Study of compressive strength characteristics of coral aggregate concrete

Coral islands are tiny and are scattered in deep seas throughout the world, hundreds of kilometres away from the mainland. For construction activities in these islands, coral shingles and coral sand are the main locally available materials. A review indicates that only a few investigations have been undertaken on the properties of coral aggregates and concrete made with them. This paper discusses the results of a systematic investigation of the physical, chemical and mechanical properties of coral shingles and coral sand. Their suitability as aggregate for concrete making has been studied through comparison with the results of tests on conventional crushed granite aggregate and river sand. The workability, density and compressive strength characteristics of different nominal mixes of conventional aggregate concrete and coral concrete with various water-cement ratios have been compared and discussed.