Study on the crushing strength improvement of artificial aggregates made with 100% solid wastes using polyvinyl alcohol solution

Abstract

This study aimed to enhance the crushing strength of artificial aggregates (AAs) made with 100 wt% solid wastes using polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) solution. The effects of treatment methods (namely: mixing and coating) and different PVA dosages/concentrations on the properties of AAs were systematically investigated. The results show that using PVA solution mixing and coating treatment could considerably improve the crushing strength of AAs by about 99% and 69%, respectively. Adopting mixed treatment contributes to the formation of polymer films in AAs, which can fill the pores and enhance the bonding between particles. PVA coating treatment could form a layer of polymer film around AAs and enable the PVA to penetrate into the aggregate, filling the surrounding pores and bridging the aggregate matrix. It is found that the crushing strength of PVA-mixed aggregate with a dosage of 0.5 wt% could achieve comparable crushing strength compared with AAs coated with a high concentration (14%) of PVA. From a cost-effective perspective, the PVA mixing treatment with a dosage of 0.5 wt% is recommended for the crushing strength improvement of AAs. This study provides an effective method for enhancing the mechanical properties of AAs made from 100% solid wastes.