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
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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
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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
1.0Â Â 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. Â 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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