Sieve Analysis Coarse Aggregate

Apparatus:

Sieve Apparatus or sieve set

3000 gram sample of crush

Triple beam balance

Brittle brush

Empty plate

Procedure:

Take the triple beam balance and set the reading of the
scale to zero.

Take a pan and measure its weight.

Take the sample of crush and measure 3000 grams of it

with the help of triple beam balance, in addition with extra
weights.

Put the crush in1 inch sieve and start shaking it until no
more grains can easily escape it. Measure the weight retained
on the sieve, with triple beam balance, and note it in the table.

Now if some crush has fell out of the lower sieve, put it in
it and start shaking the sieve for sufficient time.

Note the reading of retained weight in the sieve.

Similarly put all the remaining crush in the lower sieve and
start shaking for sufficient time and note the retained weight in
all the sieves.

Now calculate the percentage of the weight retained on

each sieve.

In the next step find the percentage of the weight which

has passed through the each sieve. For 1 inch sieve the total
amount which entered will be 3000 gram. But for the 1 inch
sieve it will not be thesame because some weight has retained
by the upper sieve, so the percentage of the passed will be
calculated relative to the amount which actually entered that
sieve. Similarly for inch sieve the total amount entering the

sieve will be less the value for the upper sieve, similarly for
other sieves the same method should be adopted for
calculating the percentage of the weight passed.

In the next column the percentage cumulated is

calculated. This is the percentage of the weight which would be
retained if the crush is put directly on that sieve. For 1 inch
sieve it will be the same as it is, but for 1 inch sieve it would be
the sum of the percentage retained by 1 inch sieve plus that
retained by itself. Similarly the percentage cumulated for other
sieves is calculated, this is denoted by a1, a2, a3, and so on.

Then at the end to find the fineness modulus of the crush,

add the cumulated percentage of each sieve and divide it by
100, that is :

Fineness modulus= (a1 +a2 + a3 + a4 + a5 + a6)/100

Then to find the maximum size of the coarse aggregate,

refer to the column number three. In thiscolumn check the
highest value of the weight retained in the sieves, then go one
row up and check its sieves dimension, it will be the maximum
size of the coarse aggregate. The reason for taking the upper
sieve number is that, as the maximum value of retained weight
is on lower sieve but actually it have passed through the upper
sieve, and cannot pass through the retained sieve. That is their
size is greater than the sieve which have retained them and is
approximately equal to the size of theprevious sieve.

It may also be seen that the maximum size of coarse

aggregate given by this method is smaller than the actual
maximum size of grains. That is there is also some amount of
weight retained on theuppermost sieves, but we dont take this
value as the maximum size, because if we check
theirpercentage of retained weight, their value is quiet smaller
than our chosen percentage. Therefore there effect will not be
so much great.
Observations and Calculations:
Total weight of crush = 3000 gram.

Sieve Analysis Coarse Aggregate

Procedure:
Step 1: Take 5000 grams of coarse aggregates by weighing the
material in a digital scale. Weigh each of the clean sieve, along
with the bottom pan, and record their weights.
Step 2: Place the aggregates in the mechanical sifter (sieve
sizes used are 1 , 1, , , 3/8, & #4). This apparatus is
used for shaking the material (similar to
the principle of a paint-mixing machine) and sieving it.
Step 3: Determine the aggregates that are retained in each
individual sieve, as mentioned earlier in Part I, and record the
data. To ensure that all materials are collected, use the steel
brush to clean each sieve.
Step 4: Tabulate the data and determine the percent retained,
and the percentage that would have been retained in each
sieve, if that sieve alone was used to sieve the whole volume.
The fineness modulus is obtained by adding the percentage of
material retained in all the sieves and dividing it by 100.
Step 5: Plot a graph of percent passing by weight vs. sieve
sizes.

Note: All sieves have to be cleaned prior to experiment.

Specific Gravity and Absorption of Coarse Aggregate

Purpose:
To determine the specific gravity (bulk and apparent) and absorption capacity
of coarse aggregate (AGG-5)
Related Standard:

ASTM C127

Definitions:
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 the 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 volume 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.
Equipment: Balance, wire basket (of 3.35-mm or finer wire mesh) water tank, oven
Sample:
aggregate.

A minimum of 4000 grams (8.8 lb) test sample for both coarse and fine

Procedure:
1.
Weigh the dry test sample.
2.
Immerse the aggregate in water at room temperature for a period of 24 4 h.
3.
Remove the samples from the water. Roll it in a large absorbent cloth until all
visible films of water are removed. The sample is now in saturated surface dry
(SSD) condition.
4.
Weigh the sample and obtain its saturated surface dry weight, B (g).
5.
Place the SSD sample in the wire basket and determine its weight in water: C (g).
Note that the wire basket should be immersed to a depth sufficient to cover it and the
test sample during weighing.
6.
Remove the sample from the wire basket.

7.

Calculate each type of: bulk, specific gravity and absorption.

A: Dry weight
B: SSD weight
C: Weight under water
D: As received weight
Bulk specific gravity, dry = A/(B-C)
SSD specific gravity, SSD = B/(B-C)
Apparent specific gravity = D/(D-C)
Absorption = (B-D)/D x 100

Report:
report the specific gravity and absorption values for both the blended coarse
aggregate and the fine aggregate. Explain the variations in specific gravity between the dry,
SSd and as received samples. Discuss the significance of your results in terms of how it
affects using these aggregates to make concrete.