Pea gravel — Dutch “kif” — is ungraded river gravel or river sand consisting of grains of about 2 to 5 mm (kif 2-5) or 3 to 8 mm (kif 3-8). The distinctive feature is that the fine fractions (the fine sand) are missing; the material is a narrow, “screened” grain group. It is also known as grit.
Properties
- Narrow grain size distribution — all the grains lie close together in size
- Water-permeable — because the fine parts are missing, water runs through it well
- Rounded or semi-angular — river gravel is usually rounded
Application
- Filter and drainage material — for example around drainage pipes or in wellpoint dewatering
- Road building — as a wearing or dressing layer
- Decorative — as ornamental gravel in gardens and on paths
- Gravel concrete — concrete in which pea gravel is used as aggregate
Points to note
- Structural concrete calls for tested, graded aggregates; pea gravel is ungraded and so not readily suitable for load-bearing work
- The grain size determines the use: choose 2-5 or 3-8 depending on filtering action or desired appearance
- As drainage gravel, pea gravel works well precisely because it contains no fine material that can silt up
Related terms
- Concrete
- Gravel concrete
- Drainage
- Wellpoint dewatering
- Grain size
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