Construction Materials-PRELIMS

materials engineers

Sustainable development
High-performance
materials
traditional civil engineering
materials.

life cycle cost

mechanical behavior

Non-mechanical properties

Production considerations
Construction
considerations
aesthetic characteristics

Sustainable design
LEED rating system
Variability

Aggregate

60% to 75% & 79% to 85%

75% to 85% & 92% to 96%

asphalt cement

Aggregates

Natural aggregate

Artificial aggregates
Igneous rocks

Sedimentary rocks

Metamorphic rocks
 Construction Materials-PRELIMS

Heavy weight agg

Normal weight agg.
Light weight agg.
ASTM C 33
2200 to 2400 kg/m3
ASTM C 330
 Construction Materials-PRELIMS

1350 to 1850 kg/m3

250 to 1450 kg/m3
ASTM C 637, C 638
(Radiation Shielding)
6400 kg/m3
Fine Aggregates
Coarse aggregate

“all-in”, “pitrun”
35% to 45%
9.5 and 37.5
ASTM C 131 (AASHTO T
96), ASTM C 535, ASTM C
779
ASTM C 666 (AASHTO T
161), ASTM C 682, AASHTO
T 103

ASTM C 88 (AASHTO T 104)

ASTM C 295, ASTM D 3398

ASTM C 117 (AASHTO T
11), ASTM C 136 (AASHTO
T 27)
ASTM C 1137
ASTM C 1252 (AASHTO T
304)

ASTM C 29 (AASHTO T 19)

ASTM C 127 (AASHTO T 85)

—fine aggregate ASTM C
128 (AASHTO T 84)—coarse
aggregate

ASTM C 70, ASTM C 127

(AASHTO T 85), ASTM C
128 (AASHTO T 84), ASTM
C 566 (AASHTO T 255)
 Construction Materials-PRELIMS

ASTM C 39 (AASHTO T 22),

ASTM C 78 (AASHTO T 97)

ASTM C 125, ASTM C 294

ASTM C 40 (AASHTO T 21),

ASTM C 87 (AASHTO T 71),
ASTM C 117 (AASHTO T
11), ASTM C 123 (AASHTO
T 113), ASTM C 142
(AASHTO T 112), ASTM C
295

ASTM C 227, ASTM C 289,

ASTM C 295, ASTM C 342,
ASTM C 586, ASTM C 1260
(AASHTO T 303), ASTM C
1293
Rounded
Irregular
Angular

Flaky
Elongated

Rounded aggregates

angular particles

surface texture
smooth
rough
rough surface texture

Grading
Fine Aggregates
Coarse aggregate
“gradation”
degree of compaction &
workability

workability
Segregation
 Construction Materials-PRELIMS

“sieve analysis"

Test sieves

workability

Fineness Modulus (FM)

#4, #8, #16, #30, #50, #100
(2-3.5)
“standard test sieves”
Fine set+3/8”+3/4”+1
½”+3” (5.5-8)
Granulometry

Specific Gravity
Bone Dry / Oven Dry (OD)
Saturated Surface-Dry (SSD)

Specific Gravity
Absorption
Moist Aggregates
Free Moisture
bulk unit weight
Soundness
Los-Angeles abrasion test.
#12 sieve
Alkali-Aggregate Reaction
Alkali-Silica Reaction
Alkali-Carbonate Reaction
25mm
40 mm
ASTM D 75 & TS 707
Sample Splitter
1.5
Portland cement concrete
Joseph Aspdin, 1824
PCC
Portland cement
burning
clinker
100°C
150°C-350°C
350°C-650°C
 Construction Materials-PRELIMS

600°C
900°C
1250°C-1280°C
1280°C
1400°C-1500°C
1600°C
Gypsum & Portland cement c
PC & water
PC, water, & sand
PC, water, sand, & gravel
limestone
clay
Insoluble Residue
amount of I.R.
I.R. ≤ 0.75%
Loss on Ignition (L.O.I.)
L.O.I. ≤ 3%
Hydration
85-100 cal/gr.
50%, 75%
air permeability methods
2600-3000cm2/gr.
3.15
Setting
normal consistency
20-30%
Vicat apparatus
Normal consistency
vicat apparatus
Soundness
Standard Types
Special Types
Type I: Ordinary Portland C
Type II: Modified Portland
Type III: High Early Strength
Type IV: Low Heat P.C.
Type V: Sulfate Resistant P.C.
Concrete
Water
Aggregates
Concrete
Chemical Admixtures
Water
 Construction Materials-PRELIMS

Concrete
Aggregates
Concrete
5%
Accelerators
Concrete
Acrylic retarders
Water-reducing admixtures
Concrete
Reinforced concrete
cement
portland cement
concrete production
0.22 kg to 0.25 kg
workability
Curing
seven-day (or longer)
erosion
10%-15%
shrinkage cracking
Curing
tension cracking
slump test
Compressive strength
slump test
20 MPa to 40 MPa (3000 psi
0.15-m by 0.30-m (6-in.by12-
split-tension test (ASTM C49
flexure strength test (ASTM
masonry
Sun-baked brick
1633
masonry
Hollow (or solid) masonry un
gross area compressive stre
Concrete Masonry Unit (CM
net area compressive streng
net cross-sectional area
masonry
net volume
absorption
25%
clay bricks
 Construction Materials-PRELIMS

900°C to1200°C (1650°F to 2

125 pcf
Absorption
efflorescence
structural clay tile
clay bricks
Terra Cotta
Glass block
Smooth
Textured
Opaque
6”, 8”, 12” sq. by 4 “
1.5 to 2
Rubble
Ashlar
Cut stone (dimension)
Freeze/Thaw Cycle
Wet/Dry Cycle
Thermal Expansion/Contract
Salt Crystallization
Water Mist
Chemical
Muratic Acid Solution
Abrasive
mortar
Brick masonry mortar
Retempering
2–2½
Efflorescence
water/cement ratio
Grout
14 Mpa (2000 psi)
Plaster
Stucco
13.8 Mpa (2000 psi)
 Construction Materials-PRELIMS

are responsible for the selection, specification, and quality control of materials to be used in
a construction project
basically recognizes the fact that our designs should be sensitive to the ability of future
generations to meet their needs.
including concrete, steel, fiber-reinforced cement, fiber-reinforced plastics, polymeric
materials, geosynthetics, masonry materials and coatings.
such as timber, steel, asphalt and Portland cement concrete are often used in many construction 
projects.
in analyzing the economic selection of a material, the______ should be evaluated in addition
to the initial costs of the structure.
is the response of the material to external loads
refer to characteristics of the material, other than load response, that affect selection, use,
and performance
include the availability of the material and the ability to fabricate the material into the
desired shapes and required specifications.

address all the factors that relate to the ability to fabricate and erect the structure on site.
of a material refer to the appearance of the material.
is the philosophy of designing physical objects, the built environment and services to comply
with the principles of economic, social, and ecological sustainability.
is used to evaluate the sustainability of a project.
is an important parameter in defining the quality of civil engineering materials.

is a combination of sand, gravel, crushed stone, slag, or other material of mineral

composition, used in combination with a binding medium to form such materials as
bituminous and Portland cement concrete, mortar, and plaster, or alone, as in railroad
ballast, filter beds, and various manufacturing processes.
In portland cement concrete, ___ of the volume and ____ of the weight are made up of
aggregates.

In asphalt concrete, aggregates constitute _____ of the volume and ____ of the mass.
acts as a binder to hold the aggregates together, but does not have enough strength to lock
the aggregate particles into position.
are used primarily as an underlying material for foundations and pavements, and as
ingredients in portland cement and asphalt concretes
Native deposits with no change in their natural state other than washing, crushing & grading.
(sand, gravel, crush stone)
They are obtained either as a by-product or by a special manufacturing process such as
heating. (blast furnace slag, expanded perlite)
are formed by solidification of molten lava.(granite)
are obtained by deposition of weathered & transported pre-existing rocks or solutions.
(limestone)
are formed under high heat & pressure alteration of either igneous & sedimentary rocks
(marble).
 Construction Materials-PRELIMS

Hematite, Magnetite Specific Gravity, Gs > 2.8

Gravel, sand, crushed stone 2.8 < Gs < 2.4
Expanded perlite, burned clay Gs < 2.4
ASTM of Normal Weight Aggregate
Produce normal-weight concrete
ASTM ofLightweight Aggregate
 Construction Materials-PRELIMS

Produce structural lightweight concrete

Produce lightweight insulating concrete

ASTM of Normal Weight Aggregate

Produce high-density concrete up to
d ≤ 5 mm
d > 5 mm

Aggregates containing a whole range of particles are named as ___ or ___ aggregates.
F.A. content usually ___ by mass or volume of total aggregate
C. A. typically between ___ mm

Abrasion resistance

Freeze-thaw resistance

Sulfate resistance

Particle shape and surface texture

Grading
Fine aggregate degradation

Void content

Bulk density

Relative density

Absorption and surface moisture

 Construction Materials-PRELIMS

Strength

Def. of constituents

Aggregate constituents

Alkali Resistance
Completely water worn & fully shaped by attrition. (River Gravel)
Partly shaped by attrition so it contains some rounded edges. (Land Gravel)
Has sharp corners, show little evidence of wear. (Crushed Stone)

Thickness is relatively small with respect to two other dimensions. (Laminated Rocks)
Have lengths considerably larger than two other dimensions
are suitable to use in concrete because flaky & elongated particles reduce workability,
increase water demand & reduce strength.

the bond between agg. particles is higher due to interlocking but due to higher surface area,
angular particles increase water demand & therefore reduce workability.

affects the bond to the cement paste & also influences the water demand of the mix
Bond b/w cement paste & agg is weak
Bond b/w cement paste & agg. is strong.
perform better under flexural & tensile stresses.
is the particle-size distribution of an aggregate as determined by a sieve analysis using wire
mesh sieves with square openings.
7 sieves with openings from 150 μm to 9.5 mm
13 sieves with openings from 1.18 mm to 100 mm
The particle size distribution in an aggregate sample is known as __
Strength development of concrete depends on______and ______ together with many other
factors.
The ease with which a concrete mixture can be mixed, transported, placed in the form &
compacted without any segregation.
Seperation of the particles with different sizes & specific gravities.
 Construction Materials-PRELIMS

The grading of the particles in an agg. sample is performed by __

__ have square openings & their designation correspond to the sizes of those openings
increases as the amount of paste b/w fine agg. part increases. It also increases as the amount
of mortar b/w coarse agg. particles increases.
is a single figure which is the sum of cumulative % retained on a series of sieves having a
clear opening half that of the preceeding one.

# of sieve for fine aggregates, practical limits:

The sieve analysis is conducted by the use of ____

# of sieve for coarse aggregates,Practical limits:

A logarithmic scale is used for horizontal axis.
is the ratio of the weight of a unit volume of material to the Weight of the same volume of
water at 20º to 25ºC.
means the aggregate contains no moisture. This requires drying the aggregate in an oven to a constant mass.
the aggregate’s void are filled with moisture but the main surface area of the aggregate particle is dry.
is used in certain computations for concrete mix design or control work, such as, absolute
volume of aggregate in concrete
is defined as the moisture content in the SSD condition.
have a moisture content in excess of the SSD condition
is the difference between the actual moisture content of the aggregate and moisture content in SSD condition.
The ____ of aggregates is need for the proportioning of portland cement concrete mixtures.
is the ability of agg to resist volume changes to environmental effects.
Hardness, or resistance to wear (abrasion) is determined by
loss in weight is determined. by screening with ___
Is a reaction between the active mineral constituents of some aggregates and the sodium and potassium alkali hydroxides a
ASR
ACR
Optimum max agg size for structural concrete is
Studies have shown that concrete’s made with max agg size greater than ___ have lower strength.
details of sample are provided in ASTM ___
it is a box with an even # of chutes alternately discharging to two sides
The width of each chute should be greater than ___ times the size of the largest aggregate size
is the most widely used manufactured construction material in the world.
Portland cement was patented by ___ in ___
It was named after the limestone cliffs on the isle of portland in England
is an instant glue that bonds aggregates together to make portland cement concrete
the process of heating is
the output is known as ___ which is 0.15-5 cm in diameter
free wter evaporates
loosely bound water is lost from clay
decomposition of clay - SiO2 & Al2O3
 Construction Materials-PRELIMS

decomposition of MgCO3 - MgO & CO2 (evaporates)

decomposition of CaCO3 - CaO & CO2 (evaporates)
liquid formation & start of compund formation
clinkering begins
clinkering
clinker leaves the kiln & falls into a cooler
Portland cement composed of
Paste composed of
Mortar composed of
Concrete composed of
CaO creates
SiO2-Al2O3 creates
is that fraction of cement which is insoluble in HCl
serves to indicate the completeness of the reactions in the kiln
in ASTM C 150, I.R. should be
is the loss in weight of cement after being heated to 1000°C.
in ASTM C 150, L.O.I should be ___ for O.P.C.
Chemical reactions with water.
The heat of hydration of OPC is on the order of ___
About ___ of this heat is liberated within 1-3 days & ___ within 7 days.
Fineness of cement is determined by ___.
For OPC specific surface is ___
The specific gravity of portland cement (without voids between particles) is about __ and can be determined according to A
refers to a change from liquid state to solid state.
In acceptance tests for cement, the water content is regulated by bringing the paste to a standard condition of wetness. Th
Normal consistency of O.P.C. Ranges from ___ by weight of cement.
is used to determine normal consistency.
___ is that condition for which the penetration of a standard weighed plunger into the paste is 10mm in 30sec.
Setting can be obtained by using the
is defined as the volume stability of cement paste.
are produced by adjusting the proportions of four major compounds.
these do not necessarily comply with the definiton of P.C. & are produced by using additional raw materials.
Suitable to be used in general concrete construction when special properties are not required.
It is suitable to be used in small scale mass concrete like retaining walls.
It is useful for repair works, cold weather & for early demolding.
Generates less heat during hydration & therefore gain o fstrength is slower.
Used in construction where concrete will be subjected to external sulfate attack – chemical plants, marine & harbor structu
Mixture of portland cement, water, aggregates, and admixtures.
free of trash, organic matter and excessive chemicals and/or minerals.
occupy 60 to 80 percent of the volume of concrete.
The cement and water form a paste that hardens and bonds the aggregates together.
Materials in the form of powder or fluids that are added to the concrete to give it certain characteristics not obtainable wit
The strength and other properties of concrete are highly dependent on the amount of ___
 Construction Materials-PRELIMS

Often looked upon as “man made rock”.

must be essentially free of silt and/or organic matter.
Versatile construction material, adaptable to a wide variety of agricultural and residential uses.
In normal use, admixture dosages are less than ___ by mass of cement, and are added to the concrete at thetime of batchi
Speed up the hydration (hardening) of the concrete.
Can be placed or molded into virtually any shape and reproduce any surface texture.
Slow the hydration of concrete, and are used in large or difficult pours.
Increase the workability of plastic or "fresh" concrete, allowing it be placed more easily, with less consolidating effort.
Strong in compression, as the aggregate efficiently carries the compression load. Weak in tension as the cement holding th
adding either metal reinforcing bars, steel fibers, glass fiber, or plastic fiber to carry tensile loads.
Crystalline compound of calcium silicates and other calcium compounds having hydraulic properties.
Most active component of concrete
This process develops physical and chemical properties like mechanical strength, low moisture permeability, and chemical a
Hydration requires approximately ___ of water per 1 kg of cement, excluding evaporable water and water absorbed by the
The ease with which freshly mixed concrete can be placed and finished without segregation.
Usually the last step in a concrete project and, unfortunately, is often neglected even by professionals.
A __ curing time is recommended.
Begin the curing as soon as the concrete has hardened sufficiently to avoid ___ or other damage to the freshly finished sur
Fair to assume that a concrete sample's tensile strength is about __ of its compressive strength
Occur when concrete members undergo restrained volumetric changes (shrinkage) as a result of either drying, autogenous
has a major influence on the properties of hardened concrete such as durability, strength, water-tightness, wear resistance
Most common in concrete beams where a transversely applied load will put one surface into compression and the opposite
This method measures the consistency of freshly mixed portland concrete cement (PCC).
is one of the main structural design requirements to ensure that the structure will be able to carry the intended load
this test indicates how easily concrete can be placed and compacted, or the workability of concrete.
The compressive strength of normal-weight concrete is between ___
size is the most suitable specimen size for determining the compressive strength.
The ___ measures the tensile strength of concrete
The ___ is important for design and construction of road and airport concrete pavements
One of the oldest manufactured building materials
was found in the remains of structures in the Tigres-Euphrates basin as early as 6000 B.C.
1st brick buildings erected in Manhattan Island (imported from Holland & England)
An assembly or combination of small building units made of clay, shale, concrete, glass, gypsum, or stone that are set in mo
used for interior/exterior bearing or non-bearing walls, partitions, and backing.
is calculated by dividing the load at failure by the gross cross-sectional area of the unit.
Have good fire-rating, thermal storage capability, good resistance to sound transmission, and are economical.
is calculated by dividing the load at failure by the net cross-sectional area.
is calculated by dividing the net volume of the unit by its average height.
Masonry consists entirely or partially of hollow or solid units laid contiguously in mortar.
is determined using the water displacement method according to ASTM C 140.
The__ of concrete masonry units is determined by immersing the unit in water for 24hours (ASTM C 140).
Cells should not exceed __ of the volume of th eunit
May be solid or hollow core (holes called “cells”)
 Construction Materials-PRELIMS

The firing temperature for brick manufacturing varies from

clay bricks have an average density of
is one of the important properties that determine the durability of bricks.
Highly absorptive bricks can cause ___ and other problems in the masonry.
Burned-clay units, larger than bricks, with vertical or horizontal cells
Composed mainly of silica (grains of sand), alumina, lime, iron, manganese, sulfur, and phosphates, with different proportio
ocher to red in color, is used as an non-load bearing ornamental material
Often used for their decorative effect
provides vision through the block
provide only light transmission
fired with a ceramic finish
Glass block Common sizes are ___ thick
glass block expands ___ times more than a brick wall & therefore, must have expansion joints
stones as they are collected (field stone) or as they come from quarry
constructed of squared stones set in random or uniform courses
fabricated and finished at the mill ready to set in place per the specifications
causes fractures
capillary action produces force that is stronger than the masonry
entire structure expands/contracts with change in temperature
If on surface of masonry will cause efflorescence; if under surface may lead to crumbling
will remove surface deposits; problem is entrapment of moisture
may damage masonry if not suitable for that particular type
may etch surface, change color of masonry
(sand blasting & pressure washing) may damage surface; remove mortar
A mixture of cementitious material, aggregate, and water.
made of portland cement, hydrated lime, and sand (stone masonry uses white portland cement [nonstaining].)
adding water to the mortar mix to maintain consistency
Mortar mix should be used within ___ hours after initial mix is prepared
the soft white powder appearing on the face of brick; caused by salts in the brick or mortar brought to the surface
The __ is less critical in grout than in mortar or concrete
It is intended to be very “fluid” in order to function in it’s “binding” capacity (slump of 8-11 inches)
The minimum compressive strength of grout is ___ at28 days, according to ASTMC476.
A fluid mixture of portland cement, lime, sand, and water, which is used for finishing either masonry walls or framed (wood
is plaster used to cover exterior walls
The average compressive strength of plaster is about ___ at 28 days.
 Construction Materials-PRELIMS

mass.

dition.

alkali hydroxides and calcium hydroxide in the concrete.

 Construction Materials-PRELIMS

ined according to ASTM C 188.

tion of wetness. This is called “___”.

30sec.

ne & harbor structures.

not obtainable with plain concrete mixes.

 Construction Materials-PRELIMS

t thetime of batching/mixing.

dating effort.
cement holding the aggregate in place can crack, allowing the structure to fail.

lity, and chemical and volumetric stability.

r absorbed by the aggregate

reshly finished surface.

drying, autogenous shrinkage or thermal effects.

ss, wear resistance, volume stability, and resistance to freezing and thawing.
n and the opposite surface into tension due to induced bending.

tended load

e that are set in mortar.

mical.
 Construction Materials-PRELIMS

different proportions.

ning].)

he surface

ls or framed (wood) walls.