An Investigation on the Shape Factors of Aggregates

Abstract

The aggregate properties such as aggregate size distribution and aggregate shape distribution, affect the mechanical performance of concrete. Although shape of aggregates are computed using various computational methods in researches, it was not clear, which of them define the shape of an aggregate as a whole. This study aims to investigate the shape factors (two-dimensional) in defining the shape of an aggregate. Aggregates of size between 5 – 30 mm diameter were obtained from different batches of aggregate samples that underwent treatment of varied degrees of revolutions in LAAV. Fourteen different shape factors were quantified using image analysis techniques and were tested for ANOVA, regression, principal components and correlation analyses. No shape factor defined the shape of an aggregate individually, while several shape factors were highly correlated. A combination of at least three shape factors is required to define the shape of an aggregate numerically.