Aggregate-Dependent Approach to Formulate and Predict Properties of High-Strength and Very-High-Strength Concrete

Abstract

The importance of selecting suitable aggregates in very-high-strength concrete (VHSC) (>100 MPa) and high-strength concrete (HSC) (50–100 MPa) formulations and quantifying their influence on the mechanical properties is the focus of this study. The effect of two aggregate types, basalt and granite, on hardened properties was investigated. The study showed that selecting suitable aggregate is vital to produce VHSC with compressive strengths up to 150 MPa or more, and suitable aggregate types are proposed. The currently available models cannot predict the properties of HSC and VHSC accurately considering the aggregate effects. Finally, using results of present experimental program and the literature, new expressions including aggregate density as the aggregate parameter are proposed to formulate and predict elastic modulus of HSC and VHSC.