Experimental Assessment of Structure and Coarse Aggregate Size Effects
on the Mechanical Properties of Concrete
Abstract
This study evaluated the effects of specimen and coarse aggregate sizes
on the mechanical properties (compressive strength, modulus of
elasticity, and Poisson’s ratio) of concrete. Cylindrical specimens of
three concrete grades (C25, C45, C60) with two different coarse
aggregate sizes (16 and 25 mm), and four specimen sizes (0.66 × 10
3, 1.57 × 10 3, 5.30 × 10
3, and 12.56 × 10 3 cm
3) were tested under static loading. The results
reveal that smaller specimens consistently exhibited higher compressive
strength and modulus of elasticity, with compressive strength reductions
ranging from 51.54% to 56.42% as specimen size increased. Lower-grade
concrete (C25) was more sensitive to size effects, while higher-grade
concrete (C60) exhibited improved resistance. The Modulus of elasticity
decreased by up to 30.5%, with smaller coarse aggregates sizes.
Concrete bulk density decreased with specimen size, reflecting increased
material heterogeneity and void content in larger specimens. Larger
aggregates (25 mm) generally resulted in higher densities due to
efficient packing, except in C60, where better binder quality offset
this effect. The Poisson’s ratio increased slightly with specimen size,
ranging from 0.15 to 0.25, reflecting greater lateral strain in larger
specimens. Smaller aggregates occasionally exhibited higher Poisson
ratios, indicating improved ductility.