A Study of Fine Aggregate Properties and Their Effect on the Quality of Cementitious Composite Materials

Abstract

Aggregate is a major constituent of composite building materials. Therefore, aggregate characteristics have an important influence on mortar properties. The objective of this paper is to study the properties and therefore determine the suitability of crushed fine aggregates used in the production of cement mortars. Standardized tests were performed on aggregate samples of different mineralogical composition quarried in Cyprus. Correlations between (i) the soundness coefficient and other physicomechanical properties of the aggregates tested, such as their resistance to degradation by abrasion in the Micro-Deval apparatus, water absorption, sand equivalent and methylene blue values and (ii) the quality of fine aggregates and of the final product were investigated. X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) analyses were also carried out, in order to determine the mineralogical and chemical composition of the samples under study. While no correlations were observed among most of the aggregate properties investigated, the effect of aggregate characteristics on the quality of mortars was clearly evident in the case of diabase aggregates.