Testing and Reviewing the Effects of Different Clasts of Fine Aggregates on the Bond of Traditional Mortar to AAC

Aerated Autoclaved Concrete (AAC) is a precast building material that has been in use for roughly 70 years. Aside from structural support AAC offers significant advantages over alternative building materials including a low environmental impact, high fire rating, excellent acoustic properties, as well as high thermal efficiency. Because AAC is a precast building material, either regular cement mortar joints or thin bed mortar joints are implemented to bond the segments together. Thus, this method of construction requires high bond shear strength. Due to the transfer of lateral loads in a building, a critical connection occurs at the connection of a grouted bond beam and a floor slab. This study aimed at testing the effect of different clasts of fine aggregate on bond shear strength in AAC construction. Since the grouted bond beam and floor slab connection is a significant connection, a direct shear test was used to emulate the loading conditions experienced in this condition. The direct shear test was performed on AAC units of varying grades and grouted with cement mortar mixed comprised of either rounded or angular sand.