🏗️ Aggregates for concrete — product requirements, PN-EN 12620
In short
The product standard specifying the properties of aggregates and fillers intended for concrete — obtained from natural, manufactured and recycled sources. The test is performed according to PN-EN 12620+A1:2010 (wersja polska); Sources of aggregate covered: Natural, manufactured AND recycled, as well as mixtures of these materials. The procedure comprises 5 steps; it is used for: Specifying and assessing the conformity of aggregates intended for concrete, Factory production control at aggregate quarries and processing plants, Assessing recycled aggregates before use in concrete.
At a glance
- Standard: PN-EN 12620+A1:2010 (wersja polska)
- Category: Construction
- Procedure steps: 5
- Sources of aggregate covered: Natural, manufactured AND recycled, as well as mixtures of these materials
- Subject of the standard: The properties of aggregates and of FILLERS — both categories named separately in the scope
- Full designation: PN-EN 12620+A1:2010 — the +A1 element is part of the number
Overview
THE SCOPE FROM THE PKN CATALOGUE CARD, IN FULL: "The properties of aggregates and fillers - obtained by a natural, manufactured or recycling process - and of mixtures of these materials used for concrete are specified."
THREE SOURCES OF AGGREGATE IN ONE SENTENCE. The scope covers natural and manufactured aggregates and those FROM RECYCLING, as well as mixtures of these materials. The last category is often passed over in older commentaries, and its importance is growing. Recycled aggregate is subject to the same product standard as natural aggregate.
PLACE IN THE SYSTEM OF DOCUMENTS. Grading is determined to PN-EN 933-1 on sieves of the dimensions given by PN-EN 933-2, after reducing the sample to PN-EN 932-2 (all of them have their own entries in this knowledge base), using equipment to PN-EN 932-5. PN-EN 12620 says which results are admissible for aggregate for concrete. The analogous role for road aggregates is played by PN-EN 13043, described in this knowledge base.
WHAT THE WORD "PROPERTIES" IN THE SCOPE MEANS. The card says the standard "specifies the properties" — not that it gives one limit value for each of them. We do not know the form of those requirements, because we do not have the text; we therefore make no claim as to the form in which they are expressed. What is known is what they concern: the properties of aggregates and of fillers, and of mixtures of them.
THE +A1 ELEMENT IS PART OF THE DESIGNATION. The item in force is PN-EN 12620+A1:2010, available in Polish. A reference to "PN-EN 12620:2004" points to the document before the amendment. In this knowledge base the standard is cited by four entries. The catalogue card of this item gives neither an "Implements" nor a "Supersedes" field — unlike the cards of other product standards described in this knowledge base, e.g. PN-EN 206+A2:2021-08 and PN-EN 14214+A2:2019-05, which give both.
WHAT WE DO NOT GIVE. We do not have the text of the standard — PKN supplies it for a fee (KT 108 — the PKN technical committee for Aggregates and Building Stone). We therefore GIVE NO REQUIREMENT for any property: grading, particle shape, resistance to fragmentation, fines content, water absorption, freeze-thaw resistance or the content of contaminants.
REACH OF CITATIONS: ZERO. Reading of 23.09.2026 on the working copy of the accreditation-scope database: the string "EN 12620" does not occur in the reference-document field EVEN ONCE. A positive control in the same domain rules out silence of the tool: methods for testing aggregates stand in the scopes in large numbers — PN-EN 1097-x in 169 entries, PN-EN 1744-x in 59, PN-EN 933-8 in 46. WHAT THIS ZERO DOES NOT MEAN: it does not result merely from the fact that PN-EN 12620 is a requirements standard — the product standard PN-EN 197-1 (cement) stands in the reference-document field at 4 laboratories in 35 entries (the same copy, 23.09.2026). Why there is zero for PN-EN 12620, we have not established.
Method principle
Aggregate for concrete is described by a set of properties whose requirements are laid down by the product standard. Assessing conformity consists in carrying out tests to the method standards of the PN-EN 932 and PN-EN 933 series and then referring the results to the requirements of this standard for the declared use.
Applications
- Specifying and assessing the conformity of aggregates intended for concrete
- Factory production control at aggregate quarries and processing plants
- Assessing recycled aggregates before use in concrete
- The reference document for method entries on aggregate testing
Key parameters
| Parameter | Value |
|---|---|
| Sources of aggregate covered | Natural, manufactured AND recycled, as well as mixtures of these materials |
| Subject of the standard | The properties of aggregates and of FILLERS — both categories named separately in the scope |
| Full designation | PN-EN 12620+A1:2010 — the +A1 element is part of the number |
| Method standards it refers to | PN-EN 933-1 (grading), PN-EN 933-2 (sieves), PN-EN 932-2 (reducing samples), PN-EN 932-5 (equipment) |
| Requirements for the properties | NOT GIVEN — we do not have the text of the standard; nor do we claim in what form they are expressed |
| Language version | Available IN POLISH |
| Status | In force — the PKN card carries neither the heading "Withdrawn" nor a "Date of withdrawal" row (checked 15 September 2026) |
Standard
- Standard number
- PN-EN 12620+A1:2010 (wersja polska)
- Title (PL)
- Kruszywa do betonu
- Title (EN)
- Aggregates for concrete
Step-by-step procedure
-
Establish the intended use of the aggregate
Aggregate for concrete and aggregate for bituminous mixtures are subject to different product standards — this one concerns concrete.
-
Read the requirements from the standard
WE DO NOT GIVE THE REQUIREMENTS — they are in the text of the standard.
-
Carry out the tests to the method standards
Reduction of the sample to PN-EN 932-2, grading to PN-EN 933-1 on sieves to PN-EN 933-2.
-
Refer the results to the requirements
A result in itself does not pronounce on fitness — what pronounces is its relation to the requirement for the given use.
-
Record in the report
Give the full designation of the standard including the +A1 element.
Required equipment and apparatus
| Equipment | Example | Indicative price |
|---|---|---|
| No equipment of its own | The apparatus is specified by the method standards of the PN-EN 932 and PN-EN 933 series | — |
Reagents, media and consumables
| Reagent | CAS | Details |
|---|---|---|
| No reagents | — | A document of requirements for a product |
Health and safety (OHS)
- Dust is raised when sampling and sieving aggregates — with materials containing crystalline silica, respiratory protection is required
- Recycled aggregates may contain foreign contaminants, including sharp fragments — gloves are required
- TECHNICAL NOTE: the same aggregate may meet the requirements for concrete and fail those for bituminous mixtures — different product standards apply
Frequently asked questions
Which standard describes this test?
The test is performed according to PN-EN 12620+A1:2010 (wersja polska) — “Aggregates for concrete”.
How does this method work?
Aggregate for concrete is described by a set of properties whose requirements are laid down by the product standard. Assessing conformity consists in carrying out tests to the method standards of the PN-EN 932 and PN-EN 933 series and then referring the results to the requirements of this standard for the declared use.
What is the measuring range and accuracy?
Sources of aggregate covered: Natural, manufactured AND recycled, as well as mixtures of these materials; Subject of the standard: The properties of aggregates and of FILLERS — both categories named separately in the scope; Full designation: PN-EN 12620+A1:2010 — the +A1 element is part of the number; Method standards it refers to: PN-EN 933-1 (grading), PN-EN 933-2 (sieves), PN-EN 932-2 (reducing samples), PN-EN 932-5 (equipment).
How long does the test take?
The procedure comprises 5 steps. The standard does not give a duration for every stage — the laboratory's own procedure decides.
What equipment is required?
No equipment of its own.
Where is this test used?
Specifying and assessing the conformity of aggregates intended for concrete; Factory production control at aggregate quarries and processing plants; Assessing recycled aggregates before use in concrete; The reference document for method entries on aggregate testing.
What safety precautions apply?
Dust is raised when sampling and sieving aggregates — with materials containing crystalline silica, respiratory protection is required; Recycled aggregates may contain foreign contaminants, including sharp fragments — gloves are required; TECHNICAL NOTE: the same aggregate may meet the requirements for concrete and fail those for bituminous mixtures — different product standards apply.
Which laboratory can perform this test?
The test is performed by laboratories accredited to ISO/IEC 17025. On LabCoda you can find them by the standard number PN-EN 12620.