Natural aggregates

The general term ‘natural aggregates’ refers to the granular materials obtained by crushing natural stones or natural alluvial deposits from the sea and elsewhere (mainly solid stones) and/or by sieving.

Based on the desired use, we distinguish three major categories of natural aggregates, each of which has its own field of application: fine, coarse and all-in aggregates.

Fine and coarse aggregates are commonly used as raw materials in the production of:

• ready-to-use concrete for road construction (roads, bicycle paths, car parks ...), for linear prefabricated concrete elements (curbs, gutters, partitions, sewer pipes ...), for civil engineering structures (concrete bridges, buildings, tiles ...) ...
• bituminous mixtures for road construction (roads, cycle paths, car parks ...) ...

All-in aggregates are generally used as pavement in road construction (sub-foundation, connected and unconnected foundations ...).

• COPRO takes random samples of aggregates at the production unit.
• It oversees the laboratory responsible for the manufacturer’s factory production control.
• It checks the results obtained by the manufacturer as part of factory production control.

• The delivery note indicates a specific code for the aggregate based on its intrinsic and production characteristics.
• The delivery note mentions PTV 411, the BENOR logo and the unique number of the production unit.
• The list of the certified products of each production unit can be consulted at www.procertus.be.

• The producer regularly checks the characteristics of the aggregate, thus continuously guaranteeing correspondence with the certified code.
• Thanks to this factory production control, which is periodically monitored by an accredited external inspection body such as COPRO, possible deviations or defects are limited as much as possible (reproducibility of the results, compliance with the standards by the factory production control lab, and the methods used in the internal test ...).

A good natural aggregate contributes to controlling the applications in which it is used because its certified properties are constant. Good control in turn improves the quality of the finished products in which it is used. Moreover, the aggregate’s code is often stated in the specifications for each possible application. Thus it helps in choosing the right aggregate.

CE Documents

• REGULATION (EU) No 305/2011 OF THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT AND OF THE COUNCIL of 9 March 2011 laying down harmonised conditions for the marketing of construction products and repealing Council Directive 89/106/EEC
• Amendments to Regulation 305/2011

European Standards (Technical Specifications)

• EN 12620 “Aggregates for concrete”.
• EN 13043 “Aggregates for bituminous mixtures and surface treatments for roads, airfields and other trafficked areas”.
• EN 13055-1 “Lightweight aggregates - Part 1: Lightweight aggregates for concrete, mortar and grout”.
• EN 13055-2 “Lightweight aggregates - Part 2 Lightweight aggregates for unbound and bound applications”.
• EN 13139 “Aggregates for mortar”.
• EN 13242 “Aggregates for unbound and hydraulic bound materials for use in civil engineering work and road construction”.
• EN 13383-1 “Armourstone Part 1: Specification”.
• EN 13450 “Aggregates for railway ballast”.

BENOR (Technical specifications)

• PTV 411 (Technical Prescriptions) “Codification of the aggregates in accordance with the standards NBN EN 12620, NBN EN 13043, NBN EN 13139 and NBN EN 13242”.
• RNR 01 (Regulatory Note) - Adjustment, calibration and control of measuring and testing equipment.

PROCERTUS certification regulations

CE

• CRC CE 105: “Assessment and verification of constancy of performance of the FPC in the context of CE marking of system 2+ by PROCERTUS (in application of Annex V of the CPR)”.
• TRA CE 410: “Regulations for the attestation by PROCERTUS of the conformity of the FPC in the context of the CE marking of aggregates in accordance with European standards”.

BENOR

• “TRA 411 Part C”: Product certification regulation: This part consists of a general part, supplemented by certification procedures specific to the product/area of application concerned, which are included in the “specific annexes” part”. These annexes contain all special provisions regarding the granting of the certificate, the use and the control of the BENOR quality mark for the product or product group concerned.
• “TRA 411 Part P”: Provisions for the Producer: This section contains all the provisions that must be applied by the producer in its process.
• “TRA 411 Part E”: Provisions for the External Control: This part contains all the provisions and schemes for external control applied by the inspection bodies and the control laboratories.

As well as the accompanying annexes and circulars to these documents