Study of optimum compressive strength of palm kernel shell-quarry dust aggregates concrete

Abstract

The suitability of palm kernel shell and quarry dust as coarse and fine aggregates in the concrete were investigated. The materials were pretreated which was followed with determination of physical properties of palm kernel shells and quarry dust as aggregates. A mix design following ACI 211 was used for the concrete mix proportion. Apart from control mix, two replacement levels of coarse aggregates at 50% and 100% with palm-kernel shells at 100% quarry dust were examined. Results show that compressive strength decreased with increase in proportions of palm-kernel shell. For 100, 50, and 0% palm kernel shells in the concrete containing 100% quarry dust, the compressive strength at 28 days were 15.06 N/mm 2 , 17.72 N/mm 2 , and 35 N/mm 2 respectively which satisfied the minimum requirement for the production of lightweight concrete. This grade of concrete could be used where low stress concrete is required. Based on the optimum compressive strength of palm kernel shellquarry dust aggregates concrete, the following inferences were made that the values obtained for specific gravity, water absorption, bulk density, moisture content of palm-kernel shell and quarry dust fall within the range specified for a light weight aggregate. This confirmed that palm-kernel shell and quarry dust could be used as substitute for coarse and fine aggregate respectively to produce lightweight aggregate concrete in non-load bearing structures and in lightweight structural concrete at 1: 1.31 : 2.55 mix ratio.