Quality Improvement on Properties of Concrete by using Lightweight Aggregates

Abstract

This paper presents an investigation to make the study on workability and strength properties of concrete which is made by Lightweight Aggregates {i.e. Palm Oil Shell (POS) and Pumice Aggregate (PA)}as coarse aggregate. A series of tests conducted in lab containing Slump test, Compaction Factor test, Schmidt Hammer test and Compressive Strength test was led on concrete made by ordinary aggregate as normal weight sample and concrete formed by different ratios of POS and PA separately i.e. 10% to 50% of dry weight of coarse aggregate. All the specimens were underwater for 3, 7 and 28 days as curing stage. In this experimental study, an effort has been made to concentrate the properties of a lightweight concrete M30 using the lightweight aggregate (POS and PA) as a partial replacement to coarse aggregate. The test results indicate that with the increasing amounts of normal aggregates replaced by POS and PA, the slump test, compaction factor test and strength of the Lightweight Aggregate Concrete (LWAC) has reduced gradually. As water absorption of the LWAC has been increased step by step with the increasing amounts of aggregates replaced by POS and PA. Lastly, it is concluded that the use of POS has great future than compared to PA in the construction of structural lightweight concrete.