5.
1 Aggregates
Prepared by : Viena Tiesse L. Sacayanan
Aggregates
• Aggregates is a broad category of coarse- to medium-grained particulate material used in
construction, including sand, gravel, crushed stone, slag, recycled concrete and geosynthetic
aggregates. Aggregates are the most mined materials in the world.
• Aggregates to be classified as good quality, must undergo various test enumerated as
follows:
• l. Test for strength.
• 2. Test for soundness.
• 3. Test for affinity and swell.
• 4. Test for shape and texture.
• 5. Test for resistance to polishing.
• 6. Degradation test.
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Test for strength
The criterion for aggregate strength test is the Los Angeles Rattler Test
(AASHTO T-96) briefly conducted as follows:
1. Rattler test is done in a hollow cylinder closed at both ends. The cylinder
measures 70 centimeters inside diameter by 50 centimeters long provided
with steel shelf projecting radially inward 3 % inches mounted with its axis
horizontally on stub shaft a:rd fastened at the ends
2. The cylinder is rotated 500 revolutions at speed of 30 to 3 rounds per
minute.
3. After testing, the sample is passed on to No.l2 sieve.
Those that passes through it are set aside, the amount of loss is the difference
between the original and final weight expressed in percent.
4. The FFIWA recommended that aggregates for a dense graded mixture shall
have 50 or less coefficient of wear.
5. For open graded mixture, the requirements end is 40 or less. However,
percentage may be set in cases where excellent aggregates are abundantly
available.
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Test for Soundness
• The test is performed by exposing an aggregate sample to repeated
immersions in saturated solutions of sodium or magnesium sulfate
followed by oven drying. One immersion and drying is considered one
soundness cycle. During the drying phase, slats precipitate in the
permeable void space of the aggregate.
Test for Affinity and Swell
• Strong and durable pavement must have binder that adhere or stick firmly
to the aggregate particles. If the binder separates or strip's-off from the
aggregate, the pavement will disintegrate under traffic.
• Another reaction of the pavement is to pit when aggregates are pulled-off
caused by running wheels. In the event that pavement mixture swells, the
interlock and friction between the particles are destroyed resulting to
collapse of the pavement stability.
Shape and Texture of Aggregates
• 1. A relatively rounded smooth aggregate particles like natural gravel is recommended for Portland
cement concrete pavement because the mixture is workable. Meaning, easily man- aged and
consolidated inside the forms.
• 2. The angular or cubical shape and rough surface texture aggregates has been proven excellent
material for asphalt pavement because it has stronger interlocking action and
• well adherence of asphalt binder to the particles.
• 3. A thin or elongated piece of dirt is considered undesirable material for either asphalt or concrete
pavement.
• 4. The AASHTO Standard Specifications for asphalt pavement aggregate has no specific
stipulation as to the control of the shape or surface texture.
Test for Resistance to Polishing
• One good criterion for pavement design is the high coefficient of friction between the tire and the
road surface.A good asphalt or concrete road design is when "the rubber tire is in direct contact
with the aggregate and not with the binder" measured under the following considerations:
1. . If in so short a time, the aggregate surface of the road be- comes polished and sticky, the
coefficient of friction be- tween the road surface and the tire will be dangerously low.
2. The skid resistance has bearing relation with the polishing of the aggregate, prompting the road
agency to consider the skid resistance measurement on existing road to be included and part of
the road inventory.
3. Aggregates produced from limestone are practically susceptible to polishing. On the other
hand, if the parent rocks are sandstone or fine grain igneous type, polishing is not severe.
4. Limestone coarse aggregate containing larger amount of sand that are insoluble in diluted
hydrochloric acid, are found to be resistance to polishing.
Particle Size
1. For dense graded pavement. - The particle size of aggregate ranges from
coarse to dust.
2. For open graded pavement. - One or more layer of the coarse rock of
uniform size is used.
3. For sheet asphalt. - The mineral aggregate is a carefully graded sand and
mineral dust.
5.2 Aggregate for
Bituminous
Pavement
• Bituminous treated aggregate
base is one type of cold mix
Asphalt Concrete. It can consist
of processing gravels; crushed
stones; or blends of gravel, sand,
and crushed stone materials –
each stabilized with a specified
percentage of asphalt.
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The following materials are classified under item 300 of the DPWH
standard specifications.
1. Coarse aggregate materials retained on 2.00 mm No. lO sieve shall have a mass
percent of wear by the Los Angeles Abrasion Test (AASHT T-96) of not more than 45.
2. When crushed aggregate is specified, not less than mass percent of the particles
retained on the 4.75 mm No. a) sieve shall have at least one fractured face.
3. The fraction passing the 0.75 mm (No.200) sieve should not be greater than 213 of the
fraction passing the 0.425 mm (No.40) sieve.
4. The fraction passing 0.425 mm (No.a0) sieve shall have a liquid limit not greater than
35 and a plasticity index. range of 4 to 9 when tested by AASF{TO 'I-89 and T-90
respectively
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1. The presence of organic impurities in the aggregates in-
5.3 tended for concreting road pavement may cause slow or
non-hardening of the concrete. Under AASF{TO T-21
Aggregate for Portland standard test, the aggregate is treated with a mixture cf
Cement Concrete sodium hydrochloride solution, and when the treated
aggregate turns dark, organic materials are said to be
Pavement present in the aggregate.
2. The strength of fine aggregate is measured by the
In order to obtain high quality compression tests of sand-cement mortar.
concrete, road agencies have 3. Soundness of fine aggregate is measured by the resistance
to deterioration under the action of Sodium or Magnesium
imposed almost without exception
Sulfate. The sodium sulfate test is five cycles. The
that all aggregates shall pass maximum loss under AASHTO specification is l0%.
appropriate tests for strength, 4. For Coarse aggregate the requirement consists of crushed
soundness, wear or the stone, gravel, blast furnace, slag, or approved inert
combination of these three. materials of similar characteristics or combination there of
having hard, strong durable pieces free from adherent
coatings.
5.4 Mineral filler
The strength of road pavement will be
increased if dust additives which
dense the graded mixture is added. It
is called mineral filler that reduces the
void contents in the mixture. This dust
additive is not the ordinary dust that is
being found in our floor or tables.
Dust additive is classified into:
1. Finely powdered limestone
Limestone powder (LSP) is a fine
material results from grinding the limestone
rocks. LSP has been used in many countries
around the world as a cheap locally
available material “Filler” in cement,
concrete, block or mortar applications.
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Dust additive is classified into:
Slag
• Granulated blast furnace slag has been
used as a raw material for cement
production and as an aggregate and
insulating material. and granulated slag have
also been used as sand blasting shot materials
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Dust additive is classified into:
• Hydrated Lime
In construction, the dominant use of
hydrated lime is in soil stabilization
for roads, earthen dams, airfields,
and building foundations.
Hydrated lime can be used to raise
the pH of acidic soils. This is also
referred to as soil "sweetening."
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Dust additive is classified into:
• Portland Cement
Use Portland Cement in concrete for
bridges, walls, culverts, floors,
pavements, sidewalks, pipe, railway
structures, reinforced concrete
buildings, tanks and reservoirs, as
well as for masonry units and other
precast products.
Dust additive is classified into:
• Trap rock dust
The most common use for stone dust is as a
base layer or setting bed for laying stone
pavers. Homeowners who undertake
projects such as laying a patio, flagging a
driveway, or creating a garden path may use
stone dust as one of the materials for the
project.
Dust additive is classified into:
• Fly ash
Currently, over 20 million metric tons (22
million tons) of fly ash are used annually
in a variety of engineering applications.
Typical highway engineering applications
include: portland cement concrete
(PCC), soil and road base stabilization,
flowable fills, grouts, structural fill and
asphalt filler.
5.5
Bituminous Material
Bituminous material or Asphalt in
short, is a viscous liquid used as
binder for aggregates in road
construction. At normal temperature,
asphalt is either slightly thicker than
water or hard but brittle material that
breaks under a hammer blow when
cold.
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