Literature Review

Very sand is uneconomical and very coarse is unworkable.

If the amount of sand is more the workability will reduce because sand has more surface area and
more contact area causing more resistance.[ http://www.aboutcivil.org/Properties-of-concretefactors-affecting-them.html]

Use of finely divided pozzolanic materials reduces bleeding by creating a longer path for the water to
traverse.[ http://www.aboutcivil.org/Properties-of-concrete-factors-affecting-them.html]

Bulk densities of aggregates (see fig 1) [http://civilengineerspk.com/plain-reinforced-concreteexperiments/exp-5-bulk-density/]

Greater the size of coarse aggregate, greater will be the strength but it must pass through the
reinforcement. Greater the size of coarse aggregate, lower will be the water demand.[
http://theconstructor.org/building/how-coarse-aggregates-affect-mix-design/5876/]

It is advantageous to use greater maximum size of coarse aggregate for concrete

grades up to M 35 where mortar failure is predominant. Lower water/cement ratio
will mean higher strength of mortar (which is the weakest link) and will result in
higher strength of concrete. However, for concrete grades above M40, bond failure
becomes predominant. Higher maximum size of aggregate, which will have lower
area of contact with cement mortar paste, will fail earlier because of bond failure.
Hence for higher grades of concrete (M40 and higher) it is advantageous to use
lower maximum size of aggregate to prevent bond failure.[
http://theconstructor.org/building/how-coarse-aggregates-affect-mix-design/5876/]

Aggregates make upto 60% of volume of concrete [http://www.lafargena.com/wps/portal/na/en/3_A_11_12The_Effect_of_Aggregate_Gradation_and_Fineness_on_Concrete_Properties]

ASTM C33 suggests that the fineness modulus be kept between 2.3 and 3.1

ASTM C33 limits the amount of material passing the #200 sieve to 3 percent for natural sand that contains clay. Clay
is a very fine particle that greatly increases the water demand of a mix, reduces strength significantly, and promotes
bleeding.
For the details of strength of concrete see fig 2 [http://theconstructor.org/concrete/compressive-strength-of-concretecubes/1561/]