Determining the water absorption of recycled aggregates utilizing hydrostatic weighing approach

The water absorption of aggregates is a key parameter in concrete mix design. As the adhered mortar of recycled aggregates present a long time of saturation (>24 h). A new approach of water absorption measurement was developed using hydrostatic weighing in order to observe the kinetic absorption of aggregates, and to obtain a necessary water quantity added in different steps in concrete mix. Experimental results indicate that the model of capillarity processes of aggregates can be obtained using Hall’s model. A good correlation was obtained between the current method NF EN 1097-6 and hydrostatic weighing approach. A necessary time for the total saturation of recycled aggregates was evaluated.

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► The water absorption evolution of aggregates is obtained using hydrostatic weighing.
► This test allows to quantify the kinetic of absorption of recycled aggregates.
► The model of capillarity processes of aggregates can be obtained using Hall’s model.
► A necessary time for the total saturation of recycled aggregates was obtained.