Effect of specific gravity of coarse aggregate on interfacial transition zone,permeability,and strength of concrete

Abstract

This study presents results on the influence of specific gravity of coarse aggregate on the interfacial transition zone, permeability, and strength of concrete. The aggregate variables studied in this work were specific density (0·85, 1·20, 1·80, 2·65) and water / cement ratio (0·25, 0·40, 0·55, 0·70). Experimental tests included determining the interfacial transition zone hardness, the carbonation depth, and the mechanical strength of the concrete specimen. The experimental results showed that there was a quantifiable relationship between the specific gravity of the aggregate and the water/cement ratio: the properties of the interface and the strength of the concrete were best when the specific gravity of the coarse aggregate was higher than that of the water and lower than that of the cement.