of sieve mesh of 2mm

opening.

 The drum is turned in water bath for 10 min at the of 20rpm.

 The sample in the drum is dried (1050c and again rotated for 10
minutes at the rate of 20rpm.
Slake durability apparatus
 The sample of the drum is collected and dried. The percent of the
rock retained in the drum(on dry weight basis) is known as slake
durability index (Id).
 Working formula

Slake durability Index is given as,

 Durability classification
Group % Retained after one 10 minute % Retained after two 10 minute
cycle cycle

Very High Durability >99 >98

High Durability 98-99 95-98

Medium High Durability 95-98 85-95

Medium Durability 85-95 60-85

Low Durability 60-85 30-60

Very Low Durability <60 <30

 SULPHATE SOUNDNESS
• Soundness tests measure the resistance of aggregates to degradation or
disintegration resulting from the crystallization of salts within the
pores and interstitial structures of the aggregate particles, also to the
wetting-drying and heating-cooling cycles
• The soundness limits given in ASTM C33 vary according to aggregate
particle size, either coarse or fine, and the type of sulphate salt being
used in the test, either magnesium or sodium
Equipments of Soundness test of Aggregates
• Procedure
Take a sample of well-graded
aggregate and weight it. Immerse
aggregate sample into the solution
of sodium sulphate or magnesium
sulphate for 16 to 18 hours. After
immersion, place the aggregates in
the oven for drying. Repeat this
cycle several times according to
requirement and then measure the
loss in weight.
 Maximum weighted overall loss After 5 cycles, %
Coarse aggregate Fine aggregate
Magnisium sulphate soundness 18 15
Sodium sulphate soundness 12 10

ASTM c33-81 soundness limits for coarse and fine aggregates

 ALKALI AGGREGATE REACTIVITY
• The principal effects of alkali-aggregate reactivity are that affected
concrete suffers expansion and cracking. The expansion causes
misalignment of structures and can threaten structural integrity.
• The main types of alkali-reactivity identified may be Varieties of
potentially reactive silica and their categorized as follows:
The reaction of aggregates is affected by

 Particle size and porosity

Quality of cement
Quantity of cement present
Permeability of paste
Availability of water in paste
Reactive type of aggregates.
 • Involves a reaction between alkali hydroxides in the pore solution of the
Alkali-silica concrete and certain forms of silica in the aggregate, producing an alkali-
silicate gel.
reaction • The silica content at which the greatest expansion occurs is called the
pessimum.

• The term alkali- silicate reaction has been used to refer to reactions
Alkali-silicate involving phyllosilicates such as vermiculite, chlorites, argillites, and
greywackes.
reaction • The reactions are complicated and difficult to characterize but may be
expansive.

Alkali-
carbonate • Reaction involving carbonate rocks may be either expansive or non-
expansive.

reaction
 Typical cracking pattern resulting from the alkali-silica reaction

The effect of active silica content of aggregates on the expansion of

concrete from the alkali–silica reaction (adapted from Hewlett, 1998).
Illustration of Alkali-Silica Reaction
Variety of silica Common geological occurrence
Opal Vein material and vugh filling in a variety of rock types, a constituent of some
types of chert, a replacement for siliceous fossil material and a cementing material
in some sedimentary rocks.
Volcanic glass A constituent of some igneous volcanic rocks ranging from acid to basic
composition. Volcanic glass devitrifies over geological time and devitrified glass
may also be potentially reactive
Tridymite and cristobalite High temperature metastable polymorphs of silica found as a minor constituent in
some acid and intermediate volcanic rocks.
Microcrystalline and cryptocrystalline quartz The principal constituent of most cherts and flint. Vein material and vugh fillings
in a variety of rock types, groundmass mineral in some igneous and metamorphic
rocks, cementing material in some sedimentary rocks.
Chalcedony A fibrous variety of microcrystalline quartz found as a constituent of some cherts
and flint. Vein material and vugh fillings in a variety of rock types, cementing
material in some sedimentary rocks.
Strained quartz Found especially in metamorphic rocks, but also in some igneous rocks, subjected
to high stresses. Also occurs as a detrital mineral in elastic sediments. Current
opinion is that strained quartz itself is probably not reactive and reactivity may be
associated with poorly ordered silica at the highly sutured grain boundaries
commonly associated with strained quartz.

Varieties of potentially reactive silica and their geological occurrences

BS 812: Part 104 Procedure for qualitative and quantitative petrographic examination of aggregates

BS 7943 Guidance on the interpretation of petrographical examinations for alkali-silica

reactivity (includes gel-pat test for the detection of opaline silica)

BS 812: Part 123 Alkali-silica reactivity--concrete prism method

BS DD 249 Method for the assessment of alkali-silica reactivity potential-accelerated mortar-
bar method

ASTM C294 Standard Descriptive Nomenclature of constituents of natural mineral aggregates

ASTM C295 Standard Recommended Practice for petrographic examination of aggregates for
concrete

ASTM C289 Standard Test Method for potential reactivity of aggregates (chemical method)

ASTM C227 Standard Test Method for potential alkali reactivity of cement-aggregate
combinations (mortar bar method)

ASTM C586 standard Test Method for potential alkali reactivity of carbonate rock for concrete
aggregate (rock cylinder method)

ASTM C 1260 Standard Test Method for potential alkali reactivity of aggregates (mortar-bar
method)

ASTM C1293 Standard Test Method for concrete aggregates by determination of length change
of concrete due to alkali-silica reaction
 Effects of Alkali-Aggregate Reaction
1.Loss of strength, stiffness, impermeability
2.Affects concrete durability and appearance
3.Premature failure of concrete structures
4.Consequently, life of concrete structure is declined
5.Maintenance cost is increased
 Preventive Measures against Alkali Aggregate Reactivity

1.Use low alkali cement to limit alkali content in concrete

2.Use of Cementitious Replacement Materials such as PFA and GGBS in
concrete to decrease alkali content in concrete
3.Reduce the access of moisture and maintain the concrete in a
sufficiently dry state
4.Avoid utilization of reactive aggregate otherwise necessary precautions
shall be employed to prevent influences of alkali-aggregate reactions.
5.Modify the properties of any gel such that it becomes non-expansive,
for instance, using lithium salts.
 Deleterious constituents
• Deleterious materials are harmful or injurious substances (coatings)
found in the surface of the aggregate.
• They are harmful to concrete performance.
• These substance affect or weakens the bond between cement and
aggregate and break easily.
 Salt

Deleterious Organic
Coal,
impuriti
Lignite constituents es

Clay
lumps
and
friable
particles
 Type or use of concrete Maximum total
chloride content
1. Salt expressed as %
of chloride ion by
• Chlorides, usually sodium mass of cement
chloride or common salt, occur Prestressed concrete. Heat cured 0.10
naturally in marine and some concrete containing embedded metal

coastal sources of aggregates and Concrete containing embedded metal 0.2

also occur at significant levels in
some inland sedimentary deposits.
• The presence of chlorides in
reinforced concrete introduces
corrosion risks for the embedded
steel (Building Research
Establishment, 1980, 1982).
and made with cement complying with
BS 4027
Concrete containing embedded metal 0.40
and made with cement complying with
BS 12, BS 146, BS4246, BS 6588 or
combinations with with ggbs or pfa
Other concrete No limit

Chloride content of concrete BS 5328

• Impacts
1. Reinforcement corrosion
2. Absorb moisture and cause
efflorescence
2. Organic impurities
• Some types of organic material, including humus, fuel oil and sugars,
can retard or even prevent the hydration of cement and the consequent
hardening of concrete, even when present in only trace concentrations
(Sherwood & Roeder 1965; Lees 1987).
• A simple qualitative colour test is given in ASTM C40 and BS 812
Part 122.1
• Indirect indications of harmful organic impurities are obtained by
comparative strength and setting time tests, using either concrete or
mortar mixes.
• Organic impurities interfere with
the hydration reaction.
• It is found in sand and consists of
products of decay of vegetable
matter.
• Organic matter may be removed
from sand by washing.
3. Clay lumps and friable particles

• Clay may coat the surface of aggregates which impair bond strength
between aggregate and cement paste. It adversely affecting the
strength and durability of concrete
• It is necessary to control the amount of clay in aggregate
• Since no test is available to determine separately the clay content, the
limits of fine materials are prescribed in terms of the percentage of
material passing sieve No. 200
• Impacts on concrete
1.Low wear resistance
2. Reduce durability
3. May result popouts
4. Coal, lignite
• Coal and lignite, are frequently regarded as undesirable, mainly
because they tend to occur as mechanically weak and physically
unsound particles, but also because of the unsightly stains they can
cause on the surface of the concrete.
• ASTM C33 provides maximum limits for coal and lignite, in coarse or
fine aggregates, of 0.5% or 1.0% respectively, depending upon the
importance of the concrete appearance.
Impacts
1. Straining on concrete
2. Cause popouts
3. Air entrapment
Specification for fine and coarse aggregate
• It should be hard, durable chemically inert, clean and free from

Fine
organic matter, not containing any appreciable amount of clay balls or
pellets and other harmful impurities i. e. alkaline, salt, mica, decayed
vegetation, lumps etc.

Aggregate
• It should be passed through I. S. Sieve 4.75 mm. It should have the
finest modulus 2.50 to 3.50 and silt contents should not be more than
4%.

• Aggregate most of which is retained on 4.75 mm IS sieve.

Coarse • Actual specification for the quality of coarse sand can be obtained by
laboratory test.

Aggregate
 Observe whether there are any lumps of earth or clay
balls, grass and decayed vegetation etc..

Take some samples of coarse sand in hand and observe

The particles of sand should be coarser. 
Silt contents should be less

Take some sand in hand and drop it down

One can simply check the quality of sand by taking
some sand in the hand and then dropping it down.  If
some finest material sticks with hand, the sand has some
silt contents and finer sand. 

Check silts contents with the help of water

Take empty glass and put some sand and water in the
glass and stir it well. After some time the silt layer will
be framed between sand and water which shows the
quantity of the silt contents present in the sand.

Specification of coarse aggregate

Specification of coarse aggregate (BS standard)
Specification of fine aggregates ( BS standard)
Specification of coarse aggregates (ASTM C33-03)
Specification of fine aggregates (ASTM C33-03)
Thank you!