Aggregates are porous.

Water is absorbed by the particle in the pore spaces.

 Pumice- extremely porous igneous rock

• Very low density:

0.35- 0.65g/cm3 or 350-650 kg/m3

• High water absorption capacity:

20-30%
Pumice lightweight concrete block
 Moisture conditions Textbook Page 133

Four moisture conditions of aggregates can be expressed as follows:

a) Oven dry (OD)

– no moisture present

– Mass dry = MD

– Net volume = VN (solid phase, not

including the pore space within the

particles which is accessible to water)

b) Saturated, surface dry (SSD)

– All permeable pores filled with water; dry at the

particle surface

– Aggregate has been in contact with water long

enough to satisfy most of the absorption potential.

– The laboratory standard for absorption is that

obtained after submerging dry aggregate for a

prescribed period of time 24±4 hrs.

b) Saturated, surface dry (SSD) Cont’d

– Dry soaked sample until the moisture film is

removed

- All permeable pores filled with water; particle

appears moist but is not shiny.
b) Saturated, surface dry (SSD) Cont’d

– Mass saturated surface dry = MSSD

(includes mass of particle and mass of absorbed water)

MSSD = MD + MWA

– Bulk Volume = VB

(includes volume of particle or solid and volume of absorbed water) VB =

VN + VWA = VN + MWA / ρW
(c) Wet or Moist – pores saturated and surface

covered with a film of water; particle is shiny

(d) Air dry

– Aggregates are partially dry

– Dry at the particle surface but contain some

interior moisture.
Moisture Content

Abs% (Max. absorption capacity) to be determined

Relative Density and Absorption
Important properties particularly in mix design of concrete

and asphalt mixtures

In mix design, need to accurately measure the volumes

occupied by the aggregate and any water that may have

seeped into the pores of the particles
Relative Density
Calculations
Relative Density (SG = specific gravity)

RD = Relative density (dimensionless quantity)

 ρ = density of aggregates

 ρw = density of water

M = mass of aggregates

V = Volume of aggregates
Relative Density
Calculations
Apparent relative density
where, MD = dry mass
VN = net volume
ρW = density of water

Bulk relative density

where, MD = dry mass
VB = bulk volume
ρW = density of water
Relative Density
Calculations
SSD RD (Bulk RD in SSD condition)
where, MSSD = SSD mass
VB = bulk volume
ρW = density of water
Percent absorption

where, MWA = mass of absorbed water

MD = dry mass
Relative Density
Calculations
Example : The oven dry mass of a sample is
2239.1g. The mass in Saturated surface dry
condition is 2268.4g. The net volume is
835.4cm3. Density of water = 1g/cm3. Find the
relative density values (Apparent, Bulk, SSD)and
%Abs.
Relative Density
Calculations
Example : The oven dry mass of a sample is 2239.1g. The mass in Saturated surface dry condition
is 2268.4g. The net volume is 835.4cm3. Density of water = 1g/cm3. Find the relative density
values (Apparent, Bulk, SSD)and %Abs.

Given: MD= 2239.1g

MSSD=2268.4g

VN = 835.4cm3

Density of water = 1g/cm3.

Find the RDA, RDB , RDSSD and %Abs

VB = VN + VWA = VN + MWA / ρW

MWA= MSSD - MD
Typical Values
Most natural aggregates (normal density)
RD = 2.4 - 2.9

Absorption levels:

CA: 0.2% - 4%; FA: 0.2 - 2%

Facts about RD

VN< VB

RDA > RDB

Facts about RD

MSSD > MD

RDSSD > RDB

Relative density and absorption
test (coarse aggregates)
Objective: to measure the relative density and absorption
of coarse aggregate

Apparatus:
Wire basket

Balance (0.1 g accuracy)

Oven
Procedure:

Sieve and wash approximately 3 kg of coarse aggregate

Soak for 24 hours

Pour off the water

Roll aggregate in a towel until surface moisture is removed

Wipe larger pieces individually

Make sure to remove the shiny surface moisture film

without allowing the particles to dry out

Record the mass of your sample (B: SSD mass)
Procedure (cont’d):
 Place your SSD sample in a wire basket

 Submerge the wire basket containing your sample

 Record the submerged mass (C: mass in water)

Procedure (cont’d):

Put your sample in the oven to dry

24 hours later  remove your sample from the oven

Record the mass of your dry sample (A: dry mass)

Calculations

Calculate the relative density and absorption using the following

formulas:

Bulk Relative Density = A/(B-C)

Bulk Relative Density (SSD) = B/(B-C)

Apparent Relative Density = A/(A-C)

Absorption, percent = [(B-A)/A] * 100%

Where A= Dry mass, B= Mass SSD, C= Mass in water

 Formulae provided by standard test: Theoretical formulae:

Bulk Relative Density = A/(B-C)

Bulk Relative Density (SSD) = B/(B-C)

Apparent Relative Density = A/(A-C)

Absorption, percent = [(B-A)/A] * 100%

Where A= Dry mass, B= Mass SSD, C= Mass in water

Water displacement Method
 Water displacement Method

MWA = mass of water VWA = volume of pore water

A MD = mass dry VN = volume of aggregate (Net
B MSSD = mass saturated surface dry Volume)
= MD + MWA VB = Bulk Volume
C
Mass submerged = VN + VWA

( Mass of water displaced by

Aggregate & pore water ) = ( MSSD - Mass submerged ) = B C

( )
Mass of water displaced by
Aggregate & pore water
ρw
=
(
Volume of water displaced
by Aggregate & pore water
=
) VB

VB x ρw = B C
Relative density and absorption
test (coarse aggregates)

(Mass of water displaced

by Aggregate only ) = (M
D - Mass submerged )= A C

(Mass of water displaced

)
( )
by Aggregate only Volume of water displaced
= = VN
ρw by Aggregate only

VN x ρw = A C
Relative density and absorption
test (fine aggregates)
Relative Density Test
Objective: to measure the relative density and absorption
of a fine aggregate
Apparatus:
Pycnometer

Conical mould and tamper

Balance (0.1 g accuracy)

Oven
Relative density and absorption
test (fine aggregates)
Procedure:
Obtain a sample of 1 kg of fine aggregate

Soak your sample

Remove from soaking

Dry your sample slowly with hot plate

CONE TEST FOR SURFACE MOISTURE

While drying your sample, periodically fill the cone with sand

Lightly tamp the sand’s surface 25 times

Relative density and absorption test (fine
aggregates)
Procedure (cont’d):
Lift the cone to check if the sand if maintaining the shape of
the mould
Continue drying until the sand slumps when you lift the cone
When this happens, it means that your sand is in the saturated ,
surface dry condition
Weigh the pycnometer

Put 500 g of your SSD sample (S = MSSD) in the pycnometer

Add water to cover the sample to 90% of its capacity

Procedure (cont’d):
Roll and agitate the pycnometer to remove air bubbles

Record the total mass (C=pycnometer + sand + water) and

temperature
Remove your sample from the pycnometer

Put your sample in the oven to dry

Fill the pycnometer to the calibrated level (B= pycnometer +

water )
24 hours later  remove your sample from the oven

Record the mass of your dry sample (A=MD)

Relative density and absorption
test (fine aggregates)
Calculations
Calculate the bulk Relative Density and absorption using
the following formulas:
Bulk Relative Density = A/(B+S-C)

Bulk Relative Density (SSD) = S/(B+S-C)

Apparent Relative Density = A/(B+A-C)

Absorption, percent = [(S-A)/A] x 100

Relative density and absorption
test (fine aggregates)
Calculations

Where:
A = Mass of oven-dry test sample in air (g).
B = Mass of pycnometer filled with water to its calibrated
capacity

C = Mass of pycnometer, specimen, and water (g), and

S = Mass of saturated-surface-dry (SSD) sample (g)