Effects of concrete grades on strength characteristics of metakaolin modified recycled aggregate concrete

Abstract

In this study, locally produced Metakaolin (MK) was used as an admixture in recycled aggregate concrete of grades M 25 and M 30. The content of MK varied from 0-15% at 5% intervals. The physical and mechanical properties (bulk density, specific gravity, water absorption, aggregate crushing value and aggregate impact value) of aggregates were determined, the chemical composition as well as reactivity of MK was evaluated using X-Ray Fluorescence (XRF) technique and modified Chappelle test. The workability (slump) and strength (compressive and split tensile) properties of fresh and hardened RAC were examined relative to that of conventional concrete. The results of the experiments revealed that the specific gravity (SG), water absorption and aggregate impact value of recycled aggregates (RA) were 2.23, 5.35% and 32%, respectively. The MK used had an optimum reactivity of 2060.8 mg of Ca(OH)2 fixed at a temperature of 660oC. The slump values for M 25 and M 30 control specimens were 72 mm and 65 mm, respectively while the slump values of MK modified RAC decreased from 67-45 mm for M 25 and 55-35 mm for M 30 as MK increased from 0-15%. The 56th-day compressive strength of the control samples was 21.73 N/mm2 for M 25 and 26.8 N/mm2 for M 30, respectively, while RAC samples ranged from 14.96-17.04 N/mm2 for M 25 and 20.55-22.67 N/mm2 for M 30 whereas the split tensile strength for the control samples was 2.71 N/mm2 and 3.06 N/mm2 for the two grades in that sequence, while those of RAC ranged from 2.26-2.49 N/mm2 for M 25 and 2.62 – 2.84 N/mm2 for M 30. Despite the fact that metakaolin modified RAC had lower strength properties than conventional concrete, the use of 10% metakaolin as a RA modifier in concrete production will provide a sustainable alternative to conventional aggregates in concrete mix design.