Aggregate is the sand, gravel, or crushed stone that makes up the bulk of a concrete mix by volume, bound together by cement paste. Coarse aggregate refers to gravel or crushed stone larger than about 3/16 inch; fine aggregate refers to sand.
The size, shape, and gradation of aggregate directly affect a mix's workability, strength, and finish. Mix-design methods like ACI 211 use aggregate size and fineness modulus to determine how much water, cement, and aggregate volume a batch needs.
Why it matters for washout: Aggregate settles out of washout water relatively quickly, but the fine particles and cement paste that remain suspended are what make washout slurry alkaline and require containment.
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