EFFECT OF PARTIAL REPLACEMENT OF SAND WITH QUARRY DUST ON COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH OF CONCRETE

Abstract

The study was done to evaluate the effect of partial replacement of sand with quarry dust oncompressive strength of concrete. Quarry dust sample was used to partially replace sand in anincreasing order of 5%, 10%, 15%, 20% and 25% by weight of sand. Tests were conducted toevaluate the effect of partial replacement of sand with quarry dust on compressive strength ofconcrete. The test conducted includes: sieve analysis test, specific gravity test, fineness test,soundness test, aggregate impact and crushing value test, slump test and compressive strengthtest. Results obtained from sieve analysis test revealed that sand, quarry dust and granite wereclassified as A-2-6, A-1-b and A-1-b according to AASHTO Soil Classification System, SM,GM and GC according to Unified Soil Classification System, the specific gravity of the sampleswere 2.55, 2.75 and 2.61, the impact and crushing value of the aggregate were 27.6% and 26.1%,the fineness and soundness of cement was 3% and 0.95%. Results obtained from slump testrevealed that the slump of the concrete decreased with consistent addition of quarry dust to theconcrete while for the compressive strength test, it was observed that the compressive strength ofthe concrete increased from 5% addition of quarry dust to 20% addition of quarry dust to theconcrete beyond 20% quarry dust content, the compressive strength of the concrete was found todecrease. The study therefore discourages the use of quarry dust beyond 20% in the productionof concrete as at 20% quarry dust content, the hardened density and compressive strength of theconcrete was undermined.