To　promote　the　production　and　application　of　artificial　aggregates,　save　natural　sand　resources　and　protect　the　ecological　environment,　we　evaluated　the　feasibility　of　using　spherical　porous　functional　aggregates　(SPFAs)　formed　by　basalt　saw　mud　under　autoclave　curing　in　ordinary　structural　concrete.　In　our　work,　two　types　of　prewetted　functional　aggregates　were　taken　as　replacements　for　natural　aggregates　with　different　volume　substitution　rates　(0%,　5%,　10%,　15%,　20%,　25%,　and　30%)　in　the　preparation　of　ordinary　structural　concrete　with　water-to-binder　ratios　(W/B)　of　0.48　and　0.33.　The　effects　of　the　functional　aggregate　properties　and　content,　W/B,　and　curing　age　on　the　fluidity,　density,　mechanical　properties　and　autogenous　shrinkage　of　ordinary　concrete　were　analyzed.　The　experimental　results　showed　that　the　density　of　concrete　declined　at　a　rate　of　not　more　than　5%,　and　the　28　d　compressive　strength　could　reach　31.0–68.2　MPa.　Low　W/B,　long　curing　age　and　high-quality　functional　aggregates　were　conducive　to　enhancing　the　mechanical　properties　of　SPFAs　concrete.　Through　the　rolling　effects,　SPFAs　can　optimize　the　particle　gradation　of　aggregate　systems　and　improve　the　fluidity　of　concrete,　and　the　water　stored　inside　SPFAs　provides　an　internal　curing　effect,　which　prolongs　the　cement　hydration　process　and　considerably　reduces　the　autogenous　shrinkage　of　concrete.　SPFAs　exhibits　high　strength　and　high　density,　as　well　as　being　more　cost-effective　and　ecological,　and　is　expected　to　be　widely　employed　in　ordinary　structural　concrete.　©　Wuhan　University　of　Technology　and　Springer-Verlag　GmbH　Germany,　Part　of　Springer　Nature　2024.