STRENGTH AND DURABILITY ASPECTS OF PARTIAL REPLACEMENT OF SAND BY GRANITE FINES

Abstract

This paper includes a study investigating the structural characteristics of concrete with the use of Granite Fines. Water to cement ratio was maintained to 0.55 throughout the project. Concrete was prepared with granite fines as a replacement of fine aggregate in 5 different percentages namely 0%, 5%, 10%, 15% and 20% and relevant tests have been carried out on strength such as compressive strength, Split tensile strength and Flexural strength. For each percent 4 specimens and a total of 20 specimens were casted for 7 days and 28 days testing separately and it was arrived that optimum replacement of sand by Granite fines was 15%.For the durability tests such as water absorption and porosity 15 cubes were casted and these results were compared with the conventional concrete.The test results indicates that partial replacement of sand with granite fines has beneficial effect onthe mechanical properties such as compressive strength, split tensile strength and flexural strength of concrete and also durable.