APPLICATION OF INNOVATIVE ADMIXTURES FOR ECONOMICAL CONCRETE BLOCKS

Abstract

In India the old tradition of production of concrete is still prevalent as some argue that these are the best ways to give strength to construction materials. But nowadays with innovative ideas and new materials the construction industry is on the path of developing new building blocks using industrial waste materials, the researchers all across the globe are not just focusing on manufacturing stronger concrete blocks, but also thinking about making them more environmentally friendly. Foundry sand is an excellent non hazardous admixture which gives enhanced strength to concrete. It is a by-product of iron and steel industries or automobile industries and its part suppliers, which cause environmental problems due to its improper disposal. In India and all across the globe, there is scarcity of land for the disposal of this industrial waste therefore these can be utilized as additive materials in construction firms. In this paper the author proposes the use of foundry sand in the preparation of concrete blocks for sustainable building material. Test samples containing foundry sand as a partial replacement of fine aggregate from 0% to 40% of M25 grade concrete by weight were casted and tested for their workability and compressive strength. The test samples yielded good strength with the increase in the partial replacement of sand by foundry sand.