Substitution Of Sand Research Articles

Utilizing Fine Marine Sediment as a Partial Substitute for Sand in Self-Compacting Concrete Specially Designed for Application in Marine Environments

The disposal of marine sediments poses a significant economic and environmental challenge on a global scale. To address this issue and promote resource optimization within a circular-economy paradigm, this research investigates the viability of incorporating untreated fine marine sediments as a partial replacement for sand in self-compacting concrete (SCC) designed especially for application in marine environments (an exposure class of XS2 and a resistance class of C30/37 according to standard NF EN 206). The concretes mis-design incorporating 30% by weight of sediment as a sand substitute was initially designed with the modified Dreux–Gorisse method. The findings indicate that it is feasible to design an SCC suitable for marine environments, incorporating 30% sediment replacement content and without significantly compromising concrete properties, durability, or the estimated lifespan of the formulated concretes. The integration of marine sediment as a sand substitute into the SCC mix design reduces the amount of binder and limestone filler without compromising the paste volume. This results in a significant saving of natural sand resources and a reduction in CO2 emissions for SCC made with marine sediment.

The effect of using seashells as cementitious bio-material and granite industrial waste as fine aggregate on mechanical and durability properties of green flowable sand concrete

The present work is a study of the feasibility of using seashell powder (SSP) combined with industrial granite waste (GW) to develop a new green flowable sand concrete (FSC). The GW was used to replace the natural sand at levels of 0, 10, 20, 30, 40, and 50% by volume, and the SSP has been used to substitute the cement at levels of 5, 10, and 15% by weight. Slump flow and V-funnel flow time tests have been used to investigate the fresh properties of FSC mixtures. Compressive strength, modulus of elasticity, ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV), water absorption, porosity, and acid attack tests were used to assess the mechanical and durability properties of hardened FSC mixtures. XRD, TGA, and SEM analyses were performed to evolve the microstructure of hardened FSC. The results showed a decrease in the fresh properties of FSC mixtures with the substitution of sand by GW. Nonetheless, the inclusion of SSP as filler mitigated this adverse effect, and all FSC mixes were subsequently discovered to be within the standard limits. The combined use of 50 vol% GW and 10 wt% SSP developed FSC with the greatest compressive strength (67 MPa), modulus of elasticity (40 GPa), and UPV (4175 m/s), as well as the lowest porosity (2.9%) and absorption (2.4%) at 90 days, compared to the control FSC. Moreover, using up to 10 wt% SSP with a fineness of 8000 cm2/g may enhance the durability of GW-based FSC against acid attack. Microstructural analyses indicated denser microstructure, stronger ITZ, and weaker porosity. The developed eco-friendly FSC effectively showed a decrease in production costs and carbon emissions, reducing the level of waste and protecting natural resources, which provides an emerging approach for its application in advanced green concretes for future work.

The Use of Artificial Neural Network for Predicting the Thermal Conductivity of Cement Based Mortar with Natural Zeolites

Zeolites, in their natural state, have been used in construction materials since ancient times. The pozzolanic activity of zeolites and their use as supplementary cementitious materials has been investigated over the past three decades. The indoor comfort provided by a modern life style comes at a cost of consuming enormous amounts of energy. Materials with improved insulation properties are continuously researched and the use of zeolites showing encouraging results. The paper presents experimental results obtained on different cement-based mortar mixes incorporating natural zeolites. The main parameters of the research were: substitution of cement and sand by natural zeolites, three different replacement percentages for cement and sand (10%, 20% and 30%) and the curing age of mortar specimens (14 days, 21 days and 28 days). An artificial neural network (ANN) was developed to predict the values of the thermal conductivity by taking into account parameters such as density, humidity and surface temperature of the mortar samples. The ANN was able to accurately predict the experimental results for the thermal conductivity of cement-based mortars with natural zeolites.

Optimization of eco-friendly concrete with recycled coarse aggregates and rubber particles as sustainable industrial byproducts for construction practices

In this technology era, sustainable construction practices have become quite imperative. The exploration of alternative materials to reduce the environmental footprint is of paramount importance. This research paper delves into an exhaustive investigation concerning the utilization of recycled coarse aggregates (RCA) and rubber particles (RP) in concrete. It contributes to the growing body of knowledge aimed at fostering sustainable development in the construction industry by reducing waste, promoting recycling, and mitigating the environmental footprint of building materials. The objective of the study is to evaluate the potential benefits and limitations associated with incorporating these materials, thereby providing a sustainable alternative to conventional concrete. In this research, construction and demolition waste were recycled and used as RCA as a fractional switch of natural coarse aggregate (NCA) from 0% to 100%, with an increment of 20% replacement of NCA in concrete. The RP received from discarded tires generated as automobile industry waste were used as a volumetric fractional substitution of sand in concrete from 0% to 20%, with a 5% increment. No pre-treatment for RCA and RP was carried out before their utilization in concrete. A total of 26 mixes, including control concrete without NCA and RP, with a design strength of 40 MPa, were prepared and tested. Concrete mixes were examined for workability, density, mechanical, and durability properties. It was found that the concrete with 60% RCA and 10% RP showed satisfactory results in evaluation with the strength parameters of control concrete, as the compressive strength obtained for this concrete mix is 40.18 MPa, similar to the control mix. The optimization for RCA and RP was conducted using Response Surface Methodology (RSM). The major concern observed was a rise in water absorption with an increase in the percentage replacement of NCA and natural sand by RCA and RP. Findings from the investigation illustrate a promising prospect for the use of RCA and RP in concrete applications, displaying competent mechanical properties and enhanced durability under certain conditions, offering a viable option for environmentally friendly construction practices. However, the research also sheds light on some constraints and challenges, such as the variability in the quality of RCA and the necessity for meticulous quality control to ensure the reliability and consistency of the end product. It is discerned that further refinement in processing techniques and quality assurance measures is pivotal for mainstream adoption of RCA and RP in concrete construction.

The impact of waste brick and geo-cement aggregates as sand replacement on the mechanical and durability properties of alkali–activated mortar composites

This study explores the potential of waste brick and geo-cement aggregates as substitutes for natural sand in alkali-activated materials (AAMs) for mortar production. With a focus on achieving net-zero construction and mitigating environmental impact, the study replaces Portland Cement (OPC) and virgin aggregates with waste materials and by-products. The investigation evaluates the substitution of sand (up to 100 % by weight) in AAMs with waste brick aggregates (WBA) and waste geo-cement aggregates (WGA) obtained from demolished construction and research lab waste, respectively. The research methodology involves assessing mechanical, durability, and microstructure properties to assess the performance of the developed AAMs with waste aggregates. Notably, AAM composites containing waste brick and geo-cement aggregates surpass natural aggregate composites in terms of mechanical strength, water absorption, freeze-thaw resistance, acid ingress, and chloride attack. The 7-day 50 % waste brick mixture achieved a maximum compressive strength of 61 MPa, while a 70 % waste geo-cement mortar mixture attained a maximum flexural strength of 12 MPa. Combinations, whether comprising waste brick or geo-cement mortar aggregates, demonstrate compressive strengths well over 40 MPa, rendering them suitable for heavy load-bearing structures. The 50 % waste geo-cement mortar mixture stands out with the lowest water absorption rate of 6 % and the least compressive strength loss of 13 % after the freeze-thaw test, with reductions of 6 % and 18 %, respectively, compared to the control. Additionally, 100 % waste brick AAMs exhibit the lowest compressive strength loss after chloride and acid attack tests, with reductions of 13 % and 2.5 %, respectively. When compared to all other mixtures, the 50 % waste brick aggregates mortar mixture obtained the best overall performance. The composites developed in this study affirm their suitability for use in heavy-load structural components, showcasing favourable mechanical and durable properties. These findings underscore the need for additional exploration in this direction to advance sustainable construction practices.

Precast lightweight concrete wall panels from plastic waste and household ash as partially sand and cement replacement

The present study aims to investigate the properties of precast lightweight concrete wall panels prepared with the addition of plastic powder and household ash as a partial substitution for sand and cement.

Experimental Analysis on the Characteristics of Concrete by Incorporating Steel Slag as Partial Replacement of Sand

Abstract: Steel slag is a by-product obtained in the manufacture of pig iron in the blast furnace and is produced by the blend of constituents of iron ore with limestone flux. Presently in India, owing to restricted methods of use, massive amounts of iron and steel slag are deposited in the yards of every production facility, occupying significant agricultural land, and seriously polluting the entire ecosystem. Meanwhile, the application of ecological environment protection has limited the mining of gravel, leading to a shortage of natural aggregate. Numerous studies have sought to replace natural aggregate in concrete with steel slag aggregate due to its good engineering qualities. The current research work is to investigate the concrete’s characteristics for M40-grade concrete by substitution of sand with steel slag at 10%, 20% and 30% during various curing ages. Several experiments were conducted on the characteristics of the concrete, compressive strength, and durability properties (such as water absorption and rapid chloride permeability test) up to the age of 90 days

High ductility cementitious composites incorporating seawater and coral sand (SCS-HDCC) for offshore engineering: Microstructure, mechanical performance and sustainability

In support of sustainable development strategies, engineering construction on remote islands is conductive to promoting the development of marine resources and mitigating increasingly severe resource conflicts. However, marine engineering, facing extreme weather and natural disasters, necessitates concrete with high ductility, durability and crack control capacity. This study evaluates the feasibility of using seawater and coral sand instead of fresh water and river sand to prepare the high ductility cementitious composites (SCS-HDCC). The results indicate that increased coral sand substitution introduces defects and expands the aggregate-matrix interfacial zone due to its rough surface, high specific area, and low strength. Coral sand's internal curing enhances compactness and reduces harmful pores. The dual action of seawater and coral sand, SCS-HDCC matrix is more tenacious, and the damage and blockage during the fiber pull-out process becomes obvious, and the slip hardening coefficient of fiber-matrix interfacial zone increases. SCS-HDCC achieves satisfactory ductility (up to 1.18 %) with initial cracking strength of 4.18 MPa, ultimate tensile strength of 5.66 MPa, and crack width of 71.2 ± 6.74 μm, average crack spacing of 6.02 mm. The SCS-HDCCs prepared in this study offers economic and environmental benefits by reducing economic costs and carbon emissions through transporting raw materials from the continent. The research results have guiding significance for the construction of islands and reefs by SCS-HDCC.

Performance of Metakaolin-Based Geopolymer Incorporating Recycled Plastic Aggregate

Recently, research has been devoted to producing a more sustainable and environmentally friendly composite for substituting conventional cement concrete. This supports the global effort toward limiting the environmental impact of cement production. Geopolymer composites or alkali-activated materials have gained more attention within the research community due to the wide availability of waste (e.g., fly ash, slag) or natural (metakaolin, pozzolans) source materials suitable for geopolymer production. The present study investigates the potential of producing metakaolin-based geopolymer mortars with partial substitution of natural sand by recycled plastic fine aggregate (RPFA) to enhance composite sustainability. The primary variables of the experimental program include the percentage replacement of fine natural aggregate by RPFA (0, 10, 20, and 30% by volume). Tests comprising flowability, compressive strength, Flexural strength and unit weight of the various mixes were evaluated. The results indicated that replacing 10%, 20%, and 30% of sand with RPFA caused a reduction in the compressive strength by 10.6%, 21.8%, and 33.9% relative to the control mix. The flexural strength also decreased by 17.5%, 22.4%, and 30.4% compared to the control mix. Although substituting natural aggregate with RPFA reduced the mechanical properties, it improved the mix flowability by up to 20% relative to the control mix. Additionally, a reduction in the unit weight by up to 16.2% relative to the control mix was obtained, which offer a viable mean of producing lightweight mortar.

Valorization of glass waste as partial substitution of sand in concrete – Investigation of the physical and mechanical properties for a sustainable construction

Over the past few years, the valorization of industrial waste and by-products has become an essential issue due to the increasingly stringent regulations regarding the environmental protection and sustainable development. For the purpose of reducing our dependence on virgin raw materials, it was deemed interesting to consider the recycling and valorization of glass, which has high silica content, to develop new construction materials. Its use as a substitute raw material in the field of construction materials has attracted research attention, particularly the concrete industry adopts a number of methods to achieve this goal. In this context, a purely experimental study was conducted to investigate the physical and mechanical properties of fresh and hardened concrete at different curing times (3, 7 and 28 days) using different dosages of glass sand as a partial substitute for natural sand at 10%, 20%, and 30% and to determine the optimal composition of glass powder as a partial replacement for sand against the compressive strength of concrete. while maintaining a constant water-to-cement (W/C) ratio. An overall quantity of 9.5 kg of crushed waste glass was used with 264 kg of concrete mixes. The workability, density, slump, content air tests and strength properties were analyzed in terms of waste glass content in terms of waste glass content. This substitution results in concrete with favorable workability. Despite the absence of air-entraining agent, the concrete mixtures have air content between 2.3% and 1.9% and the density, is still comparable to the control mixes. The compressive strength of specimens with 20% waste glass content and the flexural strength of specimens with 10% waste glass content represented respectively 96% and 86% than of the control specimen at 28 days. The results proved a pozzolanic strength activity given by waste glass after 28 days for 10% and 20% of replacement of natural sand (0/1 mm). The results obtained indicate that glass can serve as a quality substitute for sand in concrete. These original achievements pave the way for more sustainable and environmentally friendly concrete mixes while addressing the inherent challenges of using glass waste in construction and infrastructure works

Evaluation of the effect of rubber waste particles on the rheological and mechanical properties of cementitious materials for 3D printing

The use of 3D printing for cementitious materials is an increasingly viable option technically, economically, and environmentally for civil construction, generating a lower amount of waste. This work aims to evaluate the technical feasibility of using rubber as a fine aggregate in 3D printing mortars and its impact on its rheological and mechanical properties. Tests of compressive and flexural strength, flow-table, rheology and squeeze-flow were conducted to evaluate their fresh and hardened state properties. The total substitution of natural sand for rubber increased the rheological properties of dynamic yield stress (318–479.3 Pa), static yield stress (1604.1–1760.1 Pa) and plastic viscosity (4.15 Pa.s to 5.03 Pa.s). Lower compressive (19.9 MPa) and flexural (5.6 MPa) strengths were obtained for the mortar using rubber waste as aggregate. Also, the replacement of sand with rubber enhanced the anti-thixotropic behavior of 3D printing mortars.

Evaluating the Mechanical Performance of Waste Glass Powder as a Fine Aggregate Substitute to Enhance Sustainability in Concrete Production

The concrete industry poses a significant challenge to sustainability since it ranks among the foremost users of natural resources. The utilization of river sand as a fine aggregate result in the degradation of natural resources, depletion of groundwater levels, subsidence of bridge piers, and degradation of riverbeds. By substituting fine aggregate with waste glass in a specified proportion and gradation, the requirement for river sand may be reduced, therefore mitigating the adverse impacts of river dredging. This substitution has the potential to contribute to the sustainability of the concrete building sector. The main objective of this study is to examine the use of waste glass powder (WGP) in concrete and evaluate its influence on the strength characteristics and the overall cost of the concrete. The chemical composition of natural sand and WGP exhibits similarities, hence enabling the potential for partial substitution of sand with WGP in concrete. This project involves the use of WGP as a partial substitute for sand in the production of M20 grade concrete. Concrete specimens were casted using different percentages of glass powder as a replacement for sand, namely 0% (Control Mix), 10%, 20%, 30%, and 40%. These specimens were then subjected to testing to evaluate their compressive, split tensile, and flexural strengths. The test results obtained for concrete mixed with WGP are compared to those of regular concrete. The findings of the study revealed that WGP has the potential to serve as a viable substitute for fine aggregate in certain applications.

Study on mechanical properties and microstructure of steel-polypropylene fiber coal gangue concrete

Incorporating coal gangue into the concrete matrix can realize the utilization of solid waste and reduce the use of natural aggregate. To improve the mechanical properties of coal gangue concrete, this paper designs four-level and four-factor orthogonal tests with coal gangue ceramide substitution rate, coal gangue ceramide sand substitution rate, steel fiber content, and polypropylene fiber content as independent variables. Through multidimensional data analysis of the test results, The main and secondary factors of compressive strength of hybrid fiber coal gangue concrete from strong to weak are the replacement rate of coal gangue ceramic sand, the replacement rate of coal gangue ceramic grain, the content of steel fiber and the content of polypropylene fiber. The optimal content is 30% coal gangue ceramic particle, 25∼30% coal gangue ceramic sand, 0.75∼1% steel fiber, and 0.2% polypropylene fiber. The grey prediction model GM (1, 5) is obtained, which can predict the concrete strength well within the range selected in this paper. The influence of fiber and coal gangue on the microstructure was studied by scanning electron microscopy, and the influence law of interfacial transition zone on the strength of concrete was explored, which provided a theoretical basis for the study of solid waste utilization of coal gangue.

Marshall Characteristics of Asphalt Concrete – Wearing Course (AC-WC) With Substitution of Silica Sand as Fine Aggregate

Marshall Characteristics of Asphalt Concrete – Wearing Course (AC-WC) With Substitution of Silica Sand as Fine Aggregate

Assessment of Properties and Microstructure of Concrete with Cotton Textile Waste and Crushed Bricks.

Cotton textile waste (CW) and crushed bricks (CB) are wastes generated by the textile and construction industries that cause adverse effects on the environment. This paper explores the effect of adding 1, 2, 5, and 10 wt.% of CW and CB, instead of natural sand under 1 mm (50 to 100 vol.%), on the properties of concrete. The study included the analysis of workability, density, water absorption, thermal conductivity, mechanical strengths, and electron microscopy. The results show that the presence of CW and CB increased the water required to obtain the same slump value as reference, R. Concretes with CW provided better performance in terms of density, water absorption (for 1 wt.%), and splitting strength (for 1 to 2 wt.%). The 28 days of compressive strength decreased with increasing CW (33.3 MPa for R and 26.9 MPa for 2 wt.% of CW). The partial substitution of sand decreased the workability and density and increased the mechanical strength of concrete. The presence of both CW and CB decreased workability, density, and mechanical strengths. Regarding the ability of concrete to transfer heat, the addition of CW and CB decreased the thermal conductivity value (e.g., 0.32 W/(m·K) for 1 wt.% of CW compared to 0.37 W/(m·K) for reference).

Risk assessment of reactive local sand use in aggregate mixtures for structural concrete

Potential use of marginal fine aggregate in concrete is hindered by prescriptive quality requirements for concrete constituents. Experimental tests were performed on eleven mixtures of coarse and fine aggregates of variable susceptibility to alkali silica reaction (ASR). The miniature concrete prism test was applied for evaluation of ASR-induced expansion and associated changes of elastic properties were evaluated using the resonance modulus testing. Substitution of nonreactive sand with sands of moderate reactivity resulted in a relative increase in concrete expansion by 19–112% and substantial reduction of its elastic properties during the exposure to accelerated ASR environment. The Kolmogorov-Avrami-Mehl-Johnson model, modified to incorporate separately the effects of moderate reactivity of coarse and fine aggregate fractions, successfully described the kinetics of ASR-induced expansion. Beneficial effects of blastfurnace slag used for partial replacement of Portland clinker in blended cements were captured for aggregate combinations.

Evaluation of properties of energy-efficient geopolymer cellular concrete containing basic oxygen furnace slag aggregate

In north-western Kazakhstan, there is a higher demand for energy-efficient construction materials such as cellular concrete in the construction industry due to severe weather conditions. Moreover, construction industries in Kazakhstan are looking into developing new construction materials utilizing industrial by-products. Unlike blast furnace slag (BFS), utilization of basic oxygen furnace slag (BOFS) is limited due to its chemical composition and volumetric instability mainly caused by f-CaO and f-MgO. This study developed a total of nine energy-efficient geopolymer mixtures (3-normal geopolymer mixture and 6-geopolymer cellular concrete). Mix design variables included a partial substitution of river sand (RS) with BOFS aggregate (0%, 50%, and 100%) and three different percentages of a foaming agent (0%, 25%, and 50%). The properties of geopolymer mixtures were evaluated in terms of compressive strength, hardened density, expansion behavior, and thermal conductivity. Test results presented that replacing RS with 50% BOFS aggregates decreased compressive strength, while replacing sand with 100% BOFS aggregate led to increasing the strength regardless of the geopolymer mixture type. Geopolymer cellular concrete had lower compressive strength and thermal conductivity compared to the normal geopolymer mixture due to a higher porous cellularity structure and satisfied the threshold value of expansion due to converting f-CaO and f-MgO to CaSiO3 and MgSiO3 and absorbing the expansion stress by cellular structure.

Properties of sustainable self-compacted concrete with recycled concrete and waste tire crumb rubber aggregates

The concrete building industry has to adhere to stringent sustainability standards. In previous investigations, the utilization of recycled concrete aggregates (RCA) from construction and demolition waste (CDW) or crumb rubber (CR) from waste tires in producing sustainable self-compacted concrete (SCC) was well studied; however, the combined effect of RCA and CR on the performance of SCC is scarce. Therefore, the main purpose of this study is to evaluate the feasibility of developing SCC mixtures containing both RCA and CR and their influence on the performance of SCC. Three distinct series of SCC mixes were designed so that the water-to-binder ratio and total binder content were kept at 0.32 and 505 kg/m3. In the first series, the effect of RCA content (0%, 50%, and 100%) in place of natural coarse aggregate (NCA) on the performance of SCC mixtures was studied. Moreover, the effect of various CR contents (0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, and 40%) as a sand substitution and 50% RCA was investigated in the second series. In the third series, the influence of CR inclusion and 100% RCA was utilized to promote the sustainability of SCC. The fresh behavior of the mixtures was assessed by measuring followability, viscosity, and segregation resistance. Density, water absorption, and apparent porosity for all mixes were also examined. The mechanical properties were assessed for compressive, splitting tensile, and flexural strengths. The findings show that the inclusion of RCA and CR has an adverse impact on the fresh, physical, and mechanical properties of SCC, excluding segregation resistance. However, it is possible to produce a SCC using 100% RCA and 40% CR with a slump flow diameter of 605 (SF1 class) and a compressive strength of greater than 31 MPa, which is applicable for structural applications. Moreover, the ACI and Euro code CEB-FIP proposed models can predict the mechanical properties of the developed SCC made with recycled materials. This research could contribute to a more sustainable SCC by substituting recycled materials for natural aggregates.

Influence of recycled sand from biomass combustion on the mechanical, hydration and porous properties of mortar mixtures

The objective of this study is to valorise sands from biomass combustion from fluidised bed boilers into mortar formulations and to evaluate their effects on hydration properties, porosities and mechanical strengths. The properties of recycled sand from biomass combustion (RSBC) were compared to the boiler sand (BS) used in the combustion process in order to assess the effects of combustion. RSBC was then incorporated into mortar formulations as a volume replacement for the boiler sand (BS) from the biomass plant. Five formulations (0, 25, 50, 75 and 100% RSBC) were compared by examining their workability and strength properties (ranging from 7 to 180 days). Although a decrease in workability was observed, the substitution of sand with RSBC resulted in better mechanical properties. The accessible porosity, capillary absorption and hydration properties of three formulations (0, 50 and 100% RSBC) were also analysed. An improvement in these properties is observed when RSBC is incorporated with promising results for the valorisation of 100% RSBC.

Mechanical behavior of sustainable engineered cementitious composites with construction waste powder as binder and sand replacement

The utilization of recycled powder (RP) obtained from construction waste in the development of sustainable engineered cementitious composites (ECC) has significantly improved their sustainability. This study investigated the mechanical strength of sustainable ECC prepared with three different RPs namely recycled brick powder, recycled paste powder, and recycled concrete powder. The results demonstrated that substituting high portion of cement with RP resulted in a loose microstructure in ECC, but the substitution of silica sand with RP led to a denser microstructure in ECC. Replacing 50% cement and 100% fly ash with RP derived from concrete waste led to a marginal decrease of 39.4% and 20.2% in the compressive strength of ECC, but replacing silica sand with such RP slightly increased the strength of ECC. Besides, recycled brick powder blended ECC shows better strength than the recycled concrete powder blended ECC. Under uniaxial tensile load, the incorporation of RP improved the ductility of ECC, regardless of whether it replaced silica sand or binding materials, while simultaneously reducing the ultimate tensile strength of ECC to varying degrees. Specifically, substituting RP from concrete waste for 50% cement, 100% fly ash, and 100% silica sand caused 145.5%, 55.4%, and 43.6% increase in the ultimate tensile strain of blended ECC, respectively. Particularly, the combine substitution of binder and silica sand with RP is feasible in ECC. More sustainable ECC with good mechanical strength and ductility can be achieved by optimizing the content of RP as binder and sand replacement, and the ECC blended with RP shows good environmental and economic benefits.