TITLE: SPECIFIC GRAVITY AND WATER ABSORPTION OF FINE AND COARSE

AGGREGATE

PREAMBLE
1.1 INTRODUCTION
Level 1 laboratory activities refer to the condition where the problem and ways & means
are guided and given to the students. However, the answer to the assignment are left to
the students to solve using the group creativity and independent learning among student
and prepare them for a much harder task of open–ended laboratory activities.
In this task, students will have exposed to the apparatus on how to measure the specific
gravity and water absorption of fine and coarse aggregate used in laboratory.

1.2 OBJECTIVES
To determine the:
 Specific gravity and water absorption of fine and coarse aggregate

1.3 LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of the experiment, student should be able to:
1. Conduct the specific gravity and water absorption test procedure and calculate the
specific gravity and water absorption of fine and coarse aggregate.
2. Evaluate the suitability of both aggregate to be used as a mixture concrete.

PROBLEM STATEMENT
2.1 PROBLEM STATEMENT
Students are required to select aggregate for testing, conduct suitable testing and
analyse the result.

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WAYS AND MEANS
3.1 PROCEDURE

 Fine Aggregate

Water Absorption

1. About 1000 g of fine aggregate were immersed in water.

2. After 24 h of immersion, the aggregate was dried on a flat surface, using warm air, until
saturated surface dry (SSD) condition is reached. The SSD condition is detected at that
moisture content when a lightly compacted mass of fine aggregate in a cone first slumps
when the cone was removed.
3. The fine aggregate were weighed, W1.
4. The aggregate were oven dried for 24h. After 24h, the fine aggregate was weighed, W2.
5. Absorption of fine aggregate was determined.

Figure 1: Fine aggregate that had

immersed in water

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  Coarse Aggregate

Water Absorption

1. About 5 kg of washed coarse aggregate (retained on a 4.75 mm sieve) were immersed in

water for 24 h.
2. The aggregates then been removed from water, drained and surface dried (saturated
surface dry) until there was no visible film of water on the surface, and weighed, W3. (Use
half of the sample)
3. The aggregate were oven dried for 24h. After 24h, the fine aggregate was weighed, W4.
4. Absorption of coarse aggregate were determined.

Figure 2 : Coarse aggregate that had

immersed in water

 Specific gravity

1. Following step 1 & 2 from water absorption test, another half of the sample were weighed,
W5.
2. With the help of balance, the empty wire basket suspended in the water were weighed,
W6.
3. Place the weighed aggregate in the wire basket and dipped it in water. After immersion,
removed the entrapped air by lifting the basket and allow it to drop 25 times in 25 seconds.
This basket with aggregate were weighed, while keeping it in water, with the help of balance.
Note its mass as W7.
4. The aggregate were oven dried for 24h. After 24h, the fine aggregate was weighed, W8.
5. Specific gravity of coarse aggregate were determined.

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RESULTS
4.1 RESULTS AND CALCULATION
4.1.1 WATER ABSORPTION
Absorption (%)
= [(saturated surface dry weight of aggregate(g) – oven dried weight of aggregate(g)] /oven
dried weight of aggregate

For fine aggregate, absorption (%) = (W1-W2)/W2 × 100%

= (1.831 -1.6)/1.6 × 100%
= 14.44%

For coarse aggregate, absorption (%) = (W3-W4)/W4 × 100%

= (5.2 – 4.9)/4.9 × 100%
= 6.12%

4.2.2 SPECIFIC GRAVITY

Bulk specific gravity SSD basis = W5 / [W5 – (W7 – W6)]
= 3.1 / [3.1 – (3.261 – 0.742)]
= 5.336

Apparent specific gravity = W8 / [W8 – (W7 – W6)]

= 2.9 / [2.9 – (3.261 – 0.742)]
= 7.612

Specific gravity = W8 / [W5 – (W7 – W6)]

= 2.9 / [3.1 – (3.261 – 0.742)]
= 4.99

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4.2 DISCUSSION

Specific Gravity

Apparent Specific Gravity,G sa is the volume measurement only includes the volume
of the aggregate particle which is does not include the volume of any water permeable voids.
Apparent specific gravity is intended to only measure the specific gravity of the solid volume;
there it will be the highest of the aggregate specific gravities. Meanwhile, Bulk Specific
Gravity,G sb means the volume measurement includes the overall volume of the aggregate
particle as well as the volume of the water permeable voids. Since it includes the water
permeable void volume, bulk specific gravity will be less than apparent specific gravity.
Then, Effective Specific Gravity,G se means volume measurement includes the volume of the
aggregate particle plus the void volume that becomes filled with water during the test soak
period minus the volume of the voids that absorb asphalt. Effective specific gravity lies
between apparent and bulk specific gravity. The relationship between them, G sa ≥G se ≥ G sb .

Based on our lab session, we get 7.612 for apparent specific gravity, 4.99 for
effective specific gravity and 5.336 for bulk specific gravity SSD basis. Typically, the limit of
specific gravity of coarse aggregate is between 2.0 to 3.0 based on constructiontest.org.
This is might because of some of the errors that happened while we conducting the lab.
Also, we have tried to reduce the errors by doing some precautions.

While we conduct the lab session, we encountered the technical errors which is the
problem from one of the weigh balances. As to reduce the error from that, we tried to get the
reading from the weigh balance when the number on the display is stop perfectly. Other than
that, the human error such as when we move the course the aggregate from the tray to the
weigh balance and from the balance to the other apparatus, there might be some of the
aggregate that falls down from the tray unintentionally. As to reduce the error, we have been
cautious to handle the sample very carefully to get the nice result.

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Water Absorption

Water absorption of an aggregate is the percentage of water weight which absorbed

into aggregate tiny pores during 24 hours soaking in water.

Based on our lab session, we get 0.1444 water absorption value for fine aggregate
while 0.0612 for coarse aggregate. Based on theconstructor.org, water absorption shall not
be more than 0.6 per unit by weight. Thus, in this lab session, we can say that the lab
session that we have conducted for this lab is success.

In order to get those values, we might have encountered some of the errors that
might happened in this lab session. Amongst the errors is human error which is there will be
mistake of handling of sample due to carelessness but we take precaution to reduce the
error which we tried to be as careful as possible to run this lab session. Other than that, we
may take out the sample out of the oven not exactly after 24 hours. There is slight delay in
time but we overcome this error by trying to take out the sample from the oven nearly around
24 hours which means that too early and not too late to make sure that the data that we get
is acceptable.

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4.3 CONCLUSION
In conclusion, we can say that the relationship between apparent specific gravity,
effective specific gravity and bulk specific gravity is Gsa ≥Gse ≥ Gsb. The higher the value of
specific gravity of the material, it will correspond to enough strength against impact load,
higher value of abrasion and attrition, better soundness and lesser water absorption. Next,
for the water absorption test we can say that the higher the value of the water absorption
value, the more the material will absorb water. Basically, the water absorption value must not
be more than 0.6 per unit weight. If exceed 0.6, it will disturb the design or maybe the
construction such as road and concrete.

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4.4 REFERENCES
1. Mishra, G. (13 August, 2018). Specific Gravity and Water Absorption Tests on
Aggregates. Retrieved from theconstructor.org:
https://theconstructor.org/building/aggregates-specific-gravity-water-absorption-
test/1358/

2. Willer, J. (18 July, 2017). Coarse Aggregate Specific Gravity. Retrieved from
pavementinteractive.org: https://www.pavementinteractive.org/reference-
desk/testing/aggregate-tests/coarse-aggregate-specific-gravity/