Effect of type and texture of aggregates on strength properties of sulfur concrete and portland concrete

Concrete is the most widely used materials in construction throughout the world. Among its properties, strength is the most important, controlled with utmost care by engineers and designers. Concrete is made of different materials: aggregate, water, cement and admixture. Aggregate occupies approximately 75% of the concrete mass; as a result it definitely has an important role in the properties of fresh and hardened concrete. In this research, in order to study the effect of different aggregates in sulfur and conventional concrete, 7 types of rock have been selected including River material, Granite, 2 types of Limestone, Coquina , Travertine and expanded clay. Having designed the machine, the aggregate was prepared from these rock types; then the physical and mechanical characteristics of the samples were determined. After selecting an appropriate mix design which could be applied to both types of concrete, samples were prepared and investigation showed that weak aggregates which are not used in conventional concrete, can, with changes in the mix design, be used in sulfur concrete and provide the needed strength(Coquina that gained 17.6 MPa in conventional concrete reach to 43.6 MPa in sulfur concrete). Furthermore, texture and porosity play an important role in sulfur compared to conventional concrete.