EXPERIMENT SPECIFIC GRAVITY AND ABSORPTION OF COARSE AGGREGATE

Objectives: To determine the specific gravity (bulk and apparent) and absorption capacity of
coarse aggregate.

DEFINITION:
Specific gravity is the ratio of weight in air of a unit volume of a material to the weight
of an equal volume of water.
Bulk specific gravity is the ratio of the weight in air of a unit volume of aggregate
(including the permeable and impermeable voids in particles, but not including the
voids between the particles) to the weight of an equal volume of water.
Apparent specific gravity is the ratio of the weight in air of a unit volume of the
impermeable portion of aggregate to the weight of an equal of water.
Absorption is the increase in weight of aggregate due to water in the pores, but not
including water adhering to the outside surface of the particles, expressed as a
percentage of the dry weight.

Apparatus: Balance, wire basket (of 3.35 mm or finer wire mesh), water thank, oven.

SAMPLE: A minimum of 4000 g test sample for aggregate of maximum nominal size 25 mm.
The sample should not have particles of size less than 4.75 mm.