Evaluation of a method based on image analysis to obtain shape parameters in crushed sand grains

The objective of this paper is to evaluate a method based on image analysis to obtain shape parameters in crushed sand grains. There is no consensus about standards and rules for testing aggregates, the lack of methodology to prepare and conduct tests may produce incorrect results, which do not satisfactorily represent the aggregate characteristics. One way to perform these analyzes is the use of images obtained with magnifying glasses or similar equipment. To contribute to this, three experiments were prepared with samples of crushed sand from the city of Passo Fundo. The fixed and evaluated parameters were: samples preparation, zoom used for image acquisition and number of grains representative of the shape parameters. The results were statistically analyzed and significant differences were obtained to the shape factor regarding the fixed parameters, except for the number of grains needed to characterize it, which differs from the currently literature used by academic studies. According to this work it is possible to realize that it is necessary to standardize the tests for shape analysis to eliminate errors generated by the interpretation of incorrect results, which may have been generated by changes in the methodology for conducting the tests.