ABSTRACT
The research investigated some mechanical properties of aluminum waste concrete to harness its structural properties in the construction industry. Aluminum waste which was obtained from Aluminum Extrusion Industry (ALEX) Inyishi in Ikeduru Local Government Area of Imo State was investigated. The mathematical models for the optimization of the compressive and flexural strengths of a five component concrete mix was obtained. A computer program for the optimization of the compressive and flexural strengths of aluminum waste concrete was developed. Scheffe’s experimental design technique was followed to produce concrete containing five components, which were used to cast cube and beam samples. The cubes and beams have dimensions of 150mm x 150mm x 150mm and 100mm x 100mm x 500mm respectively. The cube samples were tested for 7, 14 and 28 days strength. The result showed that the addition of 5% aluminum waste to a standard 1:2:4:0.55 mix caused compressive strength of the concrete to rise from 26.07N/mm2 to 28.47N/mm2. This result represents an increase of 9.21% in compressive strength. Aluminum waste produced no significant effect on the density, Poisson ratio, young’s modulus of the concrete. The computer program gave an optimum mix ratio of 1:1.1:1.75:1.15:0.7 (Cement, fine aggregate, coarse aggregate, aluminum waste, water), which generated a compressive strength of 29.81N/mm2, an increase of 14.35% in compressive strength over a standard mix. The result represented a saving of 16% by volume of concrete and a reduction of four thousand naira per cubic meter of concrete when compared with the standard mix. The computer program for the optimum mix ratio for flexural strength gave a value of 11.72N/mm2. There was an increase in flexural strength when compared to 9.46N/mm2 of the standard mix. The research concludes that aluminum waste concrete is economical and produces high compressive and flexural strength and can be used in structural members such as beams and columns where high compressive strength concrete is needed
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Content page
Title page i
Approval Page ii
Certification iii
Dedication iv
Acknowledgment v
Abstract vi
Table of Contents vii-xii
List of symbols xiii-xiv
List of tables xv-xix
CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION
- General Introduction 1
1.1 Statement of Problem 3
1.2 Aims and Objectives 4
1.3 Justifications of the study 5
1.4 Scope of Study 5
CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW
2.0 Literature Review 6
2.1 Heavy weight concrete 8
2.1.1 Properties of fresh concrete 8
2.1.1.1 Workability 8
2.1.1.2 Slump 9
2.1.1.3 Compacting factor test 10
2.1.1.4 Vebe test 10
2.2 Factors affecting workability of concrete 10
2.2.1 Water content 11
2.2.2 Mix proportions 11
2.2.3 Size of aggregates 12
2.2.4 Grading of aggregates 12
2.2.5 Surface texture 13
2.3 Properties of hardened concrete 13
2.3.1 Strength 14
2.3.1.1 Compressive strength 14
2.3.1.2 Tensile strength 15
2.3.1.3 Some factors affecting strength of concrete 16
2.3.1.3.1 Water cement ratio 16
2.3.1.3.2 Aggregate 17
2.3.1.3.3 Influence of curing 18
2..3.2 Deformation 19
2.3.3 Durability 19
2.3.4 Shrinkage 21
2.4 Aluminum waste 22
2.5 Pozzolaric materials 23
2.5.1 Natural pozzolanas 23
2.5.1.1 Production and use of calcined natural
pozzolarias in concrete 23
2.5.1.2 The Omani pozzolanas 26
2.5.1.2.1 Chemical effect 26
2.5.1.2.2 Mineralogical effect 27
2.5.1.2.3 Calcination effect 27
2.5.1.2.4 Pozzolanic activity 29
2.5.2 Artificial pozzolanas 29
2.5.2.1 Effects of incorporation of municipal solid waste
incineration fly ash in cement paste and mortars 31
2.5.2.2 Property improvement of Portland cement by
incorporating with metakaolin and slag 33
2.6 Aggregates 36
2.6.1 Chemical composition of aggregates 37
2.6.2 Physical properties of aggregates 38
2.7 Some other properties of concrete 38
2.8 Concrete mix design 42
2.8.1 Empirical method 43
2.8.2 Statistical experimental method 44
2.8.2.1 Simplex design 45
2.8.2.2 Axial design 46
2.8.2.3 Mixture experiments involving process variables 46
2.8.2.4 Mixture models with inverse terms 47
2.8.2.5 K- Model 47
2.9. Scheffe’s Theory 48
2.9.1 Scheffe factors space 50
2.9.2.1 Interaction of components in scheffe factor space 51
2.9.2.2 Number of coefficients 54
2.9.2.3 Relationship between pseudo and actual components 55
CHAPTER THREE: MATERIALS AND METHODS
3.1 Materials 57
3.1.1 Cement 57
3.1.2 Aggregates 58
3.1.2.1 Fine aggregate 58
3.1.2.2 Coarse aggregates 58
3.1.2.3 Water 58
3.1.2.4 Aluminum waste 58
3.2. Methods 59
3.2.1 Setting time of cement 59
3.2.2 Comparative strength and water cement ratio 60
3.2.3 Flexural strength 61
3.2.4 Produlus of elasticity and modules of rigidity 62
3.3 Five component factor space 63
3,4 Responses 65
3.5 Optimum point 73
3.6 Actual components and pseudo components 75
3.6.1 Control for test of Adequacy 80
3.6.2 Finalizing the simplex model 82
3.7 Tests for goodness of fit of the models 82
3.8 Error of replicates 84
3.9 Fisher test 85
3.10 Student T-Test method 86
3.11 Anova test 89
CHAPTER FOUR : RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS
4.1 Results 90
4.2 The regression equation for compressive strength 130
4.3 The regression equation for flexural strength 148
4.4 Economic benefits of using aluminum waste in
Processing concrete 154
4.5 Discussion of results 155
CHAPTER FIVE: CONCLUSIONS, RECOMMENDATION AND
CONTRIBUTIONS TO KNOWLEDGE
5.1 Conclusion 159
5.2 Recommendations 159
5.3 Contribution to knowledge 160
References
Appendices
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.0 GENERAL
Shelter is a serious problem in developing countries like Nigeria. As a result, majority of the people in Nigeria especially those occupying the riverine areas are living in substandard houses (Kashi et al, 2002). The major factor militating against the provision of affordable houses in Nigeria is high cost of building materials – “concrete materials” and “steel materials”. Steel buildings are not cheap and common compared to concrete buildings due to underdeveloped steel industry in Nigeria.
The materials commonly used in concrete construction industry include water, cement, sand and granite (Neville, 1983). Water is always available in its natural states, as rainwater, river water, fresh seawater, and borehole water. Sand is also available in its natural state as river sand, sea sand, erosion sand and desert dunes (sand from the desert). Cement and granite (Coarse aggregate) are not commonly available in their natural states. They are processed materials. In most case the point of use is different from point of manufacture. As such they are the determinant factors in the cost of concrete products. Concrete can be defined in various ways, each depending on the understanding and the level of discussions. According to Neville and Brooks (2002), concrete is any product or mass made by the use of any cementing medium. Concrete in this study is a composite material made from the combination of aggregates, cement, water and admixtures (if any). Aggregates are defined as, particles of rock which, when brought together in a bound or unbound conditions form part or whole of an engineering or building structure (Majid, 2002).
Concrete has been classified into two broad classes, plain and reinforced (Ghose, 1989). Generally, concrete is good in compression and poor in tension (Orie, 2005). Modern research in concrete seeks to provide greater understanding of its constituent materials and possibilities of improving its desired qualities. For instance, cement has been partially replaced with fuel ash (David and Galliford, 2000). The cost of cement and coarse aggregate is on the increase and apparently unaffordable to the rural dwellers, especially those living in the riverine areas of Nigeria. This trend of cost of concrete products has led many researchers to go into the search for alternative and affordable materials for use in concrete. It is in the same spirit of the search for alternative and affordable materials for concrete that this research work tried to see the applicability of aluminum waste in concrete production.
- STATEMENT OF PROBLEM
Production of cement causes replacement of spare parts and high cost of energy production. The high cost of cement in Nigeria makes it impossible for most people to own a house. Because of these, literature has therefore revealed the need for the exploration of possible ways of using local materials in the construction industry. It identifies that additives in concrete makes the resultant concrete to have the desired properties. Therefore, there is a need to develop optimized mix proportions of the natural constituents of concrete and the chosen admixture. This research work therefore, seeks to find a process for the optimization of aluminum waste concrete.
- AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
The work aims amongst others to:
- Examine the effect of using aluminum waste as additive on some mechanical properties of concrete.
- Investigate the use of aluminum waste as a fifth component in concrete.
- Determine the optimal combination of materials in concrete containing aluminum waste in terms of compressive and flexural strength characteristics.
- Investigate the use of Scheffe’s second degree optimization theory in a five component concrete mix.
- Develop models for the optimization of the mechanical properties of five-component concrete mix.
- JUSTIFICATION OF THE STUDY
The work finds its usefulness in the present economy of developing countries such as Nigeria and the need to provide adequate structural elements using the optimum combination of locally available, accessible and affordable materials. Optimized quantities provide relatively cheaper and better result in any field of human endeavour. The results derived from the work will also serve as a spring board for the optimization of concrete mixes that have five components. This will be of immense benefit to the general construction industry.
- SCOPE OF STUDY
The scope of the study is as follows:
- Effect of variation of percentage of aluminum waste.
- Effect of variation of water-cement ratio.
- Optimal combination.
- Compressive strength.
- Flexural strength.
- Static modulus of elasticity and.
- Modulus of rigidity.
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