Comparison of mechanical and durability properties of treated and untreated red mud concrete

Abstract

Red mud is a residue of alumina refinery process, every year throughout world more than 300millions tonnes of red mud is comes out as a waste material. The discharge of this large amount of red mud creates harm to nearby living bodies. For the above reason present work focuses on the optimum utilization of red mud as a constructional raw material. In the present work compared the both treated and untreated red mud behaviour in concrete as a concern of mechanical as well as durability properties. Treated and untreated red mud is partially replaced to the cement of 0%–15% with an interval of 2.5%. Both the red mud chemical composition was evaluated by X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) analysis. Compressive, flexural and split tensile strength are conducted to compute the mechanical properties. Rapid chloride penetration test and water absorption test conducted to know the concrete durability properties. From the results analysis, the optimum replacement of untreated red mud is 5% and treated red mud is 10% as a concern of mechanical properties. Increases the replacement of red mud in cement, increases the durability of concrete showed by the both treated and untreated red mud. There is no much difference observed between treated and untreated red mud in concrete durability properties.