Flexural Behavior of RC Two Way Slabs Made With Crushed Melted Bricks as Coarse Aggregate

Abstract

This paper provides the results of an experimental investigation into the use of crushed melted clay brick waste as coarse aggregate in producing concrete. Fast development in the structural concrete constructions has increased; therefore the high consumption of gravel as a coarse aggregate in concrete works has increased in alarming rate. Furthermore, the growth of the brick industry has also produced lots of product mainly the waste materials affected on the environment, so that the production of concrete with crushed melted brick as a suitable aggregate will face the countries in the coming few years and affect its sustainability and economy. In order to fulfil the objective of this investigation, an array of tests were conducted to determine concrete performance, including the compressive strength tests, the flexural tests and the tests to determine the modulus of elasticity. The data were collected and analyzed to satisfy the study on melted brick waste as an alternative in coarse aggregate as a partial or full replacement in concrete production. To study the effect of using the melted brick on structural behavior of concrete, five reinforced concrete slabs were tested, the key variable was, the replacement ratio of crushed melted brick, ranging from 25 to 100% of the total coarse aggregate, the mix proportions and W/C ratio were constant. Behavior of slabs under loading was observed, cracking and ultimate strength and deflections were recorded. The results reveal that the mixes with melted crushed brick aggregate show decrease in concrete compressive strength about 3–13%, flexural strength about 11–33% and modulus of elasticity about 10–15% than gravel concrete, at age of 28 days depending on the ratio of crushed melted brick replacement. Slab with replacement ratio 25% exhibit ultimate load 95% the ultimate load of reference slab made with gravel. The results also indicate that the ultimate load of full melted brick waste concrete has achieved 80% of ultimate load of reference slab.