A Review on Suitability Evaluation of Rock Aggregate for Engineering Applications

Abstract

Introduction
G. R. Khanlari, and F. Naseri, (2016) has explained that Aggregates are highly demanded in
the construction sector. They are used in road construction, production of concrete,
railway track ballast and filters and their suitability as a construction material has been a
matter of concern.

Aggregates, both fine and coarse, take about 65–75% by volume of concrete and are
important ingredients in concrete production (T.A. Engidasew, and G. Barbieri (2014).

More than 90% of asphalt pavement and 80% of concrete pavement consist of aggregate
where the rest is binders like asphalt or cement. Therefore aggregate is the major
component of all materials used in road construction. It is used in granular bases and sub
base, bituminous courses and in cement concrete pavements (L.O. Afolagboye et al.
2017). The selection of the right type of aggregates for ensuring stability and durability of
road requires a thorough understanding of the properties that a good road aggregate
should possess and also a comprehensive knowledge of important rock types that are
suitable for the use of source of these aggregates. The properties of rock, from which the
aggregates are formed, depend on the properties of the constituent mineral materials
and the nature of bond between them (Archana P M, and Padma Kumar R, 2016).

In general, the suitability of aggregates in any civil engineering work is determined by

evaluating its engineering behaviour in terms of its physical, mechanical & chemical
properties. Accordingly, Aggregates are expected to own the following desirable
properties. The first thing is that aggregates should be sufficiently strong to withstand
the stresses due to traffic wheel load & It should be hard enough to resist the wear due to
abrasive action of traffic. Aggregates should also have resistance to impact or toughness
& aggregates used in pavement should have resistance to disintegration due to the
action of weather. Last but not least, is that aggregates should own proper Shape i.e. it
shouldn’t be Flaky & elongated. In addition, Aggregates should have good Adhesion with
Bitumen.

As explained by Tarun k. Raghuvanshi, (2017) in his lecture note, Rocks containing a high
percentage of silica minerals are unsuitable for mixing with bitumens in a wearing course
as they are hydrophilic i.e. they have a high water sorption ability but a low bitumen
sorption. Rocks high in the ferromagnesian minerals (e.g. basic rocks such as basalt) have
a high affinity for bitumen and are termed hydrophobic. Those rocks which do not stay
mixed with the bitumens cause peeling away of the bitumen from the aggregate in the
pavement.

Tarun k. Raghuvanshi, (2017), also explained that the best rock types for aggregates are
usually known in practice as ‘traprocks’, basalts, andesites, diabase, diorite etc. Granites
are generally not desirable because their abrasion resistance is relatively low and they are
difficult to crush because of the interlocking texture. The trap rocks on the other hand
are naturally blocky and brittle enough to crush easily in mechanical crushers.

The chemical evaluation of coarse aggregate by B.S. Hamad, G.R. Khoury and H. Khatib
(2001) has shown that Cherts are usually classified as deleterious as they tend to be
porous and reactive with the alkalis in the concrete. However, non-porous and non-
reactive cherts exist and can be used as aggregate.