Alkali-silica reactivity of some frequently used lightweight aggregates

Lightweight aggregates (LWAs) are frequently used in concrete as well as in thermally insulating mortars and grouts, so that information on their alkali-silica reactivity (ASR) is very important. Four LWAs-expanded vermiculite, expanded clay, expanded glass and perlite- were studied regarding their ASR, using the following test methods: the accelerated mortar bar test (ASTM C 1260), the rapid chemical test (ASTM C 289) and the combined scanning electron microscopy -energy dispersive X-ray technique (SEM-EDX). According to these methods, neither the expanded vermiculite nor the expanded clay exhibited any potential ASR. On the other hand, in the case of the aggregates containing a glassy phase (expanded glass and perlite), the results of SEM-EDX analysis showed serious decomposition of aggregate texture due to ASR, although no deleterious expansion was observed in the accelerated mortar bar test. Therefore, suitable test criteria for ASR need to be defined for LWAs of this type when the AMBT method is used, as has already been suggested for slowly reactive aggregates in Australia. (C) 2004 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.