Effect of Aggregate Size Distribution on Concrete Compressive Strength 35 SUST Journal of Science and Technology, ol! "#, $o!

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Effect of Aggregate Size Distribution on Concrete Compressive Strength

(Submitted: June 10, 2012; Accepted for Publication: November 29, 2012) ! "! #a$ue%&' (! A! )uhin* and !S!S! +arid, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Shah-alal University of Science and Technology, Sylhet, .angladesh! &Department of Civil Engineering, /orld University of .angladesh, Dha0a, .angladesh &Email: bashir,cee1sust!edu

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Abstract
Effects of size distribution of both fine and coarse aggregate and maximum coarse aggregate size on concrete compressive strength ere ana!"zed# $ther variab!es !i%e ater cement ratio, aggregate cement ratios ere %ept constant and on!" 2& da"s compressive strength as measured to eva!uate the resu!t# 'ixtures of ("!het sand and !oca! sand ere used as fine aggregate and stone chips ere used as coarse aggregate# ) e!ve set of c"!inders ere crushed ith different combination of fine aggregate having fineness modu!us of 2#0, 2#5 and 3#0 and coarse aggregate having fineness modu!us of *#0, *#5, +#0 and +#5# 'aximum size of coarse aggregates as 1#5 inch# ,rom this stud" it as observed that compressive strength of concrete increases ith the increase of the fineness modu!us of both fine and coarse aggregate# 'aximum compressive strength as found 3#&+ %si for concrete having fineness modu!us for fine and coarse aggregate as 3#0 and +#5 respective!" ith mix ratio 1-2-.# /ompressive strength of concrete increases up to the maximum aggregate size of 1#5 inch# 0t as a!so found that compressive strength has no !inear re!ationship ith the combine fineness modu!us of aggregate# -e. /ords- 1rading, ,ineness 'odu!us, 2ggregate, /ompressive (trength, 'ix 3atio

%! (ntroduction
/ompressive strength is the main 4ua!itative measure of concrete# )he 2& da"s strength is the most common practices emp!o"ed to determine the concrete compressive strength# )o ensure the strength of hardened concrete, testing of * inch 5 12 inch c"!inder is the norma! practices since !ong 617# 0t has been genera!!" accepted that if the aggregate vo!umes are so chosen that the pac%ing densit" of the combined aggregates is maximum then the amount of cementations paste vo!ume re4uired for a given amount of or%abi!it" 8i#e# s!ump9 is reduced to a minimum# 'aximum aggregate pac%ing densit" can be achieved using the e!! graded aggregate# 1rading of aggregate means partic!e size distribution of the aggregate# :rincip!e of grading is that the sma!!er size partic!es fi!! up the voids !eft in !arger size partic!es# ;" adopting proper percentages, of various size aggregates, composite aggregate mix can be deve!oped hich i!! be thorough!" graded# :roper!" graded aggregate produces dense concrete and needs sma!!er 4uantities of fine aggregate and cement# )he grading of aggregate is expressed in terms of percentages b" eight retained on a series of standard sieves# (ieves as the mesh size of 1#5 inch, 0#+5inch, 0#3+5inch, 0#1&+inch ,0#093+inch sieve are used for grading of coarse aggregate and 0#3+5inch, 0#1&+inch, 0#093+, 0#0.*9inch, 0#0232inch, 0#011+inch and 0#0059inch are used for fine aggregate 62,37# )he main ob<ectives of this research is to eva!uate the change of concrete compressive strength due to changing of aggregate fineness modu!us 8,'9 a!ong ith aggregate grading, maximum size of coarse aggregate and aggregate combine fineness modu!us#

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2! .! 3a4ue , 5! A! Tuhin and 2! S! 6arid

*!

ethodolog. and 0aborator. (nvestigation

*!% Properties of Concrete (ngredients )he ingredients of the concrete mix ere cement, fine aggregate, coarse aggregate and ater# No admixture as used in this stud"# /ement is a binder, a substance hich sets and hardens independent!" and can bind other materia!s together# $rdinar" :ort!and /ement as used as binding materia!s for the preparation of fresh concrete# )he aggregate most of hich passes through No# .80#1&+ inch9 sieve are c!assified as fine aggregate 6.7# ,ine aggregate used in this stud" ere sieved in !aborator" to obtain predefined ,' and grading# )he fine aggregate ere than ashed ith ater and dried in air before use# )he properties of the aggregate ere measured first in the !aborator"# )hree different samp!es ere prepared ith ,' of 2#0, 2#5 and 3#0# 1radation curves of the fine aggregate having different ,' ere dra n hich is sho n in ,igure 1 and compared ith the standard gradation zone of fine aggregate recommended b" 2()' standard 627# 1radation of samp!e having ,' 2#0 and 3#0 fa!!s partia!!" outside the standard gradation zone and samp!e having ,' 2#5 are ithin the standard gradation !imit#

+igure %- 1radation /urve of fine aggregate ith standard gradation

2ggregate usua!!" occupies about +0 to +5 percent of the tota! vo!ume of the mass of concrete, in hich the coarse aggregate ta%es the ma<or part# 2s such its se!ection and proportioning shou!d be given carefu!!" attention in order to contro! the 4ua!it" of the concrete structures# /oarse aggregate having different size distribution ere used in this stud"# 1#5 inch do ngrade, 0#+5 inch do ngrade and 0#5 inch do ngrade aggregate ere used ith fineness modu!us of *#0, *#5, +#0 and +#5# :roperties of these aggregate ere determined in the !aborator"# )he maximum size of coarse aggregate depends upon the nature of or% for hich the concrete is used# =iterature 627 revea!s that concrete compressive strength increases upto a maximum aggregate size of 1#5 inch# ,rom a stand point of minimum void space round aggregate are more desirab!e that irregu!ar# ,rom the stand point of abi!it" to bond ith the mortar, the rounded aggregate ma" be inferior, ho ever so that in genera! the shape of the partic!es i!! be found to be much !ess important that their size and hardness# )hin f!at pieces shou!d be discarded# (amp!e coarse aggregate ere prepared in !aborator" to obtain the predefine ,' and grading !i%e as fine aggregate# 1radation of these samp!es are sho n in ,igure 2 to 5 sho ing their standard zone#

Effect of Aggregate Size Distribution on Concrete Compressive Strength

,ig- 2 1radation /urve of (amp!e having ,'>*#0

,ig- 3 1radation /urve of (amp!e having ,'>*#5

,ig- . 1radation /urve of (amp!e having ,'>+#0

,ig- 5 1radation /urve of (amp!e having ,'>+#5

*!* Preparation of Concrete C.linder ) e!ve set of /"!inder ere prepared# ,' of fine aggregate and coarse aggregate of each set of c"!inder ere distinct# ,or examp!e, ,' of fine aggregate and coarse aggregate for c"!inder set one ere 2#0 and *#0 respective!" and incase of c"!inder set t o, ,' of fine aggregate and coarse aggregate ere 2#0 and *#5 respective!"# ?ater cement ratio ere %ept same 80#59 for a!! the concrete mixture# /ement, sand, aggregate ratio as a!so uniform ith ratio of 1-2-.# 2t beginning, aggregate of predefined fineness modu!us ere prepared b" sieving the ra aggregate# ,ine aggregate and coarse of different combination of ,' ere mix cement ith the mix ratio of 1-2-.# )hen ater as added to ma%e or%ab!e concrete past# 2!! mixtures ere done on eight basis# 'ixing of concrete ere performed b" hand mo!ding#

,! 1esults and Discussion

@igher fineness modu!us of aggregate represents !arger aggregate size# /ompressive strength of aggregate are c!ose!" re!ated ith the aggregate grading as e!! as size a!so# 1enera!!" concrete compressive strength increases ith the increase of aggregate fineness modu!us, size of aggregate# 0f size of aggregate in concrete increases, surface area i!! reduce# )hen 4uantit" of cementing materia!s per unit surface area i!! increase hich increase bond stress ith resu!ting increase of concrete compressive strength#

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2! .! 3a4ue , 5! A! Tuhin and 2! S! 6arid

)he change of concrete compressive strength ith fineness modu!us of coarse aggregate 8/2,'9 is sho n in ,igure *# ,rom figure, it can be stated that compressive strength increases ith the increases of coarse aggregate fineness modu!us# 0ncrease of fine aggregate fineness modu!us 8,2,'9 a!ong ith the increase /2,', concrete compressive strength increases in a significant amount# Aamruzzaman et a!# 657 a!so found simi!ar resu!t and sho ed that maximum compressive strength as observed ith fineness modu!us of fine aggregate of 2#&1# =o er ,' of both fine aggregate and coarse aggregate sho comparative!" !o compressive strength# 'aximum compressive strength as found as 3#&+ %si hen fineness modu!us of both fine and coarse aggregate ere maximum 83#0 and +#5 respective!"9 and ere e!! graded# ,ine aggregate having fineness modu!us 2#0 is not e!! graded as compared to 2()' grading re4uirement hich is sho n in ,igure 1 thatBs h" it gives !o compressive strength#

,ig *- /hange of concrete compressive strength ith the fineness modu!us of course aggregate

,ig +- /hange of concrete compressive strength ith the fineness modu!us of fine aggregate

)he change of concrete compressive strength ith variation of fineness modu!us of fine aggregate is sho n in ,igure +# )his figure a!so represents that compressive strength increases ith the increases of fineness modu!us of fine aggregate and coarse aggregate# /oarse aggregate having fineness modu!us *#0 is not e!! graded according to 2()' / 33>93 grading re4uirement thatBs h" it gives !o compressive strength# 2ggregate up to 1#5 inch maximum size, concrete compressive strength increases# 2ggregate above 1#5 in maximum size the gain in strength due to the reduced ater re4uirement is offset b" the detrimenta! effect of !o er bond area and of discontinuities introduced b" the ver" !arge partic!es 627# 3e!ation of concrete compressive strength ith maximum size of coarse aggregate is sho n in ,igure &# /oncrete compressive strength increases rapid!" due change of maximum aggregate size up to 0#+5 inch# ,urther increase of maximum aggregate size has sma!! contribution to concrete compressive strength#

Effect of Aggregate Size Distribution on Concrete Compressive Strength

,ig &- 0nf!uence of maximum size of aggregate on compressive strength of concrete

,ig 9 - 3e!ation of concrete compressive strength ith combine fineness modu!us of aggregate!

3esponse of concrete compressive strength ith combined fineness modu!us of aggregate is a!so ana!"zed and sho n in ,igure 9# ,rom figure, there is no !inear re!ationship of concrete compressive strength ith the combine fineness modu!us of aggregate#

2! Conclusion
2 sma!! sca!e !aborator" base stud" as presented in this paper# 3esu!t states that compressive strength of concrete are strong!" inf!uenced b" aggregate size distribution as e!! as fineness modu!us# Cue to the increase of the fineness modu!us of aggregate, compressive strength increases considerab!"# 'aximum compressive as achieved 3#&+ %si for the concrete ith fineness modu!us of fine and coarse aggregate 3#0 and +#5 respective!"# 'inimum strength as found 2#+ %si for the concrete ith fineness modu!us of fine and coarse aggregate 2#0 and *#0 respective!"# /ompressive strength a!so increases ith the increases of maximum aggregate size up to 1#5 inch# ,ina!!" is observed that though concrete compressive strength is inf!uenced b" aggregate ,' but it is independent to combined fineness modu!us of aggregate#

1eferences
617 '#'# 0s!am et a!#, Effect of (pecimen (ize on the /ompressive (trength of ;ric% 2ggregate 1rading, ;#(c# Engineering )hesis, Cepartment of /ivi! Engineering, Cha%a Dniversit" of Engineering and )echno!og", 1azipur, ;ang!adesh 820059# 627 2#'# Nevi!!e, :roperties of /oncrete, ,ourth and ,ina! Edition, :earson Education 820059 637 1# (ingh and J# (ingh, ;ui!ding 'ateria!s, )hird Edition, (tandard :ub!ishers Cistributors 8199&#9 6.7 '# 2# 2ziz, Engineering 'ateria!s, ,irst Edition 819959# 657 '# Aamruzzaman e! a!, Effect of ,ine 2ggregate (ize on )he :roperties of ;ric% 2ggregate /oncrete, ;#(c# Engineering )hesis, Cepartment of /ivi! Engineering, Cha%a Dniversit" of Engineering and )echno!og", 1azipur, ;ang!adesh 8200.9#