Engineering properties of tuffs in the Sandikli region (Afyon—Turkey) and their possible use as concrete aggregates

Sandikli is located in the western part of Central Anatolia in Turkey. Middle to Upper Miocene trachyandesitic, andesitic and phonolitic lavas, tuffs and tuffites are found in the study area. The tuffs are essentially vitritic and vitritic-crystal tuffs with varying proportions of pyroclasts, pyrogenetic and secondary minerals. In this study the engineering properties of Sandikli zeolithic tuffs and their possible use as concrete aggregate have been investigated. The 28 samples were examined to determine their physico-mechanical properties and their suitability as lightweight concrete. In particular, two materials were tested—with maximum size aggregates of 4 and 8 mm. The results indicate that tuffs from the Ballik, Soğucak and Sütlüce region can be used as light-weight concrete aggregates. Other tuffs can satisfactorily be used as plaster, while all the materials form acceptable building stone.