This document reports on a test to determine the specific gravity and absorption of fine and coarse aggregates. The specific gravities of coarse aggregate were found to be 2.55, 2.7, and 2.8 for bulk dry, SSD, and apparent respectively. For fine aggregate, the specific gravities were 2.64, 2.7, and 2.8. The absorptions were 2.3% for coarse and 1.78% for fine. While the specific gravities were normal, the absorptions were outside standard ranges, likely due to errors in measuring the fine aggregate's slump or not waiting 24 hours for coarse aggregate heating. In conclusion, the aggregates tested would not be suitable for use due to

1. University of Duhok
College of Engineering
Civil Department
Concrete Technology – Practical
Concrete Laboratory
A Report About :
Specific Gravity and Absorption of Fine
And Coarse Aggregate
Submitted By : Jameel Masoud Jameel
Lab. No. : 5
Group Name : B1
Testing Date : 19 / 11 / 2017
Submitting Date : 26 / 11 / 2017
Supervised By : Youkhanna
2017 – 2018

2. References :
1) ASTM C127-07, ASTM C128-07a
2) ASTM D75-92
3) BS EN 1097-3:1998.
Introduction :
Specific gravity is the ratio of the weight of a given volume of
aggregate to the weight of an equal volume of water. and the
absorption of coarse and fine aggregate is the quantity of water
absorbed by the fine or coarse aggregate when submerged under
water for 24 hours and expressed as % of its dry weight.

3. Purpose :
To determine the bulk and apparent specific gravities of fine and coarse
aggregates so they can be used for calculation of the volume occupied
by the aggregate in various mixtures containing aggregate, absorption,
computation of voids in aggregate.
Materials :
1) Fine aggregate (all particles passing No.4 (4.75 mm) sieve)
2) Coarse aggregate (the nominal maximum size is 37.5mm or
less and all materials are retained on No.4 sieves)
Equipment :
1) Balance,
2) Pycnometer: a flask or any other suitable container into which the fine
aggregate test sample can be readily introduced.
3) Mold: a metal mold in the form of a frustum of a cone.
4) Tamper: a metal tamper weighing 340±15 gm. and having a flat circular
tamping face of 25±3 mm in diameter.
5) Scoop,
6) Large absorbent clothe.
7) Water tank and water container.

4. Sketches :
Pycnometer Sensitive balance
Mold & Tamper Water Container
`
Large absorbent clothe Scoop

5. Procedures :
A-Fine Aggregate:
1) Obtain by sample splitting or quartering 3 kg of aggregate, including equal
quantities of all fractions.
2) Dry to a constant weight at a temperature of 100 o
to 110o
C.
3) Allow to cool and cover with water for about 30 minutes.
4) Remove excess water and spread on a flat surface. Expose to a gentle moving
flame (or any source of heat to remove excess moisture) until test sample
approaches a free-flowing condition.
5) Place a portion of the fine aggregate sample loosely into the mold. Tamp lightly
25 times and lift the mold vertically. If the surface moisture is presented, the fine
aggregate will maintain its molded shape. Continue drying and testing until upon
the removal of the mold, the aggregate slumps slightly. This indicates that the
saturated surface and surface-dry (SSD) condition has been reached.
6) Immediately introduce into the Pycnometer a sample of fine aggregate (A)gm.,
7) Fill the Pycnometer with water and weight it (B),
8) Pour a part of water and then put the prepared sample of sand within the
Pycnometer almost to capacity and eliminate the air bubbles by agitation. Refill
with water to the same point. Determine the total weight of the flask, including
the sample, and the water (C).
9) Carefully remove the fine aggregate and dry to a constant weight of 100 to 110 o
C and cool for at least 30 minutes and weigh (D).
10) Computations:
Bulk specific gravity (oven dry) =
D
B − (C − A)
Bulk specific gravity (SSD) =
A
B − (C − A)
Apparent specific gravity (oven dry) =
D
B − (C − D)
% Absorption =
(A − D)
D
× 100

6. B-Coarse Aggregate:
1) Select by quartering or use of a sample splitter approximately 5 kg of
aggregate. Reject all materials passing No.4 sieve.
2) Thoroughly wash the sample to remove all dust or other coatings from the
particles.
3) Dry the sample to a constant weight at a temperature of 100 to 110 C. Cool at
room temperature for about 15 minutes and then immerse in water at room
temperature for approximately 30 minutes.
4) Remove sample from water and wipe the particles until all surface films are
removed then weigh a sample of SSD to nearest 0.5gm (A)
5) Immediately after weighing, use the same procedure for fine aggregate in
order to obtain the weights (B, C and D).
6) Computations: use the same equations for fine aggregate to determine the
specific gravities, and absorption.
1-7 Notes:
 Apparent specific gravity ranges from 2.6-2.7 for normal aggregates.
 Absorption = (3-5) % for fine aggregate.
 Absorption = (1-2) % for coarse aggregate.

7. Calculations and Results :
We will calculate the Bulk specific gravity, bulk specific gravity, apparent
specific gravity and the percentage of absorption by using the following
formula :
a) For coarse aggregate, When :
A = 200 gm , B = 903 gm , C = 1029 gm , D = 195.5 gm
Bulk specific gravity (oven dry) =
D
B − (C − A)
=
𝟏𝟗𝟓. 𝟓
𝟗𝟎𝟑 − (𝟏𝟎𝟐𝟗 − 𝟐𝟎𝟎)
= 𝟐. 𝟔𝟒
Bulk specific gravity (SSD) =
A
B − (C − A)
) =
𝟐𝟎𝟎
𝟗𝟎𝟑 − (𝟏𝟎𝟐𝟗 − 𝟐𝟎𝟎)
= 𝟐. 𝟕
Apparent specific gravity (oven dry) =
D
B − (C − D)
=
𝟏𝟗𝟓. 𝟓
𝟗𝟎𝟑 − (𝟏𝟎𝟐𝟗 − 𝟏𝟗𝟓. 𝟓)
= 𝟐. 𝟖
% Absorption =
(A − D)
D
× 100 =
(𝟐𝟎𝟎 − 𝟏𝟗𝟓. 𝟓)
𝟏𝟗𝟕
× 𝟏𝟎𝟎 = 𝟐. 𝟑 %
b) For Fine aggregate, When :
A = 200 gm , B = 1353.5 gm , C = 1476.5 gm , D = 196.5 gm
Bulk specific gravity (oven dry) =
D
B − (C − A)
=
𝟏𝟗𝟔. 𝟓
𝟏𝟑𝟓𝟑. 𝟓 − (𝟏𝟒𝟕𝟔. 𝟓 − 𝟐𝟎𝟎)
= 𝟐. 𝟓𝟓
Bulk specific gravity (SSD) =
A
B − (C − A)
) =
𝟐𝟎𝟎
𝟏𝟑𝟓𝟑. 𝟓 − (𝟏𝟒𝟕𝟔. 𝟓 − 𝟐𝟎𝟎)
= 𝟐. 𝟕
Apparent specific gravity (oven dry) =
D
B − (C − D)
=
𝟏𝟗𝟔. 𝟓
𝟏𝟑𝟓𝟑. 𝟓 − (𝟏𝟒𝟕𝟔. 𝟓 − 𝟏𝟗𝟔. 𝟓)
= 𝟐. 𝟔𝟕
% Absorption =
(A − D)
D
× 100 =
(𝟐𝟎𝟎 − 𝟏𝟗𝟔. 𝟓)
𝟏𝟗𝟔. 𝟓
× 𝟏𝟎𝟎 = 𝟏. 𝟕𝟖 %

8. Discussion and Conclusion :
In this test we determine the Specific gravity and absorption of fine and
coarse aggregate , finally we got a result after doing all procedure
accurate, which is the Specific gravity of coarse aggregate is (2.55 , 2.7
, 2.68) for (Bulk specific gravity Oven Dry , SSD and apparent)
relatively, and for fine aggregate is (2.64 , 2.7 , 2.8) for (Bulk specific
gravity Oven Dry , SSD and apparent ) relatively, and the absorption of
coarse and fine aggregate are (2.3% , 1.78%) relatively. according to
standard, if we compare our result with standard which is the range of
specific gravity of normal aggregate is (2.6-2.7) but the specific gravity
couldn't be problem because it is just a number that we use in equation,
but the standard absorption for coarse aggregate is (1-2%) and for fine
(3-5%) it is shown that we have an errors in determining the absorption,
the main reason of having errors is in fine aggregate that the slump
slightly didn’t occur in loosely sample of aggregate and we didn’t test it
again or wait until it gain the slumps slightly in our fine aggregate. In
coarse aggregate all procedure we did carefully but the aggregate
couldn't placed between the range of absorption and it is shown that we
have errors in measurement or we didn’t wait it until 24 hours of heating
process.
In conclusion the purpose of this test is to known how to determine the
specific gravity and absorption of aggregate, and compare the result with
standard. finally we measure the specific gravity and absorption after
doing some procedure and calculation, and we know that our aggregate
that used in test can't be used in project, because the aggregate's
absorption was not acceptable with standard.