Revised 2008-08-21, WKS Datasheet No.

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MOHAWK COLLEGE OF APPLIED ARTS AND TECHNOLOGY

BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION SCIENCES DEPARTMENT

Specific Gravity of Materials for Asphalt Mixes

INTRODUCTION

The evaluation of asphalt concrete mixtures includes parameters such as the

percent voids in the mineral aggregate, the percent air voids, the percent
asphalt absorbed and the percent voids filled with asphalt. In order to
determine these values for a given mixture, the percent asphalt content and
bulk and maximum specific gravities of the asphalt mixture must be measured,
but the bulk specific gravity of the mineral aggregate used in the mix must
also be known.

The mineral aggregate used in an asphalt mixture will be a blend of the coarse
aggregate (stone), the fine aggregate (sand) and the mineral filler. The blend
produced will conform to the grading specifications set for the project. This
blend is defined as the percent by mass of each constituent aggregate that
will be used to produce the mix, i.e., a recipe for the aggregate.

In order to determine the bulk specific gravity of the blended aggregate, the
specific gravity of each individual stock aggregate must first be determined
and then combined using the blend proportions.

The ASTM Bulk specific gravity for the stone and sand are used along with
the apparent specific gravity of the mineral filler. Given the procedures used
to measure these, it is also possible to determine the SSD bulk specific
gravity and apparent specific gravity of the coarse and fine aggregates as well
as the absorption capacities. Since water is not an ingredient for asphalt
mixtures as it is for PCC mixes, the absorption capacity is not used in any mix
calculations. Although the amount of asphalt cement that the aggregate will
absorb will be less than its absorption capacity for water, it is still instructive
to compare these with the calculated asphalt absorption.

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EQUIPMENT

1. balances sensitive to 0.01, 0.1 and 1 gram

2. 500 mL pycnometer, small funnel, thermometer and vacuum system with trap

3. plexiglas plate, conical mould and tamper for SSD determination

4. electric forced air heater, constant temperature bath

5. dry cloths for drying surfaces of saturated stone surfaces

6. wire basket for submerging coarse aggregate

7. miscellaneous pans, trowels, scoops, etc.

PROCEDURE

I Specific Gravity and Absorption of Fine Aggregate

1. Fill the pycnometer with water (from the tap) at 23 ± 1.7° C to the 500 mL
mark and weigh to the nearest 0.1 gram. Remember to make sure the outer
surface of the pycnometer is dry.

2. Spread approximately 1000 grams of the saturated sand on a Plexiglas plate

and direct the air current from the electric heater onto the surface of the
sand. Stir the sample frequently to ensure that no portion of the sample dries
out quicker than any other.

3. When the sand approaches the free flowing condition, place the sand loosely
in the conical mould and lightly tamp the surface 25 times with the 25 mm
diameter tamper. Lift the mould vertically off the plate. The first few times
this is done the sand should retain its shape indicating the presence of free
moisture on the surfaces of the sand grains and the need for continued drying.
If the sand slumps on the first trial then it is likely that the sand has been
over dried and is past the SSD (saturated, surface dry) condition. This would
necessitate the selection of another sample to be dried. Since this process
takes a considerable amount of time, care should be taken not to let the
sample dry out too much before beginning the slump test.

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4. When the sand slumps on removal of the cone, the saturated surface dry
(SSD) condition has been reached. A 500.0 gram sample of this material
should be weighed out immediately and then placed in the empty pycnometer
using the small funnel. After running water to a temperature of 23 ± 1.7° C,
fill the pycnometer to a level of about 1.5 cm below the bottom of the
pycnometer’s neck, washing the entire sample into the bulb.

5. Connect the pycnometer to a vacuum for 5 minutes, shaking the bulb

repeatedly to loosen trapped air. When vacuuming is complete, CLOSE THE
VACUUM VALVE first, and then bleed air into the vacuum trap by loosening its
top stopper. After air has re-entered the pycnometer then carefully remove
the vacuum stopper, fill with water at 23 ± 1.7° C to the calibration (500 ml)
mark and weigh to the nearest 0.1 gram ensuring that the entire outer surface
of the pycnometer is dry.

6. Clean and weigh an empty “loaf” tin to the nearest 0.1 gram. By swirling the
contents of the pycnometer with one hand and holding the other hand over the
pycnometer opening, carefully invert the pycnometer over the loaf tin and still
swirling the contents shake the sample into the tin. The swirling and sudden
inversion keeps most of the water above the sample so that the water washes
most of the sample out. Be careful not to lose any water or sample (it should
all end up in the tin). Rinse the inside of the pycnometer into the tin using a
water bottle (use the minimum amount of water possible) to remove the dust.

7. Record identity information and the tin’s mass on a moisture slip, attach to
the outside of the tin with a paper clip, place in an oven and after no less
than 18 hours weigh the sample and tin to the nearest 0.1 gram. Remember
to use oven mitts to remove the tin from the oven and to let the hot tin
stand a few minutes on the concrete floor to cool before weighing. When
the tin can be comfortably handled without oven mitts, the sample is cool
enough to weigh. The sample can be disposed of in the sand box.

II Specific Gravity and Absorption of Coarse Aggregate

1. Select about 3 kilograms of saturated coarse aggregate and dry the

sample to an SSD condition by rolling it on a cloth until all visible films of
moisture are removed. Weigh the SSD sample in air in kilograms to 3
decimal places (i.e., to the nearest gram).

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2. Hang a wire basket from the solution balance or scale, ensuring it is
completely submerged in water, then zero the solution balance (scale).
Carefully remove the basket and place all the SSD sample therein. Submerge
the sample in the water, shaking to remove any trapped air, then hang the
basket handle from the balance hanger and record the weight in kilograms to
three decimal places (nearest gram).

3. Clean and weigh an empty “brownie” tin to the nearest gram. Record identity
information and the tin’s mass on a moisture slip and place on the stone in the
tin. Place in an oven and after no less than 18 hours weigh the sample and tin
to the nearest gram. Remember to use oven mitts to remove the tin from the
oven and to let the hot tin stand a few minutes on the concrete floor to cool
before weighing. When the tin can be comfortably handled without oven mitts,
the sample is cool enough to weigh. The sample can be disposed of as directed
by the technician.

III Specific Gravity of Mineral Filler

1. Select about 150 grams of mineral filler and place in the previously
calibrated (step A.1. above) pycnometer using the funnel.

2. After running water to a temperature of 23 ± 1.7° C, fill the pycnometer to

a level of about 1.5 cm below the bottom of the pycnometer’s neck, washing
the entire sample into the bulb.

3. Perform the same steps as outlined in 5 through 7 of Part I above, except

the disposal of the sample, which should be in a waste container.

CALCULATIONS

Note: All specific gravity values should be reported to 3 decimal places

as required by subsequent Marshall Mix Design calculations.

I Specific Gravity and Absorption of Fine Aggregate

1. Saturated Surface Dry, SSD Specific Gravity, GSSD:

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 500
GSSD =
B + 500 − C

where
B = Mass of the pycnometer + water (grams)
C = Mass of pycnometer + sample + water (grams)

2. ASTM Bulk Specific Gravity, GASTM:

A
GASTM =
B + 500 − C

where
A = Oven dry mass of the sample (grams)

3. Apparent Specific Gravity, GAPPARENT :

A
GAPPARENT =
B+A−C

4. Absorption Capacity, Abs:

500 − A
Abs = × 100%
A

II Specific Gravity and Absorption of Coarse Aggregate

1. Saturated Surface Dry, SSD Specific Gravity, GSSD:

B
GSSD =
B−C

where
B = Mass of SSD sample in air (kilograms)
C = Mass of SSD sample in water (kilograms)

2. ASTM Bulk Specific Gravity, GASTM:

A
GASTM =
B−C

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where
A = Oven dry mass of the sample (kilograms)

3. Apparent Specific Gravity, GAPPARENT :

A
GAPPARENT =
A−C

4. Absorption Capacity, Abs:

B−A
Abs = × 100%
A

III Specific Gravity of Mineral Filler

1. Apparent Specific Gravity, GAPPARENT :

A
GAPPARENT =
B+A−C

where
A = Oven dry mass of the sample (grams)
B = Mass of the pycnometer + water (grams)
C = Mass of pycnometer + sample + water (grams)

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REPORT

1. Visit the website for the Ontario Provincial Standards:

http://www.ops.on.ca/home.asp and select “Online Standards” or click on the
OPS link on the instructor’s homepage. Using the standards indicated on the
Report Forms as well as the URL from the TRB online publications site
(http://onlinepubs.trb.org/onlinepubs/shrp/SHRP-90-009.pdf), fill in the
required information for the report.

2. The report should start with a title page, followed by the report forms,
the completed data sheet and a systematic documentation of the
calculations.

3. It should be noted that the MTO requires duplicate tests and has specific
acceptability criteria for course and fine aggregates:
- if duplicate tests of specific gravity of coarse aggregate differ by more
than 0.020, a retest is required
- if duplicate tests of absorption capacity of coarse aggregate differ by
more than 0.20%, a retest is required
- if duplicate tests of specific gravity of fine aggregate differ by more
than 0.027, a retest is required
- if duplicate tests of absorption capacity of fine aggregate differ by more
than 0.31%, a retest is required