QUANTITATIVE-ANALYSIS OF AGGREGATE SHAPE-BASED ON FRACTALS
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abstract
The characteristics of aggregates for construction materials can have a significant effect on the performance of engineering structures in which they are used, but there are relatively few methods to quantify their contributions to performance. Fractals are a family of mathematical functions that are used to characterize natural phenomena and shape. This paper suggests a new approach to describe aggregate shapes and the change in shape associated with different aggregate types quantitatively using fractals. The technique is based on development of a mathematical relationship for the boundary of an aggregate referred to as a slope density function (SDF). This includes a method of computing the fractal dimension using grids of different scales and sizes. Using this approach, the fractal dimension may be applied successfully to characterize the shape of aggregates both quantitatively and objectively.