Using of Libyan Calcined Clay in Concrete

Abstract

Strong and durable concrete structures might be the common target for structural designer. Many cementitious materials have been used in the recent years to improve the strength and durability of concrete structures. One of those cementitious materials was the natural pozzolan (calcined clay). Clay acts as one of the main raw materials available in different countries. Libya is one of those countries which possess large amounts of clay deposits, especially in the south area. The utilisation of calcined clay, in the form of metakaolin (MK), as a pozzolanic material for mortar and concrete has received considerable attention recently. This interest is part of the widely spread attention directed towards the utilisation of wastes and industrial by-products in order to minimise Portland cement consumption. Another reason is that mortar and concrete, which contain pozzolanic materials, exhibit considerable enhancement in strength and durability properties. The main goal of the present research is to investigate the effect of using Libyan pozzolanic materials in the form of MK on the compressive strength.