A review of the cement-aggregate bond

Abstract This paper reviews the basic nature of the cement-aggregate bond and its effect on concrete performance. The bond is a result of mechanical interlocking provided by epitaxic growth of cement hydration products on the aggregate surface and of chemical reactions between the cement paste and aggregate. The degree to which the bond results from each of these processes is not known. The effect of the bond on concrete performance is a subject of controversy; however, there seems to be a relationship between concrete strength and bond strength, and it is suggested that the quality of the bond affects concrete durability.