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Cement & Concrete Technology Home > FAQs > Saturated Surface Dry

Q: What is meant by "saturated surface dry condition" of aggregates?

A: Saturated Surface Dry describes the condition of the aggregate in which the pores in each particle of the aggregate particle are filled with water and no excess water is on the particle surface. This allows the absorption and the specific gravity of the aggregate to be measured. Moisture content of aggregate is described by four categories:

Moisture content categories of aggregate

The following are examples of how the moisture content of an aggregate affects the mixture proportioning of concrete:

Example 1: If an aggregate had zero moisture content and an absorption value of 2%, then the water added to the concrete mixture would be increased by 2% of the weight of the aggregate to achieve the desired water cement ratio.

Example 2: If an aggregate had a 6% moisture content and an absorption value of 2% then the water for the concrete mixture would be decreased by 6% - 2% = 4% times the weight of the aggregate to maintain the desired water cement ratio.

 
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