Construction Materials Assignment 2 March 16, 2019

Submitted By: Yilkal Haile

Construction Materials Ass.2 (Yilkal Haile) -Lucy A.

Construction Materials Assignment 2 March 16, 2019

1:
Base course aggregate has a target dry density of 119.7 pcf in place. It will be laid
down and compacted in a rectangular street repair area of 2,000 ft. x 48 ft. x 6 in.
The aggregate in the stockpile contains 3.1 percent moisture. If the required
compaction is 95 percent of the target, how many tons of aggregate will be
needed? Note: answer in terms of tons of both dry and moist base material assuming
no loss or drying out of the aggregate onsite

Given data:
Dry density of course aggregate is 𝛾d=119.7lb/ft3
Moisture content is 𝜔= 3.1% =0.031

Volume of rectangular street is V=2000ft*48ft*(6in*1ft/12in)

=48000ft3
Step1
For 95% compaction, 𝛾d=0.95 x 119.7lb/ft3=113.715lb/ft3

Density of course aggregate is given as;

𝛾= 𝛾𝑑 (1+ 𝜔)

=113.715 *(1+.0031)
=117.24lb/ft3
Therefore; the weight of course aggregate needed will be;
W= 𝛾 X V

=117.240 X 48000
=5927520 lb.
=5927520 X 0.0005

W= 2813.76tons

Construction Materials Ass.2 (Yilkal Haile) -Lucy A.

Construction Materials Assignment 2 March 16, 2019

2. The following laboratory tests are performed on aggregate samples:

A. Specific gravity and absorption
B. Soundness
C. Sieve analysis test.
What is the significance and use of each of these tests (1 point each)?
Answer:

A. Specific gravity and absorption

Specific gravity test of aggregates is done to measure the strength or quality of the
material while water absorption test determines the water holding capacity of the
coarse and fine aggregates.

The main objective of these test is to,

1. To measure the strength or quality of the material.

2. To determine the water absorption of aggregates

Specific Gravity is the ratio of the weight of a given volume of aggregate to

the weight of an equal volume of water. It is the measure of strength or quality of
the specific material. Aggregates having low specific gravity are generally weaker
than those with higher specific gravity values.

Higher specific gravity of material will corresponds to

1. Enough strength against impact load i.e. toughness

2. Higher value of Abrasion and attrition i.e. Los Angeles Test
3. Better soundness i.e. less impact of seasonal weathering
4. Lesser water absorption

In general specific gravity of an aggregate varies from 2.65 to 2.90.

Aggregates having more water absorption are more porous in nature and are
generally considered unsuitable unless they are found to be acceptable based on
strength, impact and hardness tests.
Max water absorption limit for coarse aggregates in any climatic condition should
not be more than 2%.
And for fine aggregates range varies from 0.3–2.5%.
Max permissible limit of fine aggregates is 3%.

Construction Materials Ass.2 (Yilkal Haile) -Lucy A.

Construction Materials Assignment 2 March 16, 2019

However it may increase or decrease depending upon type of sand

(crushed/natural).

B. Soundness

The soundness test determines an aggregate’s resistance to disintegration by

weathering and, in particular, freeze-thaw cycles. Aggregates that are durable
(resistant to weathering) are less likely to degrade in the field and cause premature
HMA pavement distress and potentially, failure.

The soundness test repeatedly submerges an aggregate sample in a sodium sulfate

or magnesium sulfate solution. This process causes salt crystals to form in the
aggregate’s water permeable pores. The formation of these crystals creates internal
forces that apply pressure on aggregate pores and tend to break the aggregate.
After a specified number of submerging and drying repetitions, the aggregate is
sieved to determine the percent loss of material..

The formation of salt crystals is supposed to mimic the formation of ice crystals in the
field and could therefore be used as a surrogate to predict an aggregate’s freeze-
thaw performance.

The standard soundness test is:

 AASHTO T 104 and ASTM C 88: Soundness of Aggregate by Use of Sodium

Sulfate or Magnesium Sulfate

Construction Materials Ass.2 (Yilkal Haile) -Lucy A.

Construction Materials Assignment 2 March 16, 2019

C. Sieve analysis test.

This Test represents the determination of the particle size, and distribution of the Fine
and Coarse aggregates in a specified amount of sample. In operational works, it is
so important to know the gradation and size distribution of aggregates, because for
any structural design of buildings which the aggregates are the common material,
the gradations and the deviations of particles size in a stock of aggregate is very
important.

There are two common methods for sieve analysis of aggregates, dry sieve and
sieve analysis using washed aggregate.

Importance of sieve analysis of aggregates are,

1. Practical size distribution in a sample of aggregate.

2. To neglect particle interference.
3. Good gradation of aggregate.
4. To know about fineness modulus of sand

The sieve analysis, commonly known as the gradation test, is a basic essential test
for all aggregate technicians. The sieve analysis determines the gradation (the
distribution of aggregate particles, by size, within a given sample) in order to
determine compliance with design, production control requirements, and
verification specifications. The gradation data may be used to calculate
relationships between various aggregate or aggregate blends, to check
compliance with such blends, and to predict trends during production by plotting
gradation curves graphically, to name just a few uses. Used in conjunction with other
tests, the sieve analysis is a very good quality control and quality acceptance tool.

Construction Materials Ass.2 (Yilkal Haile) -Lucy A.

Construction Materials Assignment 2 March 16, 2019

3. Based upon the gradations provided below:

a. Calculate the combined gradation based upon the given stockpile gradations
and bin percentages.

b. Plot the combined gradation on both a semi-log and 0.45 power chart.

c. Calculate the combined specific gravities (bulk, SSD, and apparent) and
absorption of the blend.

d. Calculate the fineness modulus of the CF and WS bins individually

e. Identify the Nominal Max aggregate size of the blend according to ASTM.

f. Identify the Nominal Max aggregate size of the blend according to the Superpave
definition

Construction Materials Ass.2 (Yilkal Haile) -Lucy A.

Construction Materials Assignment 2 March 16, 2019

Construction Materials Ass.2 (Yilkal Haile) -Lucy A.

Construction Materials Assignment 2 March 16, 2019

a. Calculate the combined gradation based upon the given stockpile gradations
and bin percentages

The combined gradation is then determined

Construction Materials Ass.2 (Yilkal Haile) -Lucy A.

Construction Materials Assignment 2 March 16, 2019

b. Plot the combined gradation on both a semi-log and 0.45 power chart.

SEMI-LOG CHART
Agg#1 Agg#2 Agg#3 CF WS Combined
120.0

100.0

80.0
PERCENT PASSING%

60.0

40.0

20.0

0.0
0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14

20.0 SIEVE SIZE

Construction Materials Ass.2 (Yilkal Haile) -Lucy A.

Construction Materials Assignment 2 March 16, 2019

c. Calculate the combined specific gravities (bulk, SSD, and apparent) and
absorption of the blend.

Combined Specific Gravity

Average Specific Gravity Values—When the sample is tested in separate size

fractions, the average value for bulk specific gravity, bulk specific gravity (SSD), or
apparent specific gravity can be computed as the weighted average of the values
as computed in accordance with Section using the following equation:

Where:
G = average specific gravity (All forms of expression of specific gravity can be
averaged in this manner.);
G1, G2…Gn = appropriate specific gravity values for each size fraction depending
on the type of specific gravity being averaged; and
P1, P2…Pn = mass percentages of each size fraction present in the original sample.

Using the given Values on the table below

When the sample is tested in separate size fractions, the average value for bulk
specific gravity, bulk specific gravity (SSD), or apparent specific gravity can be
computed as the weighted average of the values as computed.

Construction Materials Ass.2 (Yilkal Haile) -Lucy A.

Construction Materials Assignment 2 March 16, 2019

i) Calculate the bulk (OD) specific gravity as shown below

G = 100/ ((0/2.582) + (17.7 /2.597) + (5.5/ 2.582)

+ (25.6/2.577) + (26.8/2.521) + (24.4/2.54))

=2.56
ii) Bulk SSD Specific Gravity (Gsb SSD)

Using the above equation, SSD =

=2.605

iii) Calculate the apparent specific gravity

Using the above equation

=2.75

Construction Materials Ass.2 (Yilkal Haile) -Lucy A.

Construction Materials Assignment 2 March 16, 2019

d. Calculate the fineness modulus of the CF and WS bins individually

Cumulative Cumulative
%
percentage percentage
retained=
Bin CF of weight of weight
100% –%
retained retained
passing
(%) (%)
Bin % 26.8
Sieve Size
25.0 mm
100.0
(l") -
19.0 mm
100.0
(3/4") -
12.5 mm (
100.0
1/2") -
9.5 mm
100.0
(3/l!") -
4.75 mm
95.5
(No.4) 4.50 4.50 0.85
2.36 mm
65.9
(No.8) 34.10 38.60 7.29
2.00 mm
59.2
(No. 10) 40.80 79.40 15.00
1.18 mm
42.6
(No. 16) 57.40 136.80 25.84
0.6 mm
29.5
(No.30) 70.50 207.30 39.16
0.425 mm
24.9
(No.40) 75.10 282.40 53.34
0.3 mm
21.6
(No.50) 78.40 360.80 68.15
0.15 mm
17.4
(No. 100) 82.60 443.40 83.76
0.075 mm
14.0
(No. 200) 86.00 529.40 100.00

529.40 393.39

So the fineness modulus value of fine aggregate (CF) =

393.39/100 = 3.93

Construction Materials Ass.2 (Yilkal Haile) -Lucy A.

Construction Materials Assignment 2 March 16, 2019

Cumulative Cumulative
%
percentage percentage
retained=
Bin WF of weight of weight
100% –%
retained retained
passing
(%) (%)
Bin % 26.8
Sieve Size
25.0 mm
100.0
(l") -
19.0 mm
100.0
(3/4") -
12.5 mm (
100.0
1/2") -
9.5 mm
100.0
(3/l!") -
4.75 mm
99.2
(No.4) 0.80 0.80 0.26
2.36 mm
98.1
(No.8) 1.90 2.70 0.86
2.00 mm
97.6
(No. 10) 2.40 5.10 1.63
1.18 mm
95.0
(No. 16) 5.00 10.10 3.23
0.6 mm
80.6
(No.30) 19.40 29.50 9.44
0.425 mm
62.3
(No.40) 37.70 67.20 21.50
0.3 mm
39.9
(No.50) 60.10 127.30 40.74
0.15 mm
11.6
(No. 100) 88.40 215.70 69.02
0.075 mm
3.2
(No. 200) 96.80 312.50 100.00

312.50 246.69

So the fineness modulus value of fine aggregate (WF) =

246.69/100 = 2.46

Construction Materials Ass.2 (Yilkal Haile) -Lucy A.

Construction Materials Assignment 2 March 16, 2019

e. Identify the Nominal Max aggregate size of the blend according to ASTM
Maximum Size of Aggregate – the smallest sieve opening through which the entire
amount of aggregate is required to pass.
Nominal Maximum Size – the smallest sieve opening through which the entire
amount of the aggregate is permitted to pass.

Nominal size of an aggregate =9.5mm

f. Identify the Nominal Max aggregate size of the blend according to the Superpave
definition

Maximum Aggregate Size (Super pave) – one size larger than the nominal maximum
aggregate size.

Nominal Maximum Aggregate Size (Super pave) – one size larger than the first sieve
that retains more than 10% aggregate.

Nominal size of an aggregate =9.5mm

Construction Materials Ass.2 (Yilkal Haile) -Lucy A.