Investigating the effect of Manufactured sand and Silica Fume on the properties of Concrete

Abstract

In the present era, concrete is one of the most commonly used construction materials worldwide. Consequently, the demand for natural river sand is increasing. Since the mining of natural sand has already been outlawed by the government in many regions, now it is essential to look into sustainable materials to control natural sand extraction. Hence, manufactured sand (MS) has been shown in numerous studies to be a more practical and environmentally responsible alternative to river sand (RS), which is normally used in the production of concrete. At the same time, the cement industry produces tons of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, affecting atmospheric conditions. Now, it’s time to look into a suitable replacement material for cement. To investigate the feasibility of using manufactured sand & silica fume in place of river sand and cement under normal climatic conditions fresh, mechanical and durability properties were conducted in the laboratory. Twelve samples of M30 grade cubes and cylinders at desired M sand percentages of 0, 20, 40, 60, 80, and 100 & 0% and 5% variation of silica fume with cement are included in this study as a comparison to the control mix. After 28 days of water curing, a random variation in the properties of concrete was observed in the samples. In this experimental study, SF represents Silica Fume, MS represents manufactured sand, RS represents river sand, FA represents Fine aggregates and CA represents Coarse aggregates.