PERFORMANCE OF LATERITE AGGREGATE CONCRETE

SALEM MOHAMED ELAYESH

UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MALAYSIA

PERFORMANCE OF LATERITE AGGREGATE CONCRETE

SALEM MOHAMED ELAYESH

A project report submitted in partial fulfillment of the

requirements for the award of the degree of

Master of Engineering (Civil-Structure)

Faculty of Civil Engineering

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia

JUNE 2009

iv

To my beloved father, mother and all my family members.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

First and foremost, praise belongs to Allah, the Most Gracious and Most

Merciful Who has created the mankind with knowledge, wisdom and power. Being

the best creation of Allah, one still has to depend on others for many aspects directly

or in directly.

In preparing this project report, I was in contact with many people. They have

contributed towards my understanding and thoughts. I am greatly indebted.

In particular, to my supervisor, Assoc Professor Dr. Abdul. Rahman Mohd

Sam for encouragement, guidance, critics, advices, and help during the development

of this project report. I am especially grateful for his assistance in providing me with

ample reference materials at early stage of this study.

To my mother, who continues to nurture, grow and develop and who has been

a source of encouragement and inspiration to me throughout my life, a very special

thanks to you. To my father, for providing a support and for teaching me through the

years. To my family members and relatives who offered me unconditional love and

support throughout my live.

To all of my classmates which helped me during my studying here especially

Zaid Abdul Abbas, Omar Elmukhtar and Ahmed Budiea.

To my biggest brother AbdulKarim, for everything he has done for me.

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ABSTRACT

Concrete is one of the oldest manufactured construction aterial used in

construction of various structures around the world. Due to its high demand the

material used for concrete production depleting every year. Thus, around the world

new construction materials are being investigated. In this study local laterite

aggregate was used as replacement of coarse aggregate. In this study, a total of three

mixes were made of crushed granite aggregate as control mix, crushed granite

aggregate replaced with 25% laterite aggregate and 25% laterite aggregate with the

combination of 2.5% silica fume, and 30% slag replacing part of cement content,

respectively. The scope of study includes the investigation on the compressive

strength, flexural strength and splitting tensile strength. The main objective of the

research is to study the mechanical properties of laterite aggregate concrete

compared with crushed granite aggregate. However, before all of those tests were

conducted the samples were tested using Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity (UPV) equipment

to determine the pulse velocity. The method of study to be carried out is through the

appropriate test of aggregates. The types of test done were sieve analysis, flakiness

index and elongation index, and aggregate crushing value test. All the tests have been

carried out and the results had been recorded and analyzed in appropriate table and

graph. The experimental results show that the strength of normal laterite concrete is

lower than the normal crushed granite concrete.

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ABSTRAK

Konkrit adalah bahan binaan yang paling lama telah digunakan dalam proses

pembinaan di seluruh dunia. Oleh kerana permintaan yang tinggi terhadap bahan ini,

sumber ini semakin berkurangan saban tahun. Oleh itu, bahan binaan baru untuk

konkrit semakin giat dikaji. Dalam kajian ini agregat laterit tempatan telah digunakan

bagi menggantikan agregat kasar. Dalam kajian ini, sebanyak tiga campuran konkrit

telah disediakan iaitu campuran batu granit hancur, campuran batu granit yang

digantikan dengan 25% agregat laterit dan 25% agregat laterit bersama kombinasi

2.5% wasap silika, dan 30% slag menggantikan sebahagian kandungan simen. Skop

kajian merangkumi ujian terhadap kekuatan mampatan, kekuatan lenturan dan

kekuatan tegangan. Objektif utama kajian ini adalah untuk mengkaji sifat mekanikal

konkrit dengan agregat laterit berbanding batu granit hancur. Sebelum semua ujian

dijalankan, sampel telah diuji menggunakan Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity (UPV) bagi

menentukan kelajuan denyutan. Kaedah kajian dijalankan menggunakan ujian yang

bersesuaian untuk agregat. Ujian berbentuk analisis tapisan, ujikaji indeks flakiness

dan pemanjangan dan juga ujian nilai hancur agregat. Kesemua ujikaji telah

dijalankan dan hasil ujian telah direkodkan serta dianalisa dalam bentuk jadual serta

graf. Keputusan ujikan menunjukkan kekuatan konkrit menggunakan agregat laterit

addah kurang berbanding konkrit normal menggunakan agregat granit.

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LIST OF CONTENTS

CHAPTER

CONTENT

PAGE

CERTIFICATION OF NOTES ii

CERTIFICATION BY SUPERVISOR iii

TITLE PAGE iv

AUTHOR’S DECLARATION v

DEDICATION vi

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS vii

ABSTRACT viii

ABSTRAK ix

LIST OF CONTENTS x

LIST OF TABLES

LIST OF FIGURES

xiii

xv

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AND SYMBOLS xvii

1 INTRODUCTION 1

1.1 Introduction 1

1.2 Aim and Objectives of Research 3

1.3 Significance of the Research 3

1.4 Scope of the Research

3

x

2 LITERATURE REVIEW 4

2.1 Introduction 4

2.2 Laterite Distribution in the World 5

2.3 Laterite Distribution in West Malaysia 6

2.4 General Information of Aggregate 6

2.5 Properties of Concrete Influenced by Aggregate

Properties

7

2.5.1 Particle Shape 8

2.5.2 Particle Surface Texture 9

2.5.3 Bond and Strength of Aggregate 10

2.5.4 Coarse Aggregate 11

3 RESEARCH METHODOLGY 12

3.1 Introduction 12

3.2 Selection of Material 13

3.2.1 Cement 13

3.2.2 Supplementary Cementitious Materials 13

3.2.2.1 Silica fume 14

3.2.2.2 GGBF Slag 16

3.2.3 Coarse Aggregate 18

3.2.4 Fine Aggregate 20

3.2.5 Water 20

3.3 Tests on Aggregate 21

3.3.1 Sieve Analysis Test 21

3.3.2 Aggregate Crushing Value 22

3.3.3 Flakiness and Elongation Index Test 23

3.4 Mix Proportions and Details of Samples 25

3.5 Measurement of Workability by Slump Test 26

3.6 Curing 27

3.7 Tests on Hardened Concrete 28

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3.7.1 Compressive Strength Test 28

3.7.2 Flexural Strength Test 29

3.7.3 Equivalent Cube Test 30

3.7.4 Splitting Tensile Strength Test 31

3.7.5 Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity Test 32

4 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 34

4.1 Introduction 34

4.2 Coarse Aggregate Tests Results 35

4.2.1 Sieve Analysis Test Results 35

4.2.2 Elongation and Flakiness Index Test Result 38

4.2.3 Aggregate Crushing Value Test Results 40

4.3 Slump Test Result 41

4.4 Compressive Strength Result 42

4.5 Flexural Strength Results 45

4.6 Modified Compressive Strength Test Results 47

4.7 Splitting Tensile Strength Results 47

4.8 Ultrasonic Pulse Velocity Test Results 48

5 CONCLUSION AND FUTURE WORK 51

5.1 Introduction 51

5.2 Conclusions 52

5.3 Recommendations 53

REFERENCES 54

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LIST OF TABLES

TABLE NO. TITLE PAGE

2.1 Properties of concrete influenced by aggregate properties 7-8

2.2 Particle shape classification of BS 812: Part 1: 1975 with

Examples

9

2.3 Surface texture of aggregates 10

2.4 Compressive strength of test samples at different ages 11

3.1 General properties and specifications of silica fume 16

3.2 Chemical analysis of GGBF slag 18

3.3 Sieve sizes used in this study according to BS 812: Part

103.1: 1985

22

3.4 Quantities of the constituents per cubic meter 25

3.5 The tests, number of specimens for every age 26

4.1 Results of sieve analysis of crushed granite aggregate 35

4.2 Results of sieve analysis of laterite aggregate 36

4.3 Results of elongation and flakiness index of crushed

granite and laterite aggregate

38

4.4 Percentage of elongation and flakiness index 38

4.5 Aggregate crushing value (ACV) test results 40

4.6 Compressive strength results 43

4.7 Flexural strength results 46

4.8 Comparison between cube (1) and modified (2)

compressive strength results

47

4.9 Splitting tensile strength results (MPa) 48

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4.10 Relationship between Compressive strength and pulse

velocity

50

4.11 Relationship between flexural strength and pulse velocity 50

xiv

LIST OF FIGURES

FIGURE NO. TITLE PAGE

1.1 Laterite aggregate 2

2.1 Distribution of the earth’s eight major terrestrial of

biomes 5

3.1 Silica fume 15

3.2 GGBF Slag 17

3.3 Coarse aggregate 19

3.4 Crushed granite aggregate replaced with 25% laterite

aggregate 19

3.5 Fine aggregate used in the study 20

3.6 Standard apertures 22

3.7 Cylindrical mould and a plunger used in ACV test 23

3.8 Metal length gauge 24

3.9 Metal thickness gauge 24

3.10 Slump test procedure 27

3.11 Compressive strength test 29

3.12 Flexural strength test 30

3.13

3.14

Modified compressive strength test

Splitting tensile strength test

31

32

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3.15 Ultrasonic pulse velocity equipment 33

4.1 Grading graph of laterite and crushed granite aggregate 37

4.2 Slump test result 41

4.3 Compressive strength results for different mixes 43

4.4 Mode of failure of laterite concrete and crushed granite

concrete 44

4.5 Flexural strength result for different mixes 46

4.6 Relationship between compressive strength and pulse

velocity 49

4.7 Relationship between flexural strength and pulse

velocity 50

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LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AND SYMBOLS

Abbreviations:

BS = British Standard

ASTM = American Society for Testing and Materials

DOE = Department of Environment

SF = Silica Fume

GGBFS = Ground Granulated Blast furnace Slag

Symbols:

SiO2 = Silicon Oxide

Fe2O3 = Ferric Oxide

Al2O3 = Aluminum Oxide

Ca (OH) 2 = Calcium Hydroxide

C-S-H = Calcium Silicate Hydrate

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1

CHAPTER 1

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Introduction

Concrete is one of the oldest manufactured construction material used in

constructing of various structures around the world and the most widely used in all types

of civil engineering works, including infrastructure, low and high-rise buildings, defence

installations, environment protection and local/domestic developments [1]. It is a

construction material obtained by mixing a binder (such as cement, lime, mud etc.),

aggregate (sand and gravel or shingle or crushed aggregate), and water in certain

proportions [2]. Through this combination of materials, three – quarters of the volume of

concrete is occupied by aggregate [3]. The aggregate itself is categorized as fine and

course aggregates.

Since aggregates occupy three-quarters of the volume of concrete, it is to be

expected that properties of the aggregate have a major effect on the properties of

concrete [4], as aggregate with undesirable properties cannot produce strong concrete,

but the properties of aggregate greatly affect the durability and structural performance of

concrete [3].

Crushed stone, sand and gravel are the three main types of aggregate commonly

used in the manufacture of Portland cement concrete and asphalt concrete, used in

2

buildings, bridges, highways, dams and airports [2]. Traditionally aggregates have been

readily available at economic prices and of qualities to suit all purposes. However, in

recent years the wisdom of our continued wholesale extraction and use of aggregates

from natural resources has been questioned at an international level. This is mainly

because of the depletion of quality primary aggregates and greater awareness of

environmental protection. In light of this, the availability of natural resources to future

generations has also been realized [1]. Therefore, natural aggregate are non-renewable

resources that may be depleted in the future. Thus, number of other materials has been

studied throughout the world in search for aggregate replacement materials [5]. In this

study, the scope of research will be focused on the use of laterite aggregate as coarse

aggregate.

Figure 1.1 Laterite Aggregate

3

1.2 Aim and Objectives of Research

The objectives of this present research are to study the suitability of laterite

aggregate as coarse aggregare in concrete and investigate the performance of concrete

replaced by 25% laterite aggregate and 25% laterite aggregate with combination of 2.5%

silica fume and 30 % slag replacing part of cement content, and compare it with normal

concrete composed of 100% crushed granite aggregate.

1.3 Significance of the Research

In construction industries, aggregates are the most important material as main

composition of concrete. However, natural aggregate are non-renewable resources.

Thus, the results of this research will be useful in search of alternative material to be

used as aggregates.

The advantages of this study are:-

i) To provide some information about the use of laterite aggregate in concrete.

ii) Compare between laterite concrete and normal concrete performance.

1.4 Scope of the Research

The construction industries are becoming more challenging than ever before. To

be competitive, the field of engineering related to the industries has to be established.

One of the areas that can be established is the use of material in the construction

industry. This study focuses on investigating the properties of laterite aggregate and

studies the performance of concrete with laterite aggregate.