Coconut shell is an agricultural waste from the processing of coconut, the knowledge of it’s engineering properties can boost the usage and the confidence of the designer in utilizing it as an alternative material of application in civil engineering construction. Therefore, the focus of this experimentation is to provide laboratory results of the mechanical properties of coco nut shell aggregate that can establish its potential for usage as light weight aggregate in concrete production. The basic engineering properties of coconut shell investigated includes the specific gravity, bulk density, impact value, crushing value, abrasion value, water absorption capacity, elongation and flakiness test. Coconut shell aggregate exhibits low impact, crushing, and abrasion values of 1.3%, 1.16% and 2.23% respectively compared with normal aggregate with 19.23%, 25.60% and 27.67% respectively. Coconut shell, however, has high percentage of water absorption capacity, elongation index and flakiness index of 23.72%, 26.69% and 86.12% respectively as compared with that of normal aggregate of 1.80%, 8.78% and 36.89% respectively. It has a bulk density of 630Kg/m3 which is classified as lightweight aggregate. With these properties coconut shell aggregates can be an alternative material for consideration as coarse aggregate in lightweight concrete.
