Concrete Technology 18CV44

Screening and Washing:- With built-in process of different stages of screening, Manufactured
Sand plants ensure proper grading for better particle size distribution. By washing, the
percentage of micro fines (passing 75 micron) is controlled below 15% by weight. The washing
facility also provides keeps the Manufactured Sand in wet or partially wet condition. This will
help to reduce the water absorption rate by Manufactured Sand during concrete manufacturing
and hence better workability and workability retention.

Coarse Aggregates

1.3.1 Importance of size, shape and surface texture of aggregates on workability and
strength
 Size of aggregate: Bigger the size of particles less will be the surface area and hence less
amount of water is required and also less cement paste required for lubricating the
surfaces of aggregates. So bigger the size, gives higher workability.
 Shape of aggregate: Angular, elongated or flaky aggregates make the concrete very
harsh when compared to rounded or cubical aggregates. Contribution to better
workability of rounded aggregate will come from the fact that for a given volume or
weight. It will have a less surface area and less voids. Not only is that being in rounded in
shape, the frictional resistance between the aggregates also reduced. Hence the
workability will be more in case of rounded than compared to flaky aggregates. Hence
the strength will be more by using rounded or cubical aggregates.
 Surface texture: Surface texture is the property, the measure of which depends upon the
relative degree to which particle surface are polished or dull, smooth or rough. Surface
texture depends on hardness, grain size, pore structure and structure of the rock.

Total surface area of rough texture aggregate is more than that of surface area of smooth
rounded aggregates of same volume. Rough textured aggregates will show poor
workability and smooth textured aggregates will give better workability because of lesser
frictional resistance of inner surface particle.

1.3.2 Testing of Coarse Aggregates

 Test for determination of flakiness index

An aggregate having least dimension less than 3/5th of mean dimension is termed as flaky.
This test is not applicable to aggregates less than 6.3mm. This test is conducted by using a metal
thickness gauge. A sufficient quality of aggregates is taken ie, a minimum of 200 pieces of any
fraction to be tested. Each fraction is gauged in terms of thickness on metal gauge. The total
amount of aggregate pieces passing through each gauge is weighed accurately. Flakiness index
is calculated by taking the ratio of total weight of materials passing through the various
thickness gauges to the total weight of aggregate sample taken.

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 Concrete Technology 18CV44

 Test for determination of elongation index

The elongation index of an aggregate is the particle having largest dimension (length) is
greater than 9/5th of mean dimension. The elongation index is not applicable to sizes lesser
than 6.3mm. This test is conducted by using metal length gauge. A sufficient quantity of
aggregate is taken to provide a minimum number of pieces of 200 of any fraction to be tested.
Each fraction shall be gauged individually for the length on metal gauge. The amount retained by
the gauge length shall be weighed to an accuracy of 0.1% of the weight of sample taken. The
elongation index is calculated in percentage by taking the ratio of total weight of materials
retained on various length gauges to the total weight of aggregate sample taken.

 Test to determine Specific Gravity of coarse aggregate by wire basket method

1. Take about 5kg of coarse aggregates passing through 4.75mm sieve.

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2. Wash thoroughly to remove dust, dry to constant mass at a temperature of 105± 5ºC.

3. Immerse the sample in water in water at 22 to 32ºC for a period of 24±1/2 hours (30min in
practice).

4. Remove the aggregates from water & roll the same in a large piece of an absorbent cloth until
all visible films of water are removed, although the surface of the particles will still appears to
be damp.

5. Now, weigh 3kg of this sample in the in the saturated dry condition and note down the mass as
W1gm.

6. Place the weighed aggregate immediately in the wire basket & dip it water. Weigh this bucket
with aggregates, keeping it in water with the help of a balance. Note down the mass as W3 gm.

7. Note down the weight of suspended empty wire basket in water without aggregates and note
down the mass as W2 gm.

8. Dry the sample to the constant weight at the temperature of 100 to 110ºC for 24±1/2 hours.

9. Cool to room temperature and weigh it & note down the mass as W4 gm.

10. Calculate specific gravity and repeat the procedure for fresh sample of aggregates.

Weight of oven dry aggregate (C) = W4 gm.

Weight of saturated surface dry aggregate (B) = W3 gm.

Weight of basket & aggregates in water (A1) = W2 gm.

Weight of empty basket submerged in water (A2) = W1gm.

𝐂
Actual Specific gravity =
𝐁−𝐀
𝐂
Apparent specific gravity =
𝐂−𝐀
𝐁−𝐂
Water absorption = 𝟏𝟎𝟎 𝐗
𝐂

Where A = weight of saturated aggregate in water = A1 – A2.

Testing of mechanical properties of aggregates

A. Test for determination of aggregate crushing value

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The aggregate crushing value gives a relative measure of the resistance of an aggregate to
crushing under a gradually applied compressive load.

Apparatus required for this test are as follows

1. Steel cylinder (dia-15.2cm, height-14cm)

2. Cylindrical measure (dia-11.5cm, height-18cm)
3. Steel tamping rod (dia-1.6cm, height- 40 to 60cm)
4. Balance
5. Compression testing machine

Procedure

1. Oven dry aggregate passing 12.5mm IS sieve and retained on 10mm IS sieve is selected for
the test.

2. The sample aggregates in filled three layers and each layer being tamped 25 blows by rounded
end of the tamping rod.

3. After tamping the third layer, the top surface is leveled using the tamping rod as straight edge.
The test sample weight is taken as W1 gms.
4. The cylinder of the test apparatus is placed in position on the base plate and the test sample is
transferred into the cylinder in three layers and each layer is tamped with 25blows.

5. The surface of the aggregate is leveled and the plunger inserted.

6. The cylinder with the test sample and plunger in position is placed on CTM.

7. Load is then applied through the plunger at a uniform rate of 4tones/min until the total load of
40tones and then the load is released.

9. Aggregates including the crushed portion are removed from the cylinder and sieved on a
2.36mm IS sieve, the material which passes this sieve is collected and taken W2 gms.

𝐖𝟐
Aggregate crushing value = 𝐗𝟏𝟎𝟎
𝐖𝟏

Note: According to Indian road congress & ISI has specified that aggregate crushing value of the
coarse aggregate used for cement concrete pavements should not exceed 30% and used for
concrete other than wearing surface should not exceed 45%.

B. To determine the aggregate impact value

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 Concrete Technology 18CV44

The aggregate impact value gives the relative measure

of the resistance of an aggregate to sudden shock or
impact.

Apparatus required for the experiment are as follows

1. Impact testing machine

2. Cylindrical measure
3. Tamping rod
4. Balance

Procedure

1. Oven dry aggregate passing through 12.5mm IS sieve

and retained in 10mm IS sieve are selected for the test.

2. The cylindrical measure is filled by the sample aggregates in three layers and each layer being
tamped by 25blows with rounded end of the tamping rod.

3. After tamping the third layer, the top surface is leveled using the tamping rod as straight edge.
The test sample weight is taken as W1 gms.

4. The cup of the test apparatus is placed in position on the base plate and test sample is
transferred to the cup in a single layer and being tamped 25 blows and top surface is leveled.

5. The hammer is raised until its lower face is 38cm above the upper surface of the aggregate in
the cup, and allowed to fall freely on aggregate for 15 times at an interval not more than 2
seconds and not less than 1second.

6. The crushed aggregate is then removed from the cup and the whole sample is sieved on
2.36mm IS sieve, the material which passes this sieve is collected and taken W2 gms.
𝐖𝟐
Aggregate impact value = 𝐗𝟏𝟎𝟎
𝐖𝟏

Note: According to IS specification, the aggregate impact value

< 10% → exceptionally strong
10 – 20% → strong
20 – 30% → satisfactory for road surfacing
> 30% → weak for road surfacing

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Recommended aggregate impact value for different types of pavements

No. Type of pavement surfaces Max. aggregate impact

value (percentage)

1 Bituminous surface dressing; penetration 30

macadam; cement concrete wearing course

2 Bitumen bound macadam 35

3 Cement concrete base course 45

C. Test for the determination of aggregate abrasion value

Apparatus required for the experiment are as follows

1. Los-Angeles machine
2. Steel balls (dia - 48cm, weight - 390 to 445g)
3. Balance
4. Sieves

Procedure

1. Clean dry aggregate, confirming to any one of the grading A to G is used for the test.
Aggregate weighing 5kg for grading A, B, C or D and 10kg for grading E and for G may be
taken as test specimen and placed in the cylinder and is noted as W1 gms.

2. The abrasive charge is also chosen depending upon the aggregate and is placed in the cylinder
of the machine; the cover is then fixed dust tight.

3. The machine is rotated for 500 revolutions for grading A, B, C and D & for grading E, F and
G it shall be rotated for 1000 revolutions.
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 Concrete Technology 18CV44
4. After the desired number of revolutions, machine is stopped and the material is discharged
from the machine taking care to take out entire stone dust.

5. Using 1.7mm IS sieve the material is sieved and the coarser material is retained on the sieve is
taken as W2 gms.

𝐖𝟐
Percentage wear = 𝐗𝟏𝟎𝟎
𝐖𝟏

Specifications for Los-Angeles test

No. Sieve size Weight (in gms) and grading of test samples
Passing Retained A B C D E F G
on mm on mm
1 80 63 - - - - 2500 - -
2 63 50 - - - - 2500 - -
3 50 40 - - - - 5000 5000 -
4 40 25 1250 - - - - 5000 5000
5 25 20 1250 - - - - - -
6 20 12.5 1250 2500 - - - - -
7 12.5 10 1250 2500 - - - - -
8
9
10VTUPulse.com
10
6.3
4.75
6.3
4.75
2.36
Number of spheres to be
used
-
-
-
12
-
-
-
11
2500
2500
-
8
-
-
5000
6
-
-
-
12
-
-
-
12
-
-
--
12

Number of revolutions 500 1000

Maximum allowable Los-Angeles abrasion values

No. Type of surface Maximum abrasion values

1 W.B.M subsurface course 60
2 W.B.M base course with bituminous surfacing 50
3 W.B.M surface course 40
4 Cement concrete surface course 35
5 Bituminous / Asphalt concrete surface course 30

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