THE COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE STRENGTH OF CONCRETE MADE FROM DIFFERENT AGGREGATES SIZE SOURCED FROM AFIKPO EBONYI STATE, SOUTH EASTERN NIGERIA

CHAPTER ONE

1.0 INTRODUCTION

The compressive strength of concrete depends on the water to cement ratio, degree of compaction, ratio of cement to aggregate, bond between mortar and aggregate, grading, shape strength and size of the aggregate (Rocco and Elices, 2009; Elices and Rocco, 2008).

Concrete materials have become the most widely used construction material for building and any other structural engineering works since the invention of Portland cement. The reasons for this are obvious; this includes the flexibility of the concrete manufactured which can be poured into different shapes when in fresh form and course its durable nature after it has hardened.

The major characteristic of concrete that has made it to be widely used is due to its high compressibility in withstanding load.

Compressive strength of concrete can be defined as the maximum compressive load it can carry per unit area (N/mm²). The concrete performance test has always been referred to as the compressibility in withstanding concrete cube load with dimension of 150mm x 150mm at the age of 28 days.

A concrete test is performed to learn more about the properties of a specific sample of concrete. A number of different tests can be performed on concrete both on a job site and in a laboratory to prevent disasters. Critical physical parameters must be measured to quantify performance and strength ensuring our safety and safety of our environment. Test results are also kept on file in case a problem develops in the future. There are different test methods for freshly mixed concrete such as slump test, air content test, unit weight test and compressive test.

Rajiv Banariee, Md. Abod Apan and Zeesham Ahmad (2015, made a research to study the compressive strength of various grades of concrete using different sizes of cubes and concluded in their findings that

According to (Theophilos Tisa Isado), he made a research on “A comparative analysis of concrete strength using igneous, sedimentary and metamorphic rocks as coarse aggregates” and concluded that:

Anthony Woode, David Kwame Amoah, IssakaAyusaAgusa and Philip Ballow (2015), made research on “the effect of maximum coarse aggregate size on the compressive strength of concrete and concrete made with 10mm maximum aggregate size is higher than that 14mm and 20mm sizes. However, the slump values of concrete made with 20mm sizes of aggregate is higher than that of 10mm and 14mm sizes at the same water-cement-ratio.

Neville (1999) and Shetty (2000), stated that the optimum maximum size of coarse aggregate for 28days compressive strength of concrete is 8mm for a water cement-ratio of 0.63. they also found out that the heterogeneity of concrete increases, due to increased maximum coarse aggregate size while in constant maximum fine aggregate size, the strength of concrete reduces.

M. Yagus and Imran Bukhari (2006), stated that:

Abdullah M. (2012), after his findings concluded that “aggregate type has effect on the compressive strength of normal concrete. Highest compressive strength was achieved from concrete containing crushed quartzite, followed by concrete containing river gravel. Concrete containing crushed granite shows the least strength development at all ages. Linear polynomial model as a function of age at curing is adequate to account for the variability in the compressive strength data. It is suggested that crushed quartzite aggregate may be employed for concrete work in places where concrete practitioners have variety of choice available”.

1.1 STATEMENT OF PROBLEM

The collapse of structures has made the engineers and technologists to seek and develop modern technique in testing for the compressive strength of concrete which will help to curtail collapse of engineering structures. When concrete is stressed, failure may occur within the concrete or the aggregate matrix interface (the bond). The aggregates are stronger than the concrete itself.

Therefore, a concrete cast without an aggregate does not develop the special properties required such as weather resistance, and the strength characteristic because the aggregate increases the compressive strength of the concrete. The use of wrong aggregates for different engineering works is the major reason for this research work, so that people may know the best aggregate size to use for a specific engineering construction.

1.2 AIM OF STUDY

The aim of this study is to compare the compressive strength of concrete produced with different aggregate sizes.

1.3 OBJECTIVES OF STUDY

The objectives of this study are:

1.4 SCOPE OF STUDY

This work involve the practical study of compressive strength o concrete made using various aggregate sizes, the different aggregate sizes used include 10mm, 15mm, 20mm and 25mm which was gotten from Afikpo, Ebonyi State, Nigeria. The concrete strength test to be carried out will be based on the concrete cube test with the dimension 150mm x 150mm x 150mm.

1.5 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY

This research project work is limited, delayed (handicapped0 by a number of factors and these factors are:

1.6 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY

The sand (fine aggregate) to be used for this research work will be sourced from Unwana beach (river) in Afikpo North L.G.A, Ebonyi state, Nigeria and the coarse aggregate will be obtained from CONROK NIG LTD Afikpo-Okigwe Road, Ebonyi state, Nigeria, the cement to be used is UNICEM cement (Portland cement) and will be bought from a cement shop in Unwana community Afikpo L.G.A, Ebonyi State, Nigeria. The water to be used for this work will be sourced from AkanuIbiam Federal Polytechnic, UnwanaAfikpoEbonyi State Nigeria school borehole at the back of microbiology laboratory.

All the fine and coarse aggregates will be washed thoroughly to remove unwanted debris and later dried. The coarse aggregates to be used will be of the following sizes, 12mm, 19mm, 20mm and 25mm. the apparatus that will be used for this project research work are; weigh balance, tampering road, metre rule, head pan, shovel, slump cone, base plate, set of sieves, consistency test apparatus, etc.

The concrete will be batched and mixed according to BS EN 206-1 (16). Slump test will be carried out on the fresh concrete to determine the workability of the various aggregate sizes. The cube moulds will be cleaned and oiled before casting the moulds. Nine concrete cubes of 150mm x 150mm x 150mm will be produced for each aggregate sizes of 12mm, 19mm, 20mm and 25mm for 7days, 14, 21 and 28days of curing respectively. The mix ratio to be used is 1:2:4 and the water/cement ratio of 5% (0.5) will be used for aggregate sizes used in this research work. Demoulding of the cubes will be done within 24hours after casting. The hardened cubes will be transferred immediately into the curing tank for curing, then the cubes will be removed the end of 7, 14, 21 and 28days respectively from the curing tank and will be sun-dried for 3 hours before crushing the cubes to obtain the compressive strength.

Three samples will be crushed for each aggregate sizes and the average result adopted to calculate for the compressive strength.

Compressive strength = Crushing load (N)

Cross-sectional area of cube (mm²)

1.7 SIGNIFICANCE OF STUDY

This research work will help engineers, construction companies and institutions in the south east region of Nigeria to know the appropriate aggregate size that gives the highest compressive strength to concrete and also know the workability of the concrete for their engineering works and research.

This research will also help to curtail the high level of concrete cracks which results from poor concrete strength which also leads to collapse of structure.

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