Sieve # Size,mm Mass of Mass of Mass of Percent Percent

sieve,g sample+ sample Retained Passing

sieve,g retained,
g
4 4.75 525.2 548.9
10 2 407.4 443.6
16 1.18 351.4 410.1
40 0.425 385.4 516.2
100 0.15 331.8 501.2
200 0.075 288.3 430.5
pan 371.3 442.7

a. What is the percent composition of gravel in the sample?

b. What is the percent composition of sand in the sample?
c. What is the percent composition of silt & clay in the sample?
A 207cm3 in situ soil sample was collected
three days after a drenching rain when the
soil was assumed to be at field capacity.
The sample was placed in a container and
the recorded mass was 1,678.5 g and after
drying overnight in an oven, the recorded
mass was 1,445.5 g. What is the water
content of the soil in percent? The mass of
the container is 180 grams. Classify the soil
according to its consistency if SL, PL and LL
are 8%, 15% and 25% respectively.
Construction Materials Unit 2.1

CONSTRUCTION AGGREGATE
 CONSTRUCTION AGGREGATE
Aggregate Materials can be any stone, sand or
gravel used in the construction of many different
parts of a project.
It can be gravel for laneways, basements, septic
systems etc.
It can be any sand or gravel added to materials to
make them stronger. Ex – concrete.
It can also be any stone used in landscape or
design aspects to a home. Ex – retaining walls,
pebble finishes for patios.
• Aggregates can come from natural or
manufactured sources. Natural aggregates
come from any kind of rock, igneous (obsidian),
sedimentary (limestone, chalk) and metamorphic
rock (marble, granite)

• Manufactured aggregates are a result of

byproducts produced industrial processing (
• Fine aggregate are smaller stones and rocks
usually smaller than 4.75mm. These are usually
used in the preparation of cement mortar (for
bricking) and concrete. It helps add strength to
these two building materials.
• Coarse aggregate is anything larger than
4.75mm. Also used for concrete too add
strength. Coarse is also used for laneways, tiling
and septic systems.
 Fineness Modulus
Fineness modulus of coarse aggregates
represents the average size of the particles
in the coarse aggregate by an index
number. It is calculated by performing sieve
analysis with standard sieves.
The cumulative percentage retained on
each sieve is added and divided by 100
gives the value of fine modulus. Higher the
aggregate size higher the Fineness modulus
hence fineness modulus of coarse
aggregate is higher than fine aggregate.
• Aggregates used in concrete may be fine aggregates (us
ually sand) and coarse aggregates (usually gravel or
crushed stone). Fine aggregates are those that passes
through a No. 4 . Materials retained are coarse
aggregates. The nominal maximum sizes of coarse
aggregate are specified in Section 5.3.3 of NSCP. These
are follows:
– 1/5 the narrowest dimension between sides of forms,
– 1/3 the depth of slabs, or
– 3/4 the minimum clear spacing between individual reinforcing
bars or wires, bundles of bars, or prestressing tendons or ducts.
 Weight Percent Cumulative %
Index Sieve size
retained(g) Retained retained

80mm 0

40mm 250

20mm 1750

10mm 1600

4.75mm 1400

2.36mm 0

1.18mm 0

0.6mm 0

0.3mm 0

0.15mm 0