Estimation of coarse aggregate strength in high-strength concrete

This study presents a formula to directly estimate the compressive strength of a coarse aggregate particle to be used in high-strength concrete. Since the underlying idea of the strength estimation is derived from the theory of granular mechanics, the formula is expressed by means of concepts of the volume average of stress over a single granular particle. By using this formula, the compressive strengths of experimental data are compared with other aggregate properties obtained by conventional tests, such as hardness (Rockwell hardness tester), resistance to abrasion and degradation (Los Angles abrasion machine), soundness against weathering action, specific gravity, etc. From the comparison, it shows that there is a good correlation between the compressive strengths of aggregates and a few of the aforementioned engineering properties of coarse aggregates. The influence of aggregate strength on the compressive strength of high-strength concrete is significant. In general, the proposed rest method provides an additional approach to justify the quality and suitability of coarse aggregates to be used in high-strength concrete.