Standard Specification for

Fine Aggregate for Hydraulic

Cement Concrete

AASHTO Designation: M 6-08

1. SCOPE

1.1. This specification covers the quality and grading of fine aggregate for hydraulic cement concrete
used in pavements or bases, highway bridges, and incidental structures.

1.2. This specification is for use by a contractor, concrete supplier, or other purchaser as part of the
purchase document describing the material to be furnished.
Note 1—This specification is regarded as adequate to ensure satisfactory materials for most
concrete. It is recognized that, for certain work or in certain regions, it may be either more or less
restrictive than needed. For example, where aesthetics are important, more restrictive limits may
be considered regarding impurities that would stain the concrete surface. The specifier should
ascertain that aggregates specified are or can be made available in the area of the work, with
regard to grading, physical, or chemical properties, or combination thereof.

1.3. This specification is also for use in project specifications to define the quality of aggregate, the
nominal maximum size of the aggregate, and other specific grading requirements. Those
responsible for selecting the proportions for the concrete mixture shall have the responsibility of
determining the proportions of fine and coarse aggregate and the addition of blending aggregate
sizes if required or approved.

1.4. The values stated in SI units are to be regarded as the standard. The values given in parentheses
are for information only.

1.5. The text of this standard references notes and footnotes that provide explanatory material.
These notes (excluding those in tables and figures) shall not be considered as requirements of
this standard.

2. REFERENCED DOCUMENTS

2.1. AASHTO Standards:

 M 80, Coarse Aggregate for Hydraulic Cement Concrete
 M 92, Wire-Cloth Sieves for Testing Purposes
 T 2, Sampling of Aggregates
 T 11, Materials Finer Than 75-μm (No. 200) Sieve in Mineral Aggregates by Washing
 T 21, Organic Impurities in Fine Aggregates for Concrete
 T 27, Sieve Analysis of Fine and Coarse Aggregates
 T 71, Effect of Organic Impurities in Fine Aggregate on Strength of Mortar
 T 103, Soundness of Aggregates by Freezing and Thawing

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  T 104, Soundness of Aggregate by Use of Sodium Sulfate or Magnesium Sulfate
 T 112, Clay Lumps and Friable Particles in Aggregate
 T 113, Lightweight Pieces in Aggregate
 T 161, Resistance of Concrete to Rapid Freezing and Thawing
 T 303, Accelerated Detection of Potentially Deleterious Expansion of Mortar Bars Due to
Alkali-Silica Reaction

2.2. ASTM Standards:

 C 227, Standard Test Method for Potential Alkali Reactivity of Cement-Aggregate
Combinations (Mortar-Bar Method)
 C 289, Standard Test Method for Potential Alkali-Silica Reactivity of Aggregates (Chemical
Method)
 C 295, Standard Guide for Petrographic Examination of Aggregates for Concrete
 C 586, Standard Test Method for Potential Alkali Reactivity of Carbonate Rocks as Concrete
Aggregates (Rock-Cylinder Method)
 C 1260, Standard Test Method for Potential Alkali Reactivity of Aggregates (Mortar-Bar
Method)
 C 1293, Standard Test Method for Determination of Length Change of Concrete Due to
Alkali-Silica Reaction
 STP 169D, Significance of Tests and Properties of Concrete and Concrete-Making Materials

3. ORDERING INFORMATION

3.1. The purchaser shall include the following information in the purchase order or contract
when applicable:

3.1.1. Reference to this specification, M 6, and year of issue;

3.1.2. Whether the deleterious substances limits for Class A or Class B apply, and limits on other
deleterious substances (Section 7.1 and Note 4);

3.1.3. If the sulfate soundness requirement is waived (Section 8.5);

3.1.4. In the case of the sulfate soundness test (Section 8.1), which salt is to be used; if none is stated,
either sodium sulfate or magnesium sulfate may be used;

3.1.5. If the supplementary requirement for reactive aggregates applies (Section S1); and

3.1.6. Any exceptions or additions to this specification.

4. GENERAL REQUIREMENTS

4.1. Fine aggregate shall consist of natural sand or manufactured sand or combinations thereof, having
hard, strong, durable particles.

4.2. Fine aggregate from different sources of supply shall not be mixed or stored in the same pile.

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5. GRADING

5.1. Fine aggregate, when tested by means of laboratory sieves, shall conform to the requirements of
Table 1, except as provided in Sections 5.2 and 5.3:
Table 1—Grading Requirements
Mass,
Sieve Percent Passing
9.5 mm (3/8 in.) 100
4.75 mm (No. 4) 95 to 100
2.36 mm (No. 8) 80 to 100
1.18 mm (No. 16) 50 to 85
600 μm (No. 30) 25 to 60
300 μm (No. 50) 10 to 30
150 μm (No. 100) 2 to 10

5.2. The minimum percent shown above for material passing the 300-μm (No. 50) and 150-μm
(No. 100) sieves may be reduced to 5 and 0, respectively, if the aggregate is to be used in air-
entrained concrete containing more than 237 kilograms of cement per cubic meter (400 lb/yd3)
or in non-air-entrained concrete containing more than 297 kilograms of cement per cubic meter
(500 lb/yd3) or if an approved mineral admixture is used to supply the deficiency in percent
passing these sieves. Air-entrained concrete is here considered to be concrete containing air-
entraining cement or an air-entraining agent and having an air content equal to or greater than
3.5 percent.

5.3. The fine aggregate shall have no more than 45 percent passing any sieve and retained on the next
consecutive sieve of those shown in Section 5.1, and its fineness modulus shall be no less than 2.3
nor more than 3.1.

5.4. Fine aggregate failing to meet the sieve analysis and fineness modulus requirements of
Sections 5.1, 5.2, or 5.3, may be accepted provided that concrete made with similar fine aggregate
from the same source has an acceptable performance record in similar concrete construction; or, in
the absence of a demonstrable service record, provided that it is demonstrated that concrete of the
class specified, made with the fine aggregate under consideration, will have relevant properties at
least equal to those of concrete made with the same ingredients with the exception that a reference
fine aggregate be used which is selected from a source having an acceptable performance record in
similar concrete construction.
Note 2—Fine aggregate that conforms to the grading requirements of a specification, prepared
by another organization such as a state transportation agency, which is in general use in the area,
should be considered as having a satisfactory service record with regard to those concrete
properties affected by grading.
Note 3—Relevant properties are those properties of the concrete, which are important to
the particular application being considered. STP 169D provides a discussion of important
concrete properties.

6. UNIFORMITY OF GRADING

6.1. For continuing shipments of fine aggregate from a given source, the fineness modulus shall not
vary more than 0.20 from the base fineness modulus. The base fineness modulus shall be that

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 value that is typical of the source. If necessary, the base fineness modulus may be changed when
approved by the purchaser.
Note 4—The base fineness modulus should be determined from previous tests, or if no previous
tests exist, from the average of the fineness modulus values for the first 10 samples (or all
preceding samples if less than 10) on the order. The proportioning of a concrete mixture may be
dependent on the base fineness modulus of the fine aggregate to be used. Therefore, when it
appears that the base fineness modulus is considerably different from the value used in selecting
proportions for the concrete mixture, a suitable adjustment in the mixture may be necessary.

7. DELETERIOUS SUBSTANCES

7.1. The amount of deleterious substances shall not exceed the following limits: (See Table 2.)
Table 2—Deleterious Substances Limits
Class A, Class B,
Max Mass, Max Mass,
percent percent
Clay lumps and friable particles 3.0 3.0
Coal and lignite 0.25 1.0
Material finer than 75-μm (No. 200) sieve:
a. In concrete subject to surface abrasion
not more than 2.0 4.0
b. All other classes of concrete, not more
than 3.0 5.0
Other deleterious substances (such as shale,
alkali, mica, coated grains, and soft and
flaky particles) Note 5 Note 5

Note 5—The purchaser or specifier, due to knowledge of the requirements of the work and the
constituents of locally available aggregate, should insert appropriate requirements when needed.

7.2. Organic Impurities:

7.2.1. Fine aggregate shall be free of injurious amounts of organic impurities. Except as herein provided,
aggregates subjected to the test for organic impurities and producing a color darker than the
standard shall be rejected.

7.2.2. A fine aggregate failing in the test may be used, provided that the discoloration is due principally
to the presence of small quantities of coal, lignite, or similar discrete particles.

7.2.3. A fine aggregate failing in the test may be used, provided that, when tested for the effect of
organic impurities on strength of mortar, the relative strength at seven days calculated in
accordance with T 71 is not less than 95 percent.

7.3. Fine aggregate used in concrete that will be subject to wetting, extended exposure to humid
atmosphere, or contact with moist ground shall not contain any components that are known to be
reactive with soluble alkalies from the concrete paste in an amount sufficient to cause deleterious
expansion of mortar or concrete without the accompanying use of some form of remediation in the
concrete which is known to prevent deleterious expansion due to alkali-silica reactivity. The
method chosen for prevention of ASR in any one situation will depend on the materials available
for remediation, the relative effectiveness of the available materials in preventing excessive
expansion due to alkali-silica reactivity, and the reactivity of the aggregate intended for use in the
concrete. (See Supplementary Requirement S1 and Appendix X1.)

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8. SOUNDNESS

8.1. Except as provided in Sections 8.2 through 8.5, fine aggregate subjected to five cycles of the
soundness test shall have a weighted average loss not greater than 10 percent when sodium sulfate
is used or 15 percent when magnesium sulfate is used.

8.2. Fine aggregate failing to meet the requirements of Section 8.1 may be accepted, provided that
concrete of comparable properties, made from similar aggregate from the same source, has given
satisfactory service when exposed to weathering similar to that to be encountered.

8.3. Fine aggregate not having a demonstrable service record and failing to meet the requirements of
Section 8.1 may be accepted, provided it gives satisfactory results in concrete subjected to freezing
and thawing tests. (See T 161.)

8.4. Fine aggregate failing to meet the requirements given in Section 8.1 may, at the option of the
purchaser or specifier, be subjected to an alternate freezing and thawing test of unconfined
aggregate and may be accepted provided it gives satisfactory results.
Note 6—The purchaser or specifier should determine the details of the evaluation and criteria for
determining satisfactory performance in Sections 8.2, 8.3, and 8.4.

8.5. The requirements for soundness given in Section 8.1 may be waived in the case of aggregate for
use in structures or portions of structures not exposed to weathering.

9. METHODS OF SAMPLING AND TESTING

9.1. Sampling and testing of fine aggregate shall be in accordance with the following methods of the
American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials:

9.1.1. Sampling—T 2;

9.1.2. Sieve Analysis and Fineness Modulus—T 27;

9.1.3. Clay Lumps and Friable Particles—T 112;

9.1.4. Lightweight Pieces in Aggregate—T 113, using a liquid of 2.0 specific gravity to remove the
particles of coal and lignite; only material that is brownish-black, or black, shall be considered
coal or lignite; coke shall not be classed as coal or lignite.

9.1.5. Materials Finer than 75 µm (No. 200)—T 11;

9.1.6. Organic Impurities—T 21;

9.1.7. Effect of Organic Impurities on Strength—T 71;

9.1.8. Sulfate Soundness—T 104;

9.1.9. Soundness (Unconfined Freezing and Thawing)—T 103; and

9.1.10. Freezing and Thawing of Concrete—T 161.

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SUPPLEMENTARY REQUIREMENT
The following supplementary requirement applies only when specifically stated in the order
or contract.

S1. REACTIVE AGGREGATE

S1.1. Potential Reactivity of Siliceous Aggregates—Alkali-silica reactions shall be mitigated either by a

performance specification as given in S1.1.1 or a prescriptive specification as given in S1.1.2:

S1.1.1. Performance Type—One of the following options shall be used:

S1.1.1.1. Obtain a service record of the aggregate in a service condition at least as severe as that in which it
is intended to be used, with similar cementitious materials having similar alkali content. If
satisfactory, no mitigation is necessary.

S1.1.1.2. Test the aggregate in accordance with T 303, ASTM C 1260, or ASTM C 1293. If the expansion is
less than 0.10 percent at 14 days after initial reading when tested in accordance with T 303 or
ASTM C 1260, or less than 0.04 percent at 1 year with ASTM C 1293, no mitigation is necessary.

S1.1.1.3. If reactive aggregates are used, testing shall be performed using the proposed materials
(aggregates, cementitious, and supplementary materials) in proportions to be used on the project
according to the selected test method(s). Selection of appropriate test methods to evaluate
mitigation effectiveness shall be based on the procedure’s ability to identify behavior of materials
that correlate well with field performance. An example of a test that has been used to evaluate
deleterious expansion and effectiveness of mitigation is T 303.

S1.1.1.4. If specified, T 303 test shall be used with the pozzolan or slag or blended cements to detect the
potential for deleterious expansion. The test shall be performed by using 440 grams of the
proposed blended cementitious materials, in the proportion to be used on the project, and 990
grams of the combined aggregates, in the proportions to be used on the project. For acceptance
using T 303, the expansion shall not exceed 0.10 percent at 14 days.

S1.1.2. Prescriptive Type—Use of prescriptive methods may not be adequate to prevent Alkali-silica
reactions for every combination of materials in all service environments. Limits and properties
established in prescriptive methods utilized by an agency should be based on proven field
performance of locally available materials. One of the following options shall be used:

S1.1.2.1. Select aggregates with proven field performance when similar cementitious materials having
similar alkali content are used.

S1.1.2.2. Use varying percentage of pozzolan or slag for different levels of alkali content of cement.

S1.1.2.3. Use lithium salts at a dosage rate of 1:1 LiOH.H2O: equivalent Na2O in the portland cement.

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APPENDIX
(Nonmandatory Information)

X1. METHODS FOR EVALUATING POTENTIAL REACTIVITY OF

AN AGGREGATE

X1.1. A number of methods for detecting potential reactivity have been proposed. However, they do not
provide quantitative information on the degree of reactivity to be expected or tolerated in service.
Therefore, evaluation of potential reactivity of an aggregate should be based upon judgment and
on the interpretation of test data and examination of concrete structures containing a combination
of fine and coarse aggregates and cements for use in the new work. Results of the following tests
will assist in making the evaluation:

X1.1.1. ASTM C 295—Certain materials are known to be reactive with the alkalies in cements. These
include the following forms of silica: opal, chalcedony, tridymite, and cristobalite; intermediate to
acid (silica-rich) volcanic glass such as is likely to occur in rhyolite, andesite, or dacite; and
certain constituents of some phyllites. Determination of the presence and quantities of these
materials by petrographic examination is helpful in evaluating potential alkali reactivity. Some of
these materials render an aggregate deleteriously reactive when present in quantities as little as
1.0 percent or even less.

X1.1.2. ASTM C 289—In this test, aggregates represented by points lying to the right of the solid line of
Figure 2 of Method C 289 usually should be considered potentially reactive.

X1.1.2.1. If Rc exceeds 70, the aggregate is considered potentially reactive if Sc is greater than Rc.

X1.1.2.2. If Rc is less than 70, the aggregate is considered potentially reactive if Sc is greater than
35 + (Rc /2).

X1.1.2.3. These criteria conform to the solid line curve given in Figure 2 of Method C 289. The test can be
made quickly and, while not completely reliable in all cases, can provide helpful information,
especially where results of the more time-consuming tests are not available.

X1.1.3. ASTM C 227—The results of this test, when made with a high-alkali cement, furnish information
on the likelihood of harmful reactions occurring. The alkali content of the cement should be
substantially above 0.6 percent (preferably above 0.8 percent) expressed as sodium oxide.
Combinations of aggregate and cement, which have produced excessive expansions in this test,
usually should be considered potentially reactive. While the line of demarcation between
nonreactive and reactive combinations is not clearly defined, expansion is generally considered to
be excessive if it exceeds 0.05 percent at three months or 0.10 percent in six months. Expansions
greater than 0.05 percent at three months should not be considered excessive where the six-month
expansion remains below 0.10 percent. Data for the three-month tests should be considered only
when six-month results are not available.

X1.1.3.1. In addition to its usefulness in research, this test method has been found useful in the selection of
aggregates of the so-called “sand-gravel” type found mainly in some parts of Kansas, Nebraska,
and Iowa, which contain very little coarse material, generally 5 to 15 percent retained on the
4.75-mm (No. 4) sieve. Much work has been done on the problems of using these aggregates
successfully in concrete and is reported in summary in the “Final Report of Cooperative Tests of
Proposed Tentative Method of Test for Potential Volume Change of Cement-Aggregate

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 Combinations,” Appendix to Committee C-9 Report, Proceedings, ASTM, Volume 54, 1954,
p. 356. It indicates that cement-aggregate combinations tested by this procedure in which
expansion equals or exceeds 0.200 percent at an age of 1 year may be considered unsatisfactory
for use in concrete exposed to wide variations of temperature and degree of saturation with water.
In that geographical region, the problem has been reduced through the use of partial replacement
of the “sand-gravel” with limestone coarse aggregate.

X1.1.4. Potential Reactivity of Carbonate Aggregates—The reaction of the dolomite in certain carbonate
rocks with alkalies in hydraulic cement paste has been found to be associated with deleterious
expansion of concrete containing such rocks as coarse aggregate. Carbonate rocks capable of such
reaction possesses a characteristic texture and composition. The characteristic texture is that in
which large crystals of dolomite are scattered in a finer-grained matrix of calcite and clay. The
characteristic composition is that in which the carbonate portion consists of substantial amounts
of both dolomite and calcite, and the acid-insoluble residue contains a significant amount of clay.
Except in certain areas, such rocks are of relatively infrequent occurrence and seldom make up a
significant proportion of the material present in a deposit of rock being considered for use in
making aggregate for concrete. ASTM C 586 has been successfully used in (1) research and
(2) preliminary screening of aggregate sources to indicate the presence of material with a potential
for deleterious expansions when used in concrete.

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