Aggregate Durability in Freeze-Thaw Cycles

Aggregate durability can decline when volume changes damage the particles. Freezing and thawing, thermal change, and wetting and drying all place stress on aggregates. When unsound aggregates break down under these conditions, they can contribute to scaling, pop-outs, and cracking in concrete.

So...

Consider a lightweight aggregate with a porous structure. Water entering these pores expands in volume upon freezing, generating hydraulic pressure within the aggregate pores.

This pressure eventually disintegrates the aggregate, rendering it unsound due to permanent volume changes.

The size and continuity of the pores in aggregate...