Determination of engineering properties of cementitiously stabilised aggregates using ultrasonic pulse velocity

Abstract

Non-destructive testing methods, such as Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity (UPV), have been widely used to assess the quality and performance of cementitious stabilised aggregates. The present study reveals the robust relationship of UPV and constrained modulus (CM) with unconfined compressive strength (UCS), modulus of rupture/flexural strength (MoR), and flexural modulus (FM) in aggregates stabilised with five different stabiliser combinations, including cement, cement-ground granulated blast furnace steel slag (GGBS), cement-fly ash and cement with two commercial chemical admixtures. The high accuracy of UPV and CM in estimating destructive test parameters and approximating challenging tests like FM is convincingly demonstrated with strong correlations (R² > 0.80) and standard error ratios (Se /Sy < 0.35). Power law and logarithmic curves prove suitable for modelling the relationships between strength and stiffness with UPV and CM, respectively. Notably, however, the study reveals significant variations in correlating parameters across different cementitious stabilisers within the same mix design, emphasising the strong dependence on the specific cementitious material type. Overall, this work offers valuable insights into the use of non-destructive parameters, UPV and CM, for the characterisation of stabilised aggregates based on cementitious material type and different curing conditions.