Aggregate Gradation

Important Properties
Gradation
Relative density and absorption
Hardness (resistance to wear)
Durability (resistance to weathering)
Shape and surface texture
Deleterious substances
Crushing strength
Soft and lightweight particles
Chemical stability
CIVL 3137 2
 Gradation Analysis

percent coarser 

or 
percent retained 

 Percentages
are calculated
 by mass
percent finer 

or 
percent pas sin g 



CIVL 3137 3
 Gradation Chart
100

80
Percent Passing

60
Total mass percent passing each sieve

40

20

0
Opening Size (mm)
CIVL 3137 4
 Gradation Chart
100

80
Percent Passing

60
Total mass percent passing each sieve

40

20

0
Opening Size (mm)
CIVL 3137 5
 Sieve Shakers

CIVL 3137 8
 Screen Shakers

CIVL 3137 9
 Sieve Sizes

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 Gradation Chart
1½" ¾" 3/ "
8 4 8 16 30 50 100 200
100

80
Percent Passing (%)

60

40

20

0
100 10 1 0.1 0.01
Opening Size (mm)
CIVL 3137 11
 Gradation Example

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 Uniformly Graded Aggregate
1½" ¾" 3/ "
8 4 8 16 30 50 100 200
100
Percent Passing

80
uniform
60
sand
“clear”
40 gravel

20

0
100 10 1 0.1 0.01
Opening Size (mm)
CIVL 3137 13
 Uniformly Graded Aggregate

Narrow range of sizes

Grain-to-grain contact
High void content
High permeability
Low stability
Difficult to compact

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 Open-Graded Aggregate
1½" ¾" 3/ "
8 4 8 16 30 50 100 200
100
Open
Percent Passing

80
graded
sand
60
Open
40
graded
gravel
20

0
100 10 1 0.1 0.01
Opening Size (mm)
CIVL 3137 15
 Open-Graded Aggregate

Few fine particles

Grain-to-grain contact
High void content
High permeability
High stability
Difficult to compact

CIVL 3137 16
 screenings

CIVL 3137 17
 Gap-Graded Aggregate
1½" ¾" 3/ "
8 4 8 16 30 50 100 200
100
Open
Percent Passing

80
graded
sand
60
Open Gap
40
graded graded
gravel blend
20

0
100 10 1 0.1 0.01
Opening Size (mm)
CIVL 3137 18
 Gap-Graded Aggregate

Missing middle sizes

No grain-to-grain contact
Moderate void content
Moderate permeability
Low stability
Easy to compact

CIVL 3137 19
 Dense-Graded Aggregate
1½" ¾" 3/ "
8 4 8 16 30 50 100 200
100
Percent Passing

80

60

40
Dense
graded
20 gravel

0
100 10 1 0.1 0.01
Opening Size (mm)
CIVL 3137 20
 Dense-Graded Aggregate

Wide range of sizes

Grain-to-grain contact
Low void content
Low permeability
High stability
Difficult to compact

CIVL 3137 21
 Fuller’s Curve
Fuller, W.B. and Thompson, S.E. “The laws of
proportioning concrete," Transactions of the
ASCE, v. 159, 1907.

0.50 pi = percent passing ith sieve

 di 
pi    di = opening size of ith sieve
D D = maximum particle size

CIVL 3137 22
CIVL 3137 23
 Maximum Density Curve
In 1962 FHWA published a modified version of
Fuller’s equation with a different exponent.

0.45
0.50 pi = percent passing ith sieve
 di 
pi    di = opening size of ith sieve
D D = maximum particle size

CIVL 3137 24
CIVL 3137 25
 Dense-Graded Aggregate

1½" ¾" 3/ "

8 4 8 16 30 50 100 200
100

80
TDOT 411-D
Percent Passing

60

40 Maximum
Density
Curve
20

0
100 10 1 0.1 0.01
Opening Size (mm)
CIVL 3137 28
 Dense-Graded Aggregate
200 30 8 4 3/ "
8
1/ " 5/ "
2 8 ¾"
100

80
Percent Passing

TDOT 411-D
60

40 Maximum
Density
Curve
20

0
0 1 2 3 4 5
Opening Size (mm) Raised to the 0.45 Power
CIVL 3137 29
Aggregate Sampling
 Aggregate Stockpiles

CIVL 3137 31
 Aggregate Sampling

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 Nominal Aggregate Sizes
1½" ¾" 3/ "
8 4 8 16 30 50 100 200
100
Nominal Maximum = 3/8″
Percent Passing

80

60

40

20
Nominal Minimum = #16
0
100 10 1 0.1 0.01
Opening Size (mm)
CIVL 3137 33
 Aggregate Sampling

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 Minimum Sample Size

300

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 Sample Quartering

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 Sample Splitting

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Lab 1 Notes
 Materials
• Crushed Stone
– Assume ¾" NMAS for convenience
• Gravel
– Assume ½" NMAS
• Concrete Sand
– Assume 4.76-mm NMAS (No. 4 Sieve)

CIVL 3137 39
 Crushed Stone

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 Crushed Stone

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 Crushed Stone

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 Crushed Stone

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 Gravel

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 Gravel

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 Concrete Sand

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 Concrete Sand

300

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 Gravel and Concrete Sand

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 Gravel and Concrete Sand

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