*2.2. Production of Artificial LWAs*

The FA, GGBFS, and QP LWAs were made using the cold-bonding technique in a titled pan at ambient temperature with varied ratios of Portland cement (20%, 30%, and 50% by weight of cement). For the first 10 min, Figure 1 depicts the process whereby the dry materials were fed onto the disc and rotated at a constant speed to ensure uniformity. During the rotation, the dry mixture was sprayed with water to act as a coagulant and form pellets [9,12]. The process was repeated for 10–12 min in order to produce pellets with a diameter ranging between 6 mm and 12 mm. The aggregates were kept in plastic bags at 70% relative humidity for 28 days. The specific gravity, bulk density, water absorption, and crushing strength of the aggregates were determined following the curing period. This method was carried out for all the aggregate types manufactured.

**Figure 1.** The process of cold-bonding manufacturing the LWA [22].
