The article shows investigations on the behavior of preplaced aggregate concrete with regular and irregular coarse aggregates. The thermal properties, compressive strength, and internal structure were analyzed based on computed tomography images. The regular and irregular shapes of aggregates were obtained according to patented technology, which is possible to produce in both laboratory and industrial conditions. Based on the conducted calculations, heat storage capacity was assessed. The influence of grain shape on the material strength, porosity, and hydration gaps was determined. Debonded porosity, as a result of aggregate impurities, was shown using computer tomography analysis. It was shown that the arrangement and shape of the grains has a significant impact on the performance properties of hardened preplaced concrete.

Nowadays, asbestos waste still remains a serious problem. Due to the carcinogenic properties of asbestos, which are related to its fibrous structure, the exposure to asbestos mineral and asbestos-containing materials (ACM) causes dangerous health effects. This problem can be solved by recycling techniques, which allow the re-use of neutralized asbestos waste, instead of disposing it in special landfills. The article presents the results of research aimed at investigating the possibility of obtaining aggregates from asbestos waste by the fusion process in the electric arc-resistance process. A mixture of ACM with selected fluxes was were melted and then cast to form a grain of aggregates. The chemical composition of the material was determined before and after the melting process. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were applied to evaluate the effects of the fusion process. The main properties of the obtained aggregate were also measured. The results confirmed that the fibrous structure of asbestos was destroyed in the obtained material, which can be successfully used for the production of artificial aggregates.

There is a large accumulation of gravel-sand aggregates of glacial origin in the north-eastern part of Poland. Crushed aggregates produced by crushing pebbles have particularly good quality parameters. So far the aggregates have not been precisely identified in terms of the alkali-aggregate reaction. The first step in evaluating the reactivity of aggregates is to carry out a detailed petrographic evaluation on the basis of which the reactive forms of silica can be identified. The paper presents selected results of tests carried out on the glacial crushed aggregates and a petrographic characterization of the latter, with special attention paid to the presence of the minerals which can react with sodium and potassium hydroxides.

Article concerns problem of jig beneficiation of mineral aggregates and focuses especially on problem of separation of hard-enrichable materials. Investigative programme covered tests in laboratory and semi-plant scale and material with different content of regular and irregular particles, along with various particle size fractions, was under analysis. Two patented solutions were utilized as methodological approach and densities and absorbabilities of individual products were determined and major novelty of approach consist in separate beneficiation of regular and irregular particles. Results of laboratory investigations showed that more favorable separation effectiveness was observed for the narrow particle size fractions of feed material. In terms of absorbability difference between separation products from I and IV layer was 0.4–0.5% higher for regular particles, and up to 0.5% higher for irregular grains. Differences in densities of respective products were 0.1% higher for regular particles. Results of semi-plant tests confirmed the outcomes achieved in laboratory scale. The qualitative characteristics of separation products in terms of micro-Deval and LA comminution resistance indices were one category higher for regular particles, and two categories higher for irregular grains, comparing to the raw material.

The paper presents selected information on the quality of the aggregates, especially natural sands, extracted and manufactured in Poland. The sands usually meet the basic quality requirements (e.g. concerning grading and purity) for fine aggregates to be used in road construction. Tests of the alkali reactivity of natural sands and manufactured (by crushing compact rock) sands are described in detail. The results of the reactivity tests carried out in accordance with domestic standards PN-B-06714 show the tests to be poorly reliable. Exemplary abridged petrographic descriptions of selected sands and the results of reactivity tests carried out on mortar beams in accordance with standard ASTM C1260 are presented. The beam linear expansion values were geographically assigned by marking them on a contour map of Poland. The tested fine aggregates were found to greatly vary qualitatively as regards their mineral composition and the likelihood of occurrence of the alkali-aggregate reaction. Over half of the tested sands were characterized by an expansion over 0.1%, which according to the AASHTO R-80 classification means that they are moderately reactive aggregates.