Aggregate is the term we use to describe the sand, stone and gravel used in the construction industry. Whether you realize it or not, all of our buildings and modern infrastructure rely on this resource, making it vital to our modern way of life. For a resource that’s so prevalent in our society, it’s surprising that most people are unaware of how much they rely on it or the aggregate equipment necessary in its production. That’s why we’ve put together this collection of our favourite aggregate facts! Hopefully, you’ll learn something new. 

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Aggregate In Daily Life

Here’s how much aggregate it takes to construct some everyday items:

  • 2,000-4,000 tonnes to make a hospital or school
  • 30,000 tonnes for 1km of highway
  • 16,000 tonnes for 1km of railroad
  • 100-300 tonnes for an average-sized home
  • 91,200 tonnes for 1km of a subway line

Aggregate is used in buildings and roads to provide a strong foundation, supply adequate draining which prevents floods and creates a flat, stable building surface. Concrete is made up of 60-75% aggregate and asphalt is about 90-95% aggregate. 

Ground aggregate is used to manufacture paper, paint, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, toothpaste, chewing gum, and sugar. We just couldn’t live well without it!

Aggregate Equipment 

A collection of crushers, grinders, feeders, and screens are used to produce high-quality aggregate. 

Jaw crushers and cone crushers are powerful machines designed to create a homogeneously sized product. Typically there are two categories for aggregate sizing: coarse and fine. Coarse aggregate is made up of particles that are greater than 4.75mm in size and fine aggregate is smaller. 

There are a variety of feeders and screens which classifies aggregate by size. An HR Heavy Duty Scalping Screen can quickly sort larger boulders and riprap, while our HR Incline Vibrating Screen sorts finer material. The choice of screen depends on the aggregate you’re working with. If you want to learn more about aggregate screening equipment, make sure to send us a message. 

Aggregates Can Be Recycled

Aggregates are some of the most recycled materials on Earth. Asphalt and concrete from old roads and buildings can be collected, crushed, sized, and used just like any other aggregate product on construction sites. They can even be used to make more concrete or asphalt!

Recycling aggregates is most efficient when a portable plant is used to collect and crush the material on-site. This eliminates the transportation necessary to bring the product to a recycling plant, reducing costs and pollution. Our team of expert engineers can build portable plants to fulfill a variety of aggregate operations.

Do you know any other facts about aggregate or aggregate equipment? If you have a fact to share or want to know anything more about our equipment, make sure to send our team of experts a message.