An investigation of the relation between ten per cent fines load and crushing value tests of aggregates (U.K.)

Ten per cent fines load and ACV tests are two well accepted tests for assessing the mechanical properties of aggregates. While the load producing ten per cent fines is determined in the former test, the amount of fines produced under 40 ton load is given as ACV in the latter test. Both tests are standardised in the U.K. and carried out in the same way, on the approximately same amount of aggregate. Shergold and Hosking (1959) showed for a number of materials including two rock types that the fines versus load relation in the aggregate crushing test gave a non-linear relation. They also suggested that there was a linear relation between 7.5 to 12.5% fines range, passing through the coordinates (0.–4) in the fines versus load diagram, irrespective of rock types. Based on this assumption, they proposed a means of estimating the ten per cent fines load of aggregate from the crushing test. This method was also accepted by the British Standards (BS 812-1975). The analysis of experimental and published aggregate test results indicate that the fines versus load relation of aggregates is linear and has a varying intercept and slope in the fines versus load diagram. Based on this concept, a diagram was produced to determine the ACV of aggregates from the ten per cent fines load, or vice versa. In general, an acceptable fit was obtained between the best fitting line to the test results and the proposed relation except for the ACV greater than 30. The proposed relation is not only very simple to apply, but also enables the determination of any per cent of fines load from a minimum number of experiments. Additionally, the proposed relation between the ten per cent fines load and the ACV of aggregates increased the applicability of the specifications which are often given in terms of one of the aggregate test results or determination of an aggregate property from other known properties.