Professional Documents
Culture Documents
SpecificGravity
Definition
Ratioofthemassofasubstancerelativetothemassofan
equalvolumeofwaterataspecifiedtemperature.
Thedensityofwateris62.4lb/ft3.
1
SpecificGravity
Relativedensity
Howmuchheavierisanaggregateparticle
comparedtoanequalvolumeofwater?
= SG
AggregateSpecificGravity
CommonValues
Granite:SG=2.65
MarineLimestone:SG=2.53
Gneiss:SG=2.74
2
SpecificGravityofOtherMaterials
Water: SG=1
Steel:SG=7.9
Wood:SG=0.30.6
Concrete :SG=2.4
Aluminum:SG=2.6
SpecificGravity
Bulk
Bulk,saturatedsurfacedry(SSD)
Apparent
Effective
3
BulkDrySpecificGravity
Aggregatehastiny
pores:permeableor
impermeabletowater.
Bulkdryspecific
gravityincludesthe
volumeofboth
permeableand
impermeablepores.
Realspecificgravity impermeable
pores (included in
BSG) permeable pores
(included in BSG)
BulkSSDSpecificGravity
SaturatedSurfaceDry
(SSD)
Assumesall
permeablepores
filledwithwater
(saturated)
Particlesappear
moistbutnotshiny impermeable
pores (included in
(surfacedry) BSGSSD) permeable pores
filled with water
(included in
BSGSSD)
4
ApparentSpecificGravity
Apparentspecific
gravityincludesonly
thevolumeof
impermeablepores.
impermeable
pores
permeable pores
(NOT included in
ASG)
EffectiveSpecificGravity
Onlyaportionofthewaterpermeableporesare
filledwithasphaltcement.
Effectivespecificgravityincludestheporesnot
accessibletoasphalt.
5
Absorption
Definition
Thepenetrationofaliquidintoaggregate
particleswithresultingincreaseinparticle
weight
Absorption
Aggregatesarelike
sponges
Amountofwater
absorbedintopores
ofaggregateparticles
Expressedas
percentageofwater
todryweight
6
Absorption
CommonValues
Lessthan2%
Ifdryaggregateweighs1pound,waterinpores
weighs0.02pounds
Granite=0.3%
Limestone=0.9%
Sandstone=1.8%
SpecificGravityandAbsorptionTests
Specifications
ASTMC127forCoarseAggregates
ASTMC128forFineAggregates
AASHTOT85forCoarseAggregates
AASHTOT84forFineAggregates
7
SpecificGravity
SignificanceandUse
Bulkspecificgravityisgenerallyusedforthe
calculationofthevolumeoccupiedbythe
aggregateinvariousmixturesincluding
Portlandcementconcreteandasphalt
concrete.
BulkSSDspecificgravityisusedifthe
aggregateiswet.
Absorption
SignificanceandUse
Absorptionvaluesareusedtocalculatethe
changeintheweightofaggregatedueto
waterabsorbedintheporespaces.
Theyarealsousedtocalculatetheamountof
waterthatisabsorbedbyaggregatesduring
Portlandconcretemixpreparation.
8
SpecificGravityandAbsorption
SignificanceandUse
MaterialUse Specification
UsedinDoubleTreatment(w/o
2.65Apparent
adjustments)
Combined aggregateinasphalt
2.90Max(ESG)
concrete
HMAInterstate/PrimarySurface
1.5%Max
andIntermediateCourses,and
(Absorption)
ThinLiftSealCourse
SpecificGravityandAbsorption
TestingFrequencies
Table 1.RequiredMinimumAggregateTestingFrequency
Test Procedure Materials ValueRange (1) Min.TestingFrequency
2.95&above
1weekly
Stone (apparent)
(nonslag) Lessthan2.85
1every3months
(apparent)
SpecificGravity
(Bulk,Bulk(SSD), 2.00 &less
AASHTOT85 1weekly
Apparent)&% (apparent)
Absorption
2.10 2.84
Slag 1every3months
(apparent)
2.85&above
1weekly
(apparent)
(1)ThisrangewillbedeterminedforeachsourcebytheGeotechnicalMaterialsEngineerbasedonthe
mostrecentindividualtestresultsfromthesupplier
9
SpecificGravityandAbsorption
Apparatus
Scaleaccurateto0.05%ofthesampleweightor0.5
grams,whicheverisgreater
WirebasketNo.6orfinermesh
Watertank
No.4sieveorothersizesasneeded
SpecificGravityandAbsorption
TestSpecimen
Thoroughlymixtheaggregatesampleandreduceittothe
approximatequantityneededusinganaggregatesample
splitterorbyquartering.
RejectallmaterialspassingNo.4sievebydrysievingand
thoroughlywashingtoremovedustorothercoatingsfrom
thesurface.
Theminimumweightoftestspecimentobeuseddependson
thenominalmaximumsizeasfollows:
NominalMaxSize(in.) MinMass,lb
4.4
6.6
1 8.8
1 11.0
10
SpecificGravityandAbsorption
TestProcedure
1. Drythetestsampletoaconstantweightata
temperatureof230 9F,coolinairatroom
temperaturefor1to3h. Immersethe
aggregateinwateratroomtemperaturefora
periodof24hours(+/ 4hours).
2. Removethetestspecimenfromwaterand
rollitinalargeabsorbentclothuntilall
visiblefilmsofwaterareremoved.Wipethe
largerparticlesindividually.
SpecificGravityandAbsorption
TestProcedure
3. Weighthetestsampleinsaturatedsurface
dry(SSD)conditionandrecorditasB.Record
theweightandallsubsequentweightstothe
nearest0.5gramsor0.05%ofthesample
weight,whicheverisgreater.
11
SpecificGravityandAbsorption
TestProcedure
4. Placethespecimeninthewirebasketand
determineitsweightwhileitissubmergedin
wateratatemperatureof73.43Fandrecord
itasC.Takecaretoremoveallentrappedair
beforeweighingitbyagitatingthecontainer
whileitisimmersed.
5. Drythetestsampletoaconstantmassata
temperatureof230 9F,coolinairatroom
temperature1to3h,andweighitandrecord
thisweightasA.
SpecificGravityandAbsorption
TestCalculations
Name Equation
Bulk SpecificGravity
BulkSpecific Gravity,SSD
ApparentSpecificGravity
Absorption
100%
12
SpecificGravityandAbsorption
CommonErrors
ImproperidentificationofSSD(overorunder
drying)
Airentrappedinsuspendedsampleorsample
immersioncontainer
Suspensionapparatusincontactwithanother
object,resultinginfalsereading
Lossofmaterialduringtransfertothedrying
pans
Weighingerrors(impropertareweightsorlossof
material)
13