Aggregate Properties

AGGREGATES
Part III

1. Physical:
Particle shape, surface texture, size distribution,
Porosity, Soundness, Volume stability
(Freeze/Thaw) & Deleterious substances

2. Chemical:

3. Mechanical:

Volume stability (Chemical)

Mass stability (Toughness)

Freeze-Thaw Durability
z

Definition:
Resistance of the
concrete to the freezethaw damage

Distresses include:
D cracking
Scaling
Popout

D cracking

D cracking

Moisture Penetrates joint

Moisture Penetrates joint

Concrete Stays Moist in Freezing Weather

Scaling

Scaling

Popouts

Freeze-Thaw Damage
z

Process:
(i) Hydraulic pressure developed due to rapid
expulsion of unfrozen water in the pores by
freezing action
(ii) Osmotic pressures due to differential
concentration of chemical solutions in the
capillaries and pores of cement paste and
aggregates lead to disruptive forces and
deterioration of concrete

Type of aggregates affected:

Type of structure affected:

Sedimentary (e.g., Limestones, Shales, etc.)

Mostly slabs on grade

Tests for Soundness/Freeze-Thaw

Resistance
z

ASTM C88: Soundness Test

Done on bare aggregates
simulates weathering by soaking aggregates in
either a sodium sulfate or a magnesium sulfate
solution
Empirical screening procedure; results do not
correlate with the service record well.

ASTM C 666: Resistance of concrete to rapid

freezing and thawing
Conducted on concrete prism specimens

ASTM C 666 Test (Contd..)

z

The relative dynamic modulus of elasticity is

calculated as:
Pc = (n12/n2)

where: Pc = relative dynamic modulus of elasticity, after c cycles of

freezing and thawing, %
n = fundamental transverse frequency at 0 cycles of freezing
and thawing, and
n1 = fundamental transverse frequency at c cycles of
freezing and thawing

Durability Factor (DF):

= P * N/M= (relative E)(N cycles)/duration (in cycles)

ASTM C 666 Test

z

Procedure A

Procedure B

Freezing & thawing in water

Freezing in air & thawing in
water
z

Deterioration is measured by
changes in
(a) Fundamental transverse
frequency,
(b) Mass loss, and (c) Length
change.
for 300 cycles of freeze-thaw or
stiffness reduction to 60%,
whichever comes first

ASTM C 666 freeze-thaw test bed

ASTM C 666 prism samples

ASTM C 666 freeze-thaw test bed

control panel

Sample length change

measurements

Sample mass change measurements

Transverse frequency measurements

Transverse frequency measurement

Control of Freeze-Thaw Damage

z
z
z
z

1. Air Entrainment
2. Good Drainage
3. Smaller Maximum Aggregate Size
4. Performance History

Cement

Water

Sand
Air
Coarse

What the names really mean

Entrapped

Entrained

Coarse
Rain drops
z Inefficient
z Less protection
per unit volume
z More impact on
strength

1. Physical:

3. Mechanical:
Mass stability (Toughness)

Resistance to Chemical Reaction:

2. Chemical:
Volume stability (Chemical)

Alkali- Silica Reactivity (ASR)

(alkali in cement + silica in aggregates)

Particle shape, surface texture, size distribution,

Porosity, Soundness, Volume stability
(Freeze/Thaw) & Deleterious substances
z

Chemical Durability

Aggregate Properties
z

Fine
Fog droplets
Efficient
More protection per unit
volume
Less impact on strength

Alkali - Carbonate Reaction (ACR)

(alkali in cement + dolomite in aggregates.)

ASR: siliceous aggregates containing silica in its

reactive or amorphous form, such as, chert,
siliceous limestone, etc.
Results in map cracking

Alkali-Carbonate Reaction
z

Expansion of Aggregate Particles

involves coarse aggregate which is about

half calcium carbonate and half dolomite,
and intruded with clay
Alkali-Agg. Rx

often unsuitable for physical rather than

chemical reasons

susceptibility tested by expansion of rock

prisms stored in NaOH (ASTM C 586)

Reaction Rim

ASR in Pavements

ASR in Bridges

Where does it happen ?

ASR Details
z

Requirements: Three conditions need to be met:

1. reactive forms of silica or silicates in aggregates
2. sufficient alkalis
z 3. sufficient moisture
z
z

Process: ASR is a two-step process:

1. Alkali + Silica = Gel reaction product
(v SiO2. w Na2O. x K2O. y CaO. z H2O)
z 2. Gel + moisture = expansion product
z

ASR Process Theories

z

Theory I: The absorptionswelling theory (Vivian

1950):
Expansive pressure and
subsequent expansion of the
concrete are due to pore
water intake and swelling of
the alkali-silica reaction
(ASR) gel that form around
the reactive aggregates.

ASR Process Theories

z

Theory II: The osmotic

pressure theory (Hansen
1944; Lea 1970):
The ASR gel formed around
the aggregates acts like a semi
permeable membrane.
The membrane allows the
diffusion of OH-, Na+, K+ and
Ca++ ions through from the
pores to the aggregate
surface, but it does not let the
silicate ions from the
aggregates to diffuse out

ASR Identification
z
z
z

ASR Identification

1. "Map" cracking
2. Aggregate reaction rims
3. Field detection using Uranyl Acetate solution

ASR Detection Tests

1. ASTM C227: Mortar-Bar Expansion
z 2. ASTM C289: Chemical Method
z 3. SHRP TP 14: Rapid Immersion Test
z

Reactivity of Aggregate
z

Methods of testing:
Petrographic examination
ASTM C 295
ASTM C 856

b. Rock Cylinder test

c. Quick Chemical test (ASTM C 289)

Reactivity of Aggregate

1.00
0.90

Percentage Expansion

0.80
0.70

Early Expansion
Dolomitic Limestone

Methods of testing

0.60
0.50
0.40
0.30

Late Expansion
Dolostones

d.

Mortar bar test (ASTM C-277)

0.20
0.10
-0.10

e. Mortar bar test (ASTM C-1230)

Distinctly Expansive Argilites

-0.20

Time in Years

Factors Affecting Reactivity

a. Percent aggregate in mix
b. Size gradation
c. Dispersion
d. Moisture content
e. Temperature
f. Time (delayed reaction)

ASR Control

1. Identification of reactive aggregates

2. Limiting alkali content of cement (% in
cement and total amount in concrete)
3. Using a mineral admixture, e.g., fly ash
4. Limestone sweetening
5. Air-Entraining

(%)

partially controlled by:

Passing

Grading Requirements (ASTM C33)

in. to #4
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
1

10
Sieve size (mm)

100

Grading Requirements
for Sand (ASTM C33 & C144)
Concrete - L

100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0

Concrete - U

Masonry-L

Masonry-U

(%)

100
80
60
Passing

Passing

(%)

Grading Requirements (ASTM C33)

in. to #4

10
Sieve size (mm)

Bulking of Sand
z Phenomena

observed in moist sand

when there is an increase in total
volume
z Surface tension pushes the sand
particles apart
z Affects batching by volume

100

40
20
0
0.01

0.1
1
Sieve size (mm)

10