Sand Powder Research Articles

STUDY OF THE EFFECT OF MINERAL ADMIXTURE ADDITION ON PAVING BLOCKS' PHYSICAL AND MECHANICAL PROPERTIES

Paving blocks, concrete bricks made from cement and sand, are a vital alternative to ground cover. Their extensive, precast nature, water absorption capabilities, affordability, and ease of use contribute to their popularity. However, the additional ingredients, particularly mineral admixtures, hold the potential to enhance these blocks' quality and performance significantly. The mineral admixtures used, such as limestone, quartz sand, and gypsum, are instrumental in improving the performance of paving blocks, offering a promising avenue for further research and application. This research, conducted with meticulous scientific rigor, investigated paving blocks' physical and mechanical properties. Paving block test objects were created using sand, cement, and crushed stone with mineral admixtures. The mineral admixtures used in this experiment, including gypsum, quartz sand, and limestone, were crushed before being used in a stone cruiser machine to make them powder and reactive. Compressive strength test, weat resistance test, volume weight test, water absorption test, and visual inspection were conducted experimentally. The research results, derived from a robust experimental setup, revealed that paving blocks with 10% gypsum additives, 6% quartz sand powder, and limestone powder produced a more excellent compressive strength value than standard paving blocks, values of 36,884 MPa, 37,573 MPa, and 38,950 MPa with a regular paving block compressive strength value of 36,119 MPa followed by a decrease in the percentage of absorption. This suggests that using mineral admixtures at a certain percentage as an additional material can improve the quality of paving blocks. However, it is essential to note that adding too many mineral admixtures can also decrease the strength of the paving block, emphasizing the need for careful application of these materials in construction. These findings provide valuable insights for civil engineers, construction professionals, and researchers in materials science and construction technology, enhancing their understanding of the role of mineral admixtures in paving block strength.

Study on preparation and performance of brick-concrete recycled sand powder autoclaved aerated concrete

This research aims to prepare autoclaved aerated concrete (AAC) by using brick-concrete recycled sand powder (BCSP) as siliceous material. The effects of BCSP content (0–100 %), fineness (258∼452 m2/kg), brick-concrete (B/C) ratio (10:0∼5:5), cement content (15–23) and CaO-to-SiO2(Ca/Si) ratio (0.69–0.94) on the performance of brick-concrete recycled sand powder autoclaved aerated concrete (BCSP-AAC) were studied by single factor test. Besides, the strength formation mechanism of BCSP-AAC was revealed by means of microscopic test. The results demonstrate that BCSP can be used as a single siliceous material to prepare AAC; Increasing the fineness can effectively stimulate the reactivity of BCSP, but if it is too large, it will cause agglomeration between the powders and hinder the gas generation of the aluminum powder. The optimum fineness is 374 m2/kg; B/C ratio is one of the key factors affecting the performance of BCSP-AAC. As the proportion of waste concrete in BCSP increases, the dry density of AAC gradually decreases, while the strength initially enhances then declines. The optimum B/C ratio is 7: 3; Ca/Si ratio is another key factor affecting the performance of BCSP-AAC, which directly affects the type, quantity and crystallinity of AAC hydration products. With the rise of Ca/Si ratio, the dry density of BCSP-AAC increases gradually, and the strength increases first and then decreases. The optimum Ca/Si ratio is 0.81. At this time, the tobermorite formed in BCSP-AAC exhibits a well-crystallized plate-like structure, and C–S–H gel intersperses in the gaps of tobermorite, forming a dense microstructure. Considering the dry density and compressive strength of BCSP-AAC, when the water-solid ratio is 0.65, the aluminum powder paste is 0.13 %, and the BCSP: quicklime: cement: desulfurization gypsum = 67: 13: 17: 3, a light BCSP-AAC with a dry density of 524 kg/m3 and a compressive strength of 3.68 MPa can be prepared.

Red mud modified phosphogypsum based self-leveling mortar: Hydration mechanism, heavy metal migration law and spatial distribution characteristics

In the production processes of phosphoric acid and alumina, chemical enterprises generate solid waste such as red mud (RM), phosphogypsum (PG), and fly ash (FA). The environmentally friendly utilization of these waste materials is of crucial significance. Therefore, this study focuses on investigating the impact of collaborative modification using diverse solid wastes on the macroscopic properties and internal microstructure of self-leveling mortar. Through a careful selection process, the optimal ratio for red mud and phosphogypsum self-leveling mortar(RPSM) has been identified during the research. This study not only provides substantial support for the effective utilization of solid waste but also contributes to the improvement of overall performance and structural characteristics of the mortar. Based on this, the hydration characteristics, leaching patterns, and spatial distribution characteristics of heavy metals in RPSM were evaluated. The research revealed that the optimal ratios of RM, PG, FA, PC, river sand, and heavy calcium carbonate powder in RPSM were 20.7%, 13.8%, 17.1%, 13.8%, 17.3%, and 17.3%, respectively. Under a water-binder ratio of 0.18, the flexural and compressive strength of the mortar specimens after 14 d of curing can reach 4.3 and 31.6 MPa. Through comprehensive analysis and discussion of the performance, microstructure, and dynamics of the hydration process of RPSM, the main processes of mortar hydration were elucidated. Environmental risk assessments indicated no environmental risks from heavy metals in RPSM. Human health risk assessment suggested carcinogenic risks from Cr and Cd in RPSM through oral exposure, leading to restrictions on the content of characteristic heavy metals in different application scenarios. Furthermore, fitting results of the release kinetics of heavy metals indicated that the leaching of heavy metals in RPSM can be well fitted with kinetic models, allowing the determination of the optimal safe age of RPSM containing harmful heavy metals. Finally, using interpolation and vertical distribution simulation by software such as ArcGIS, the spatial distribution characteristics of heavy metals in RPSM during use were analyzed. The research can supply fundamental academic support for the recycling of solid wastes like RM and the control of environmental risks associated with heavy metal leaching in building materials.

Investigation on the spreading behaviour of sand powder used in binder jet 3D printing

Investigation on the spreading behaviour of sand powder used in binder jet 3D printing

Mechanical Properties of Aeolian Sand Concrete Made from Alkali-Treated Aeolian Sand and Zeolite Powder.

The aim of this study is to promote the application of the excited zeolite powder (ZP)with aeolian sand powder (ASP) in the field of aeolian-sand concrete (ASC) production. This study utilises NaOH to treat composite cementitious materials containing aeolian sand and zeolite powders, which were used to replace 50% of the cement in aeolian-sand concrete (ASC). Production of alkali-inspired cement-based windswept concrete(AAZC).The mechanical properties of treated ASC considerably improved, especially when the NaOH dosage was 4% by mass. After curing this sample (denoted as AAZC-4) for 28 d, its compressive strength improved by 17.2%, and its split tensile increased by 16.3%. Potassium feldspar and montmorillonite in zeolite powder and SiO2 in the sand were decomposed by OH- and combined with other elements to generate various silicate gels and A-type potassium zeolite crystals inside the concrete. Microscopic examination showed that the gels and crystals intertwined to fill the pores, decreasing (increasing) the percentage of large (small) pores, thus optimising the pore structure. This substantially improved the mechanical properties of ASC. Freeze-thaw salt-intrusion tests showed that the extent of mass loss, degree of damage and loss of compressive strength of AAZC-4 were similar to those of ordinary concrete but were reduced by 36.8%, 19% and 52.1%, respectively, compared with those of ASC. Therefore, AAZC-4 has a sustainable working performance in chloride-ion permeable environments in cold and arid areas.

EFFECT OF SEA WATER, COASTAL SAND, AND CLAM SHELL POWDER ON COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH OF NORMAL CONCRETE

Durability and resilience are essential factors of reinforced concrete structures in maritime environment which are subjected by stress, abrasion, and tidal exposure continuously. The research aims to analyze the effect of marine materials and its environment on the compressive strength of concrete cube (15x15x15 cm) at various days such as 7, 14, 28, and 56 days. The marine materials were used such as seawater, coastal sand, and clamshell powder as part of the concrete mixture. In addition, the effect of seawater on curing period, also were investigated. Treatment of marine environment were conducted by placing the samples after 28 days of age in tidal zone, submerged, and coastal atmospheric area. The results show the marine environment decreased the compressive strength about of 2%, 11% and 19% for coastal atmosphere, tidal and submerged treatments respectively which correlated to carbonation depth. The use of coastal sand in concrete mixture decreased compressive strength of concrete while the presence of clamshell powder slightly increased compressive strength for both curing treatments in fresh water and seawater. The curing process in seawater until the 28-days had a similar of compressive strength rate with the ones in freshwater.

A mixture of Si3N4 powder and SiO2 sand as a novel DC arc quenching medium for improvement of the current-limiting performance of a model electric fuse

A current-limiting and consequent direct current (DC) arc interruption requires an increase in arc resistance rarc for a DC fuse. Flattery silica (SiO2) sand has been used as an arc quenching medium in fuses for decades. However, there are few reports about a novel arc quenching medium which enables more rarc increases compared to flattery SiO2 sand. This paper uniquely selected a novel arc quenching medium based on the following material properties: (1) electrical resistivity and thermal conductivity in the solid phase, (2) the possibility of rarc increasing in the gas phase, (3) the possibility of electrical insulation after re-solidification, and (4) the cost of materials. As a result, we originally selected a powder mixture of silicon-nitride (Si3N4) and flattery SiO2 sand as a promising novel arc quenching medium. Therefore, DC interruption experiments were performed using a Si3N4/flattery SiO2 sand powder mixture under different Si3N4 concentration conditions. As a result of 1000 A DC arc quenching experiments, the utilization of Si3N4 powder with the flattery SiO2 sand successfully increased the arc resistance rarc during the arc quenching process. The increasing Si3N4 concentration exhibited a further increase in rarc during the arc quenching process. As a result of the rarc increase, the arc quenching time was significantly shortened to 30 ms for 30 wt.% Si3N4 conditions from 54 ms for the SiO2 sand conditions. In addition, utilization of Si3N4 powder achieved high insulation resistance over few MΩ after DC arc interruption. The above results clearly indicate that utilization of Si3N4 powder with flattery SiO2 sand can increase the DC interruption performance of the fuse.

SYNTHESIS OF CALCIUM SILICATE MATERIALS FROM THE RESIDUAL WASTE SLUDGE OF A WATER-PURIFICATION PLANT

SYNTHESIS OF CALCIUM SILICATE MATERIALS FROM THE RESIDUAL WASTE SLUDGE OF A WATER-PURIFICATION PLANT

Suitability evaluation of selected sand geological formations for synthesis high purity crystalline silica, Iraq

This study aims determination if the sand collected from Injana and Dibdibba Formations are suitable for use as low-cost raw materials in the manufacture of high-purity crystalline silica. Sand is distributed in vast quantities within the two Formations, which occupy large portions of Iraq’s southern desert. Quartz is the predominant mineral phase, followed by calcite, feldspar, and dolomite respectively, based on mineral analysis data. SiO2 is the main oxide in sand with an average of (82.76%), (90.24%) and the rest of oxides are CaO (6.28%), (1.64%), Al2O3 (4.02%),(3.19%), Fe2O3(2.73%), (0.86%), K2O+ Na2O (2.05%), (2.51%), SO3(0.05%), (0.47%), MnO (0.01%), (0.03%) P2O2 (0.23%),(0.03%), and MgO (1.75%), (1.01%) in Injana and Dibdibba Formations respectively, which are considered as impurities impact the manufacturing properties of sand. The coprecipitation method, which produces high purity crystalline silica at a low cost, involves three steps: the first involves soaking raw sand powder in 2M HCl for 24 hours; The second involves mix purified sand with NaOH while stirring and heating it to 95C° to produce Na2SiO3; and the third involves adding 3M HCl to sodium silicate solution to produce Si(OH)4 and drying it to produce high purity of silica. The prepared silica got mineral analysis and chemical analysis. The synthesized silica was in the crystalline phase, according to the results of the mineral characterization. In synthetic silica of Injana and Dibdibba sand, The amount of SiO2 increased according to chemical analysis, reaching 96.62%, and 97.69% respectively, while all other oxides (impurities) were lowered to their lowest levels. FE-SEM revealed the existence of spherical, well-agglomerated synthetic silica particles within the size 28.6 nm and 24.76 nm in synthetic silica particles of Injana sand and Dibdibba sand respectively.

Optimizing and hyper-tuning machine learning models for the water absorption of eggshell and glass-based cementitious composite.

Cementitious composites' performance degrades in extreme conditions, making it more important to enhance its resilience. To further the adaptability of eco-friendly construction, waste materials are increasingly being repurposed. Cementitious composites deteriorate in both direct and indirect ways due to the facilitation of hostile ion transport by water. The effects of using eggshell and glass powder as partial substitutes for cement and sand in mortar on the water-absorption capacity were investigated using machine learning (ML) modeling techniques such as Gene Expression Programming (GEP) and Multi Expression Programming (MEP). To further assess the importance of inputs, sensitivity analysis and interaction research were carried out. The water absorption property of cementitious composites was precisely estimated by the generated ML models. It was noted that the MEP model, with an R2 of 0.90, and the GEP model, with an R2 of 0.88, accurately predicted results. The sensitivity analysis revealed that the absorption capacity of the mortar was most affected by the presence of eggshell powder, sand, and glass powder. GEP and MEP model's significance lies in the fact that they offer one-of-a-kind mathematical formulas that can be applied to the prediction of features in another database. The mathematical models resulting from this study can help scientists and engineers rapidly assess, enhance, and rationalize mixture proportioning. The built models can theoretically compute the water absorption of cement mortar made from eggshell powder and glass powder based on varied input parameters, resulting in cost and time savings.

Novel and comprehensive approach for power loss estimation of soiled photovoltaic modules

The output power of photovoltaic (PV) generators is negatively affected by shading caused by surface soiling. Thus, it is crucial to evaluate the power loss level and plan cleaning schedules efficiently and economically, particularly in large-scale PV power plants. This paper proposes a novel and comprehensive solution that combines circuit topology analysis and image processing to estimate power loss in soiled PV panels. The performance evaluation is based on a wide range of soiling conditions, including sand, dust, and talcum powder, and is compared with a benchmarking system from prior studies. Compared with the best-performing data-driven-only method, the proposed scheme improves the estimation accuracy from 11.02% to 39.52% by exploring the circuit information.

Pull-out behaviour of steel and carbon fibers in 3D-printable cement matrices of various compositions

The aim of this study was to investigate some of the factors which affect the fiber–matrix pull-out behaviour and bond strength. 3D-printable cement mixtures with various compositions were used as matrices. The effect of parameters such as type of fiber (steel or carbon), kind of aggregates (sand or limestone powder), and kind of modifier additives (metakaolin or complex nano-sized additive based on SiO2 (CNA)) on fiber–matrix pull-out behaviour were determined. The results demonstrated that the bond strength of a fiber-matrix mainly depends on the fiber type. The bond strength of a “steel wire matrix” was 2–4 times higher than the bond strength of a “carbon fiber matrix”. The fiber–matrix bond strength increased as the conditions for the wetting of a fiber’s surface improved, especially for carbon fiber. Microstructural investigation revealed that the congestion of hydration products in a fiber–matrix interface significantly improved the pull-out behaviour. The use of sand as an aggregate for a cement matrix enhanced the bond strength by 10–15% in “steel wire matrix” systems. The introduction of metakaolin and CNA into a cement matrix increased the bond strength by 15–20% for sand-based and powder-based cement matrices.

A MULTI-ANALYTICAL STUDY OF BUILDING MATERIALS AND DETERIORATION PRODUCTS OF THE ROYAL TOMBS TO TANIS (SAN EL- HAGAR)

The city of Tanis is one of the most important cities in ancient Egypt. It was the northern capital of Egypt and the royal headquarters of the kings of the twenty -first and twenty -two dynasty. It is in the east of the Delta, about 150 km northeast of Cairo, on the ancient Tanis branch of the Nile. The Royal tombs of Tanis was discovered by the French archaeological Pierre Monte in 1999. The material building materials are currently suffering due to many aspects and factors of physical, chemical, biological, and human damage, such as the deterioration and loss of many stone blocks, binding mortar, and decorative units, accumulation of dusts and cracks that are varied in shapes and sizes in the painting, crystallization of salts on the surface and between layers, which led to the separation, fragmentation and peeling of the stone surface and the disappearance of many decorative elements, scenery and colored relives. Therefore, the research aims to study the materials for building tombs to find out the most important physical and chemical changes that occurred to them and led to their deterioration in preparation for the development of a scientific plan for the restoration and conservation of these tombs and their decorative elements. The components of the tombs were studied through investigation and using various analysis methods such as X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscope with Energy Dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDX) analysis of elements, Polarizing Microscope (PM). physical and mechanical properties of the stones used in the construction of graves were carried out. The results The results indicated that, the tombs were constructed using blocks of restricted limestone and were linked with a mortar of Gypsum, sand and stone powder and used some granite pieces in the doorstep over the entrances, and the main reason for the damage of building materials is a group of natural factors, the most important of which is rain water, the ground water and the various salts it contains due to the low location of the tombs within the archaeological hill and the proximity of the archaeological hill to the salty water sources represented in Lake Manzala, agricultural lands, waterways and agricultural banks.

Influence of ground quartz sand finesses on the formation of poorly ordered calcium silicate hydrate prepared by dynamically hydrothermal synthesis

This study aimed to prepare poorly ordered calcium silicate hydrate (C-S-H) via the hydrothermal synthesis method, using ground quartz sand powder and lime as starting materials. The fineness of quartz sand powder under different grinding time and varied grinding aids content was investigated. It further affected the formation of calcium silicate hydrate. Results showed that the main synthesized product was crystalline dicalcium silicate hydrate (C2SH) with a small amount of C-S-H when quartz sand was ground to 29.95 µm for D50, attributed to the coarse particle size with a low silica reaction rate. Increasing the grinding time and grinding aid content of quartz sand improved the silica reaction rate and accelerated the formation of calcium silicate hydrate. Adding 1‰ grinding aid content would greatly improve the grinding efficiency, and the particle size of quartz sand powder was greatly reduced to the smallest value recorded in this study (D50 was 21.08 µm), which was beneficial to the transformation of C-S-H from C2SH. Meanwhile, C-S-H underwent a change from having a flocculated morphology to a needle-like, short-rod-like and fibrous morphology.

Experimental Contribution to Study the Physico-Mechanical and Thermal Properties of Lightweight Cellular Concrete Prepared With Different Types of Sand and Waste Marble Powder

Abstract Algeria is currently undergoing an evolution in civil engineering, which has resulted in a higher use of aggregates, especially sand. This study contributes to the development of locally produced materials. Its goal is to explore how the type of sand and waste marble powder (WMP), which can be used as a partial replacement of cement and aluminum powder (Al) with different percentages as an expansive agent, can affect physico-mechanical properties such as the bulk density and mechanical strength at 28 and 90 days, as well as the thermal conductivity of lightweight cellular concrete. Non-autoclaved cellular concretes (CC) were investigated based on three types of sand, i.e., sea sand (SS), river sand (RS), and waste marble sand (WMS); a hydraulic binder (a mix of cement and waste marble powder), and aluminum powder. The experimental results indicate that the nature and particle size distribution of the sand used had an impact on the properties of the CCs. Furthermore, it can be seen that the increased aluminum contents decrease the density, mechanical strength, and thermal characteristics of the CCs. Using 10-15% WMP as a cement substitute improves the mechanical strength, offers better thermal conductivity values, and contributes to sustainable development by developing a new class of environmentally friendly cellular concrete.

Characteristics and mechanism of time on sand powder 3D printing rock analogue: a new method for fractured rock mechanics

Laboratory tests are one of the most fundamental and crucial methods in rock mechanics and engineering research. Natural rock specimens are challenging to acquire, and traditional casting methods involve prolonged curing times and cannot produce rock-like specimens with complex internal fractures. Furthermore, 3D printing technologies such as SLA, SLS, and FDM possess inherent limitations. In this study, high-silica sand was used as the printing material, and sand powder 3D printing technology was harnessed to fabricate rock-like specimens. Uniaxial compression tests were performed on specimens with varying placement times, aimed at investigating the impact of placement time on the mechanical properties of sand 3D-printed rock-like specimens. Acoustic emission technology was used to explore the internal state changes during deformation and failure of specimens with different placement times. The findings indicate that the mechanical properties of sand powder 3DP rock-like specimens exhibited no deterioration over time after approximately 7 days of placement. The internal structure remained unchanged across different placement times. This study's outcomes underscore the superiority of sand powder 3D printing technology within the realm of rock mechanics and establish the groundwork for the accurate and efficient fabrication of rock-like specimens through sand powder 3D printing technology in the future.

Experimental Investigation on Performance of Ferrock Concrete

Today, the construction of buildings and infrastructure has increased as a part of development, resulting in a significant demand for concrete and cement. The large-scale production of cement and extraction of river sand can have negative impacts on environment and depletion of natural resources. Due to the production of 1 ton of cement produces 0.9 ton of CO2 emissions. To mitigate this pollution a green substance called as FERROCK (Iron dust 60%, Flyash20%, Metakaolin 10%, Lime powder 8%, Oxalic acid 2%) is used as a partial replacement of cement with selected ratio (10%, 20%, and 30%) by weight of cement. This study includes the complete replacement of river sand with M sand (85%) and glass powder (15%) to reduce the usage of natural sand (river sand) for the selected grades of concrete M40, M60 by performing the mechanical and durability test on the designed concrete grades with selected ferrock ratios, the mechanical and durability properties were enhanced with 20% ferrock replacement by weight of cement in concrete.

Fabrication and study on properties of polypropylene composite materials/silica sand powder

Fabrication and study on properties of polypropylene composite materials/silica sand powder

The impact of processing conditions on the mechanical properties, hardness, and structure morphology of polypropylene/silica sand powder

The impact of processing conditions on the mechanical properties, hardness, and structure morphology of polypropylene/silica sand powder

Long-term thaumasite sulfate attack on mortar containing coral sand filler and SCMs exposed to sodium sulfate solution

The use of coral sand filler and supplementary cementitious materials partially replacing Portland cement facilitates the utilization of coral debris waste in oceanic construction as well as CO2 emission. The effect on thaumasite sulfate attack by coral sand powder is compared with limestone powder since thaumasite sulfate attack has been studied extensively in limestone Portland cement. This work was conducted on the evaluation of resistance to sodium sulfate solution by measuring changes in visual appearance, compressive strength and length, as well as XRD, FTIR, SEM and MIP analyses. The results show that thaumasite sulfate attack would occur in mortars with coral sand powder and SCMs probably without noticeable expansion and a reduction in compressive strength of the specimens’ core. The mortar incorporating coral sand powder and silica fume leads to greater sulfate resistance than coral sand powder-Fly ash and Coral sand powder-Slag mortars, and the coral sand powder performs severer deterioration compared with the limestone powder by simultaneously used with fly ash or slag. More deteriorated crystal morphologies of portlandite and C-S-H were exhibited in Coral sand powder-SCMs mortars under sulfate attack at low temperatures. No obvious deterioration occurred in blended mortars under corrosion at 20 °C for up to 18 months in this work.