Short-term Study of the Influence of Aggregate Size on the Fire Resistance of Concrete

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the effect of aggregate size on the fire resistance of concrete. The binder for this investigation was 42.5R CEM II/A-L Portland limestone cement, and the crushed granite sizes were 20mm, 12.5mm, and a blend (20 mm + 12.5 mm). The concrete was designed with a mix ratio of 1:2:4 (batching by weight) and 0.55w/c. The workability of the concrete was determined using the slump method. The concrete specimens were cured for 7, 14, and 28 days by immersion and later exposed to heat temperatures of 26.8 °C (Room temperature), 60 °C, 120 °C, 180 °C, and 240 °C. The compressive strength of normal concrete (without heating) had the optimum with concrete produced with blended aggregate size and conversely the least with 20mm aggregate size concrete. When subjected to heat, the optimal performance noted for the influence of aggregate size on fire resistance was also with concrete produced with combined blend (20 mm + 12.5 mm) sizes. The p-value (Prob > F) for the whole model test is less than 0.05, indicating that there is a significant relationship between the grain size, temperature, and strength loss. The use of blended sizes of 12.5 mm and 20 mm is therefore recommended for concrete works and especially when fire resistance is a requirement.