Impact of incorporating metakaolin on the mechanical performance of high grade concrete

Abstract

This paper studies the effect of incorporating metakaolin on the mechanical properties of high grade concrete. Three different metakaolins calcined at different temperature and durations were used to make concrete specimens. Three different concrete mixtures were characterized using 20% metakaolin in place of cement. A normal concrete mix was also made for comparison purpose. The compressive strength test, split tensile test and flexural strength tests were conducted on the specimens. The compressive strength test results showed that all the metakaolin incorporated concrete specimens exhibited higher compressive strength and performed better than normal concrete at all the days of curing. The rate of strength development of all the mixes was also studied. The study revealed that all the three different metakaolin incorporated mixtures had different rate of strength development for all the days of hydration (3, 7,14, 28, 56 and 90), indicating that all the metakaolins possessed different rate of pozzolanic reactivity. Further, from the analysis of the test results, it was concluded that the variation in the rate of strength development is due to the differences in the temperature and duration at which they were manufactured. The results of split tensile strength test and the flexural strength test conducted on the specimens, supported the conclusions drawn from the results of compressive strength test. The paper also discusses, the rate of development of compressive strength and the pozzolanic behaviour of the metakaolins in light of their parameters of calcination and physical properties such as amorphousness and particle size. This paper has been written with a view to make the potential of metakaolin available to the construction industry at large.