Aggregate can consist of a variety of materials, including gravel, crushed stone, and sand.
In construction, aggregate describes a variety of materials, including gravel, sand, and crushed stone. These particles are used in their raw form or combined with other materials to produce concrete or asphalt. These materials are easily recyclable and are often reused for new construction.
An aggregate is the individual component of a material. It usually adds volume to the material or avoids the tensions caused by compression. Gravel, for example, is considered a concrete aggregate. It has a specific particle size of 0.079 to 2.5 inches (2-64 mm). Sand is another component of concrete with a particle size of 0.0025 to 0.0787 inches (0.0625-2 mm).
When combined with other materials, these particles provide support for a complete structure. In cement, gravel and sand together provide adequate support when the mix hardens. Asphaltic materials play a similar role.
Aggregate can be combined with other materials to produce concrete.
Aggregates can be found in many applications. For example, gravel is used to pave some types of roads and provides support for railroad tracks. The sand is used in agriculture for cultivation and, along the coast, to replenish beaches that have been eroded by waves. Crushed stone is another type of aggregate used in road construction.
Most types of aggregates are recyclable. They are usually separated after the demolition of old buildings or the breaking of cinder blocks. These are recycled to build new roads or some other type of construction. This may include homes, buildings, or industrial facilities.
Gravel, a type of aggregate, can be used to support railway tracks.
Several companies manufacture these materials. They usually extract granite, trap rock and limestone materials. The process begins with blasting and drilling to reduce the size of the rocks. Eventually the rocks are reduced in size to fit the descriptions of gravel, sand, and crushed stone.
Most companies sell aggregates for infrastructure projects. Much of the aggregate is used as base material for roads, tracks, sidewalks, and parking lots. They can also be combined with other raw materials to build structures.
Sand, a type of aggregate, can be used to replenish beaches that have been eroded by waves.
Another way companies market this substance is by advocating erosion control along waterways. The added constituents also help in the purification and filtration of the water. As the water passes through small rocks, impurities are often filtered out of the water.