Effect of using stone dust and M-sand on properties of high strength concrete

Abstract

Stone dust is a byproduct obtained from the crushing process of quarrying operations and appears as an issue for effective disposal. Natural river sand, which is a common fine aggregate used in production of cement mortar and concrete, has become a costly and scarce material. In this paper, an endeavor is made to find a suitable and economical alternative of sand which serves as waste recovery and its minimization. In this context, an experimental program is being planned to assess the suitability of manufactured sand (M-sand) as finer aggregate content in high strength concrete. The influence of replacing M-sand with stone dust on mechanical attributes of high strength concrete are presented in this paper. Stone dust was incorporated in percentages varying from 0 to 40% as replacements for equal weight of M-sand. The impacts of different extents of dust content on attributes of fresh and solidified concrete are presented after undertaking an experimental probe. Test outcomes revealed that stone dust can be utilized productively to supplant manufactured sand in high strength concrete. No detrimental effects were noticed on long term and microstructural properties of the mix. The maximum strength gain was achieved at a replacement level of 20%, which is due to the acceleration of cement hydration at an early age with the addition of stone dust content.