The Main Types of Aggregates

Aggregates are a type of construction and building material, made from composites like concrete and asphalt. The term ‘aggregate’ is used to describe a range of coarse and fine matter that is often mixed with other materials. As there are many classifications of aggregates, they are often divided into three kinds: 

• Lightweight aggregate
• Normal aggregate
• Heavyweight aggregate

They are the most mined materials in the world due to their durability and strength, and can also be easily recycled. The main types of aggregates within these categories are crushed stone, gravel, sand and fill, all of which are commonly used for construction and building purposes. 

Crushed Stone

Crushed stone as an aggregate covers a range of different materials, the most common are limestone, granite, slate and sandstone, but it depends on general geological conditions. Crushed stone is mainly utilised in road construction as it’s used to make asphalt. The shape of crushed stone makes it compact, allowing pieces to interlock into place and giving a road its strength. Other popular uses of crushed stone is making cement for driveways and concrete for office buildings, given its sturdy, long-lasting and weather-resistant qualities. 

Gravel 

Gravel is commonly used for decorative purposes, the construction of driveways and the construction of paths. In fact, approximately half of the construction gravel is used as aggregate for concrete. Gravel itself consists of loose rock fragments and comes in a range of different sizes. 

This aggregate is extremely easy to lay and maintain, is versatile and is also weather resistant. Gravel isn’t an expensive material, which is why it is so commonly used in construction and landscaping, saving money on concrete creating and road foundations. You can get quality construction aggregates like gravel with SCB Oxford Ltd. 

Sand 

Sand is an aggregate that is separated into two categories, coarse and fine (fine sand is sieved separately to coarse). This type of material is classified as any natural sand particles obtained from land during the mining process, and can be used as a general term to describe other aggregates such as gravel. 

Sand is commonly used in construction to bulk out, support, strengthen and stabilise other construction materials like asphalt and concrete. Only certain types of sand can be used for this purpose, as not all have the right resistant qualities. It’s also a key feature when joining bricks or stone, or creating a high-quality mortar for plaster. It’s unusual to find a construction project that doesn’t include the use of sand. 

Fill

The term ‘fill’ refers to an aggregate that’s used to raise ground levels artificially, whether it’s filling in a hole or levelling out a surface. Fill comes in the form of common fill, clean fill and silt fill, all of which are used for different projects. Fill has the appearance of natural soil and so is commonly used for garden and aesthetic purposes. 

Here at SCB Oxford Ltd, we offer a wide range of aggregates used for commercial, domestic and industrial purposes. As an aggregate supplier, we offer affordable solutions to every customer. Get in touch with us for information on the services we provide and visit our aggregates page to learn more.