What is Aggregate in Construction?

Print anything with Printful



Aggregate materials such as gravel, sand, and crushed stone are used in construction to provide support for structures. They can be recycled and used in new buildings, roads, and other infrastructure projects. Companies mine these materials from granite, trapped rock, and limestone and market them for various applications including erosion control and water purification.

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 make concrete or asphalt. These materials are easily recyclable and are usually reused for new buildings.
An aggregate is the single component within a material. It typically provides volume to the material or prevents stress caused by compression. Gravel, for example, is considered concrete aggregate. It has a specific particle size of 0.079 to 2.5 inches (2-64mm). Sand is another component of concrete with a particle size of 0.0025 to 0.0787 inches (0.0625 to 2 mm).

When combined with other materials, these particles provide support for an entire structure. In concrete, gravel and sand together provide the right support when the mix hardens. Asphalt materials play a similar role.

Aggregates find their way into several applications. For example, gravel is used to pave some types of roads and provides support for railroad tracks. The sand is used in agriculture to grow crops and along the coast to replenish the beaches eroded by the waves. Crushed stones are another type of aggregate used in road construction.

Most types of aggregates are recyclable. They are usually solved after the demolition of old buildings or the demolition of concrete blocks. These are recycled to build new roads or some other type of construction. This could include homes, buildings or industrial facilities.

Several companies produce these materials. They usually mine the materials from granite, trapped rock and limestone. The process begins with sandblasting 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 market aggregates for infrastructure projects. Much of the aggregate is used as the base material for highways, runways, walkways and parking lots. They can also be combined with other raw materials to build structures.

Another way companies market this substance is by supporting erosion control along waterways. Aggregate constituents also aid in water purification and filtration. When water passes through small rocks, impurities are usually filtered out of the water.




Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN


Skip to content