When you hear about construction materials, aggregates are often overlooked. They do not look appealing and glamorous because after all, they’re just rocks.
With that said, aggregates are literally the building blocks in our society. Aggregate production goes way back to the Roman Empire, and has since become critical to the world’s growth.
Aggregates are the most basic material used in construction. They provide the foundation for roads, bridges, buildings, while also making up 90% of asphalt pavement and up to 80% of concrete mix.
In this blog, your Lakeland trucking team will be discussing why aggregates matter, and how they’re essential today and in the future ahead.
What are aggregates?
Not only are aggregates the building blocks of our society, they are also prevalent in our daily lives. The average American requires roughly 10,000 tons of aggregate per year.
We would not have glass and plastic without sand, or pennies without zinc. Quartz gives us silica for computer parts and limestone gives us calcium carbonate for antacids. Aggregates are also used in air and water filtration and purification, respectively.
Aggregates in Construction
In terms of construction projects, aggregates are used for concrete mixes. For this, aggregates must be clean, hard, strong particles free of absorbed chemical coatings of clay and other fine materials.
Aggregates make up 60-75% of the total volume of concrete, and is divided into two distinct categories, fine and coarse. Fine aggregates usually consist of natural sand and stone, while coarse aggregates consist of gravel and crushed stone.
Aggregates being hauled by your Florida trucking professionals strongly influence concrete’s freshly mixed and hardened properties, mixture proportions and economy.
Characteristics of Aggregates are as follows:
- Grading
- Durability
- Particle shape and surface texture
- Abrasion and skid resistance
- Unit weight and voids
- Absorption and surface moisture
What Makes An Aggregate Good Aggregate
Aggregates must have predictable, uniform, and consistent materials properties. They must be clean and dry before being used.
Aggregates’ quality depends on how they are processed, as they are mined, crushed, washed, and separated.
Work with the Aggregate Hauling Experts Today
Here at Trans-Phos, we’re guaranteed Lakeland trucking experts in construction hauling and bulk transportation of aggregates for over 40 years. Being our client’s partners in different projects represent the depth of our services and capabilities.
We can’t wait to be your hauling partner today!