Assessing the Mechanical and Micro-Structural Properties of Concrete with Silica Fume and Coconut Shell as Partial Replacements of Cement and Fine Aggregates
| International Journal of Civil Engineering |
| © 2024 by SSRG - IJCE Journal |
| Volume 11 Issue 4 |
| Year of Publication : 2024 |
| Authors : Edith Komo Neufville, Christopher Kanali, Philip Mogire |
10.14445/23488352/IJCE-V11I4P105
How to Cite?
Edith Komo Neufville, Christopher Kanali, Philip Mogire, "Assessing the Mechanical and Micro-Structural Properties of Concrete with Silica Fume and Coconut Shell as Partial Replacements of Cement and Fine Aggregates," SSRG International Journal of Civil Engineering, vol. 11, no. 4, pp. 39-53, 2024. Crossref, https://doi.org/10.14445/23488352/IJCE-V11I4P105
Abstract:
The construction industry is a globally important sector due to its significant contributions to growth and economic success. The operation of this industry incorporates concrete as one of its essential components. Additionally, expanding urban areas and developing rural areas are expected to increase demand for concrete. This increase in demand will negatively affect the environment through pollution or the lessening of natural resources. Therefore, it is essential to incorporate eco-friendly substitutes into the concrete manufacturing process. Regarding this, Coconut Shells (CS) have been a successful and widely used alternative material for lightweight concrete production. Nevertheless, it has been documented that using CS in concrete production causes a significant decline in concrete mechanical characteristics. In contrast, Silica Fume (SF) enhances concrete mechanical properties. Thus, this study incorporated silica fume as a CS concrete modifier. The aim was to produce sustainable, normal-strength concrete with reduced structural self-weight. To achieve this, CS partially replaces the fine aggregate at 0, 10, 20, and 30%, while SF partially replaces cement at 0, 5, 10, and 15%. The concrete properties were evaluated, including slump, density, compressive strength, flexural strength, tensile strength, scanning electron microscopy, and energy dispersion spectroscopy. The findings indicate that 10% is optimal for individual material replacements. Adding 10% SF to 10% CS concrete improved the compressive, tensile, and flexural strength by 30.87, 20.04, and 38.63%, respectively, and microstructural properties. The 10% CS-10% SF concrete yielded comparable qualities to conventional concrete, with an improved strength-to-weight ratio of 1.32%.
Keywords:
Concrete, Coconut shell concrete, Silica fume concrete, Silica fume-coconut shell concrete, Coconut shell fine aggregate.
References:
[1] Arti Prasad, and Naresh Kothari, “Cow Products: Boon to Human Health and Food Security,” Tropical Animal Health and Production, vol. 54, no. 12, 2021.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[2] Avinash Kumar Padhy, and N. Manoj Kumar, “Triple Blending Effect of Fly Ash, Silica Fume and Steel Fibers on Performance of High Strength Concrete,” International Journal for Research in Applied Science & Engineering Technology, vol. 10, no. 5, pp. 2299- 2304, 2022.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[3] Dajiang Zhang et al., “Influence of Pozzolanic Materials on the Properties of Natural Hydraulic Lime Based Mortars,” Construction and Building Materials, vol. 244, 2020.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[4] Cecilia Lizeth Alvarez-Guzmán, Karla María Muñoz-Páez, and Idania Valdez-Vazquez, “Effect of Electron Donors on CO2 Fixation from a Model Cement Industry Flue Gas by Non-Photosynthetic Microbial Communities in Batch and Continuous Reactors,” Microbial Biotechnology, vol. 16, no. 12, pp. 2387-2400, 2023.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[5] Kim Hung Mo et al., “Viability of Agricultural Wastes as Substitute of Natural Aggregate in Concrete: A Review on the Durability-Related Properties,” Journal of Cleaner Production, vol. 275, 2020.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[6] Alif Syazani Leman et al., “A Preliminary Study on Chemical and Physical Properties of Coconut Shell Powder as a Filler in Concrete,” IOP Conference Series: Materials Science and Engineering, Melaka, Malaysia, vol. 160, pp. 1-7, 2016.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[7] Saraswati Prajapati, and Kirti Sahu Tirpude, “Utilization of Coconut Shell as Greener Concrete,” International Journal for Research in Applied Science & Engineering Technology, vol. 10, no. 5, pp. 2477-2483, 2021.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[8] George Yaw Obeng et al., “Coconut Wastes as Bioresource for Sustainable Energy: Quantifying Wastes, Calorific Values and Emissions in Ghana,” Energies, vol. 13, no. 9, pp. 1-13, 2020.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[9] Sunday U. Azunna et al., “Characterization of Lightweight Cement Concrete with Partial Replacement of Coconut Shell Fine Aggregate,” SN Applied Sciences, vol. 1, no. 649, pp. 1-9, 2019.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[10] Aditi Lawande et al., “Partial Replacement of Fine Aggregates with Coconut Shell Ash in Concrete,” Recent Trends in Civil Engineering, vol. 105, pp. 207-216, 2020.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[11] Waqas Aziz et al., “Mechanical Properties, Drying Shrinkage and Structural Performance of Coconut Shell Lightweight Concrete,” Structures, vol. 35, pp. 26-35, 2022.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[12] H. Bari, M.A. Salam, and Safiuddin, “Fresh and Hardened Properties of Brick Aggregate Concrete Including Coconut Shell as a Partial Replacement of Coarse Aggregate,” Construction and Building Materials, vol. 297, 2021.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[13] Zemei Wu, Kamal H. Khayat, and Caijun Shi, “Changes in Rheology and Mechanical Properties of Ultra-High Performance Concrete with Silica Fume Content,” Cement and Concrete Research, vol. 123, 2019.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[14] Mohamed Amin et al., “Effect of Ferrosilicon and Silica Fume on Mechanical, Durability, and Microstructure Characteristics of Ultra High-Performance Concrete,” Construction and Building Materials, vol. 320, 2022.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[15] V.R. Prasath Kumar, and K. Gunasekaran, “The Effect of Silica Fume in Coconut Shell Concrete and Examining Bond through Inverted Metallurgic Microscope,” Rasayan Journal of Chemistry, vol. 12, no. 3, pp. 1575-1583, 2019.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[16] ASTM C778-13, Standard Specification for Standard Sand, ASTM International Standards Organization, 2013.
[CrossRef] [Publisher Link]
[17] BS EN 12350-2:2019, BSI Standards Publication - Testing Fresh Concrete Slump Test, 2019. [Online]. Available: https://knowledge.bsigroup.com/products/testing-fresh-concrete-slump-test-2?version=standard&tab=preview
[18] BS EN 12390-7:2019, BSI Standards Publication - Testing Hardened Concrete - Density of Hardened Concrete, 2019. [Online]. Available: https://knowledge.bsigroup.com/products/testing-hardened-concrete-density-of-hardened-concrete-2?version=standard
[19] BS EN 12390-3:2019, BSI Standards Publication - Testing Hardened Concrete - Compressive Strength of Test Specimens, 2019. [Online]. Available: https://knowledge.bsigroup.com/products/testing-hardened-concrete-compressive-strength-of-test-specimens-1?version=tracked
[20] BS EN 12390-6:2009, BSI Standards Publication - Testing Hardened Concrete - Tensile Splitting Strength of Test Specimens, 2010. [Online]. Available: https://knowledge.bsigroup.com/products/testing-hardened-concrete-tensile-splitting-strength-of-test-specimens?version=standard
[21] BS EN 12390-5:2019, BSI Standards Publication - Testing Hardened Concrete - Flexural Strength of Test Specimens, 2019. [Online]. Available: https://knowledge.bsigroup.com/products/testing-hardened-concrete-flexural-strength-of-test-specimens-1?version=tracked
[22] ASTM C188-17, Standard Test Method for Density of Hydraulic Cement, ASTM International Standards Organization, pp. 1-3, 2017.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[23] BRITISH STANDARD, BS-0082-1992, Specification for Aggregates from Natural Sources for Concrete, 2002. [Online]. Available: https://allcivilstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/BS-00882-1992-2002.pdf
[24] Mark Adom-Asamoah, and Russell Owusu Afrifa, “A Study of Concrete Properties Using Phyllite as Coarse Aggregates,” Materials & Design, vol. 31, no. 9, pp. 4561-4566, 2010.
[CrossRef] [Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]
[25] M.Y. Chin et al., “Characterization and Impact of Curing Duration on the Compressive Strength of Coconut Shell Coarse Aggregate in Concrete,” BioResources, vol. 16, no. 3, pp. 6057-6073, 2021.
[Google Scholar] [Publisher Link]