FACULTY OF ENGINEERING

DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

INVESTIGATING THE SUITABILITY OF

SAWDUSTASH AS A PARTIAL
REPLACEMENT OF CEMENT IN
CONCRETE

NOAH NUNGA PUNGI

18/150/BSCE-J

Supervisor: Mr. KIMEZE HENRY

A FINAL YEAR PROPOSAL SUBMITTED

TO THE FACULTY OF ENGINEEERING,
DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL AND BUILDING
ENGINEERING IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT
OF REQUIREMENTS FOR THE AWARD OF
BACHELORS DEGREE IN CIVIL
ENGINEERING AT INTERNATIONAL
UNIVRSITY OF EAST AFRICA
CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background to the study

Today, the increase of economic, social, and

environmental issues needs low-cost and
sustainable production in all sectors of the
global economy. Society and all the fields
have put much effort into determining the
most sustainable, meaning best ways to
make industries evolve. The civil engineering
field has not done exceptions to the rule.
From the different technologies to the
varieties of materials used, engineers are
looking for the most suitable for the field
without forgetting the fight for the survival of
our planet, the earth. As we know, concrete
made with Portland cement is the most used
material in the construction industry.

For the past two centuries cement has been

used as the main binder used in concrete.
Concrete being the most widely used
substance on earth second only to water. If
the cement industry were a country, it would
be the third largest carbon dioxide emitter
with up to 2.8 billion tons, surpassed only by
China and the US. This represents 8% of
global carbon dioxide emissions, more than
double those flying or shipping. All the plastic
produced over the past 60 years amounts to
8 billion tons yet the cement industry pumps
out more than that very two years which is
an alarming fact when we realize that
producing one ton of Portland cement
releases roughly one ton of co2 in the
atmosphere, and sometimes
much more. There is an emergency that
needs to be attended to for the survival of
our planet.

the other concern is about the cost of

production of cement and its price on the
market. There is need for affordable building
materials in providing adequate housing for
the taming populace of the world. The cost
of conventional building materials continues
to increase as the majority of the population
continues to fall below the poverty line.
There is therefore need to search for local
materials as alternatives for the construction
of low-cost buildings in both the rural and
urban areas. Many materials like fly ash,
pulverized fuel ash have been tested as
substitute for cement. This study will focus
on investigating the suitability of saw dust
ash as the replacing material.
dust is the wood residue generated when a
log is cut by a saw to make sawn timber. The
wood ilization industry is characterized by
poor harvesting and processing methods as
well as limited value addition. Most of the
saw mills mobile in nature have an average
recovery of 45% hence more than 50% of
the wood is lost as waste. Sawdust is the
main by-product from wood. Unfortunately, it
has been found that there is no proper
disposal method of the waste from wood.
Large heaps of saw dust are found at saw
milling sites and are usually burned as a way
of disposal. However, burning is largely
discouraged by environmentalists as a
means of waste disposal method.

Saw dust ash (SDA) is obtained by burning

sawdust from the milling industries and the
ash contains mainly silicates, SDA has
pozzolanic properties and can thus be a
promising material for concrete production.
Moreover, its cost of production is relatively
low since it's mainly sourced from waste
materials. This makes it a most suitable
material in terms of affordability and
availability for the population.

This study aims at determining the suitability

of sawdust ash by testing its physical
properties as a partial replacement for
cement. This will help provide a better
disposal method for wood wastes while
reducing the amount of cement used in
concrete, thus providing the construction
industry with more sustainable concrete
having a lower carbon footprint.

1.2 Problem statement

According to the MDPI, for every ton of
cement produced approximately 825-890kg
of co2 are emitted. This alone is
disqualifying cement from being a
sustainable material. Billions of tons of
cement are produced every year and with
every ton produced the environment is
endangered a little more. On the other hand,
thousands of cubic meters of wood waste
are produced every year. The multiple milling
industries produce large amounts of waste
that are unaccounted for. The old technology
they use does not allow them to recover
more than 45% of the wood meaning that
more than 50% of the harvest is wasted.
There should be at least a reliable method
renowned as the way to dispose of the wood
waste.

The pozzolanic properties of sawdust ash

can allow it to be a partial replacement for
cement. In concrete. Its application can help
reduce the amount of co2 emitted by the
production of cement also suggest a solution
to the disposal of wood waste. Using
sawdust ash as a partial eplacement for
cement will then be an economic and
environmental-friendly way of improving

the quality of concrete

1.3 Objectives

1.3.1 Main objective

The major objective of this work is to study

and assess the effects of partial replacement
of cement by sawdust ash on the strength of
concrete.

1.3.2 Specific objectives

The specific objectives of this study are:

marine which

• To determine the physical properties of

sawdust ash

To determine the material properties of

concrete sawdust ash

To assess the workability of concrete in

varying proportions of sawdust ash

• To assess the compressive and tensile

strength of concrete when proportions of
sawdust ash

are varied

1.4 Research questions

⚫ what are the physical properties of
sawdust ash?

what will be the material properties of

concrete containing sawdust ash

how will the workability of concrete be

affected by varying proportions of sawdust
ash? how will the compressive and tensile
strength of concrete be affected by varying
proportions of sawdust ash

1.5 Justification of the study

The world is moving toward sustainable

living and it's important to find ways that will
favor both the environment and the
economy. Cement is the most expensive
material used in concrete and its production
releases large amounts of
carbon dioxide into the atmosphere which is
why it is rtant to find ways of reducing its use
if it can't be totally replaced. On the other
hand, the food industry is also growing and
there is an increase in the waste produced
yearly.

Unfortunately, there is no well-defined

approach as to how the wood wastes are
supposed to be disposed of besides simply
burning and which is not eco-friendly. The
high utilization of wood does not match the
intentionality in keeping the environment
clean from wood waste. A better disposal
method needs to be found and applied.

The use of sawdust ash in concrete will:

provide more affordable housing since the

material is largely available;
⚫reduce the pollution of the environment by
improper disposal of wood waste and

⚫ reduce on the carbon dioxide emissions

by use of less amounts of Portland cement.

1.6 Scope of the study

1.6.1 Time scope

This project will be carried out in the second

semester of the academic year 2022-2023
for 5 months which is from January to May

1.6.2 Geographical scope

The experiments will be carried out from the

International University of East Africa
civil engineering laboratory. The sawdust will
be collected from the milling site in kitalanga.

1.6.3 Project scope

The experiments will be done to determine

the physical properties of sawdust ash, and
the behavior of concrete containing banana
sawdust ash by observing its mechanical
properties through the slump test,
compressive strength, and tensile strength
tests.

CHAPTER TWO

LITERATURE REVIEW

2.1 Introduction

Over the past years, scholars have

searched for ways to improve the qualities of
concrete. Many substances have been
tested to determine and assess their effects
on the properties of concrete while minding
the global concern for the environment. The
engineering solutions are required to be eco-
friendly too. There would be no need to get
new materials performing well according to
the engineering criteria to the detriment of
the well-being of our planet.

Portland cement has been one of the most

important engineering materials but the
current ecological problems that are caused
by its manufacturing have pushed engineers
to look for ways to reduce its negative
impact on the environment. This work will
then focus on finding a way of using wood
wastes and proposing a low-cost option for
the partial replacement of
cement.

2.2 Overview on cement

2.2.1 History of Portland cement

Throughout history, cementing materials

have played an important role and were
used widely in the ancient times. As early as
2600 B.C. to make the great pyramid,
calcined gypsum was used by the Egyptians
as a cement and the Greeks and Romans
used lime made by heating limestone first
added sand to get mortar and coarser
stones for concrete.

Later on, it was found by the Romans that a

cement that would set under water could be
made and they use it for the construction of
harbors. They added crushed volcanic ash
to lime and later they
called the result a "pozzolanic" cement,
named after the village of Pozzuoli near
Vesuvius. but in some places, such as
Britain, volcanic ash was scarce so crushed
brick or tile was used instead. Therefore, the
Romans can be said to have been the first to
systematically manipulate the properties of
cementitious materials for specific
applications and situations.

Joseph Aspdin, an enter-19th-century British

stonemason, first developed cement as we
know it. He heated a mix of ground
limestone and clay in his kitchen stove, then
pulverized the concoction fine powder. He
obtained as a result the world's first
hydraulic cement: one that hardens hen
water is added. He called it Portland cement
because of its resemblance with a stone
quarried on the isle of Portland. British coast.
This brilliant craftsman
obtained a patent in 1824 for what would
become the world's most ubiquitous building
material, laying the foundation for the
Portland cement industry we have today
globally.

2.2.2Manufacturing Process

Portland cement is a combination of calcium,

silica, aluminum and iron. To produce a
calcium- silicate Portland cement that
conforms to specific chemical and physical
specifications, careful control of the
manufacturing process is demanded. A few
steps are to be followed for the production of
good quality cement.

• Quarry of the raw materials

First, the raw materials limestone, shells or

chalk along with shale, clay, sand or iron
ore - are mined from a quarry that's usually
near the manufacturing plant. Before leaving
the quarry these materials are reduced in
size by two sets of crushers. The primary set
crushes the stone to about 125 mm in
diameter and the secondary set pulverizes it
to just 19 mm. Then the raw materials are
sent to the manufacturing plant, where they
are proportioned to create cements with
specific chemical compositions.

⚫ Chemical processing

In

1. Portland cement is manufactured using

two methods: wet and dry. the dry method,
dry raw materials are proportioned before
being ground into a fine powder, blended,
then fed dry into a kiln. In the wet method,
a slurry is created by adding water to
properly proportioned raw materials prior to
them being ground, blended and fed into the
upper end of a tilted and rotating cylindrical
kiln, where their rate of passage is controlled
by the kiln's slope and rotational speed.

2. Then Burning fuel- usually powdered coal

or natural gas is then forced into the kiln's
lower end, heating the raw materials to
1,430-1,650 degrees C. At 1,480 degrees C,
several chemical reactions fuse the raw
materials, creating what are called cement
clinkers: grayish- black pellets the size of
marbles. The red-hot clinkers are discharged
from the lower end of the kiln and transferred
into various types of coolers to reduce their
temperature so they can be handled safely.
3. Once cooled, the clinkers are combined
with gypsum and ground into a gray powder
so fine that it can pass through a 75-micron-
or number 200 mesh - sieve.

This fine gray powder is Portland cement.

2.2.3Properties of Portland cement

2.2.3.1Physical properties of Cement

Different blends of cement used in

construction are characterized by their
physical properties. Some key parameters
control the quality of cement.

Fineness of Cement

The fineness of cement is determined by the

size of its particles. And to achieve the
required fineness of good cement the
clinker in the last step of the cement
production process. Since, the hydration rate
of cement which is the speed at which
cement absorbs water is directly related to
the cement particle size, fineness of cement
is very important.

Soundness of Cement

Sound cement is one which has the ability to

not shrink upon hardening. Good quality
cement retains its volume after setting
without delayed expansion, which is caused
by excessive free lime and magnesia.
Unsoundness of cement does not appear.
The unsoundness may be manifested after
many years that's why some tests are made
to ensure the soundness potential of
cement.

sistency of Cement
Wicistency of cement is defined as the term
used to indicate the degree of fluidity or
degree of obilny of cement or else it's
defined as the amount of water that is
needed to be added to the cement for
obtaining standard consistency. Less
amount of water added to the cement will not
complete the chemical reaction and results
in a reduction of strength. This is also the
ability of cement paste to flow is consistency.

Strength of Cement

There are three types of cement strengths;

compressive, tensile and flexural. Different
factors such as the strength, water-cement
ratio, cement fine aggregate ratio, curing
conditions, size and shape of specimen.
loading conditions, the manner of molding
and mixing, and age. It should be noted that
cement gains strength over time and that
cement strength is merely a quality control
measure.

Setting time of cement

When water is added, cement sets and

hardens with time. Multiple factors such as
fineness of cement. cement-water ratio,
admixtures and chemical content affect this
setting time. Cement used in construction
should have an initial setting time that is not
too low and a final setting time which is not
too high. Therefore, two setting times are
measured:

1. Initial set: when the paste begins to stiffen

noticeably (typically within 30-45 minutes)
2. Final set: when the cement hardens,
being able to sustain some load (below 10
hours)

Setting time can also be un indicator of

hydration rate.

Heat of hydration

Hydration is the reaction that takes place

when water is added to cement. This
reaction generates heat. which can affect the
quality of cement but also be beneficial in
maintaining curing temperature during cool
weather. In the same way, if too much heat
is generated, especially in large structures, it
can cause undesired stress. CS and CA
present in cement, water-cement ratio,
fineness and curing temperature affect
mostly the heat of hydration. The heat of
hydration is
obtained by calculating the difference
between the dry and the partially hydrated
cement (obtained by comparing these at 7
and 28 day)

Bulk density

When mixed with cement, water replaces

areas that would normally filled with air. This
makes the bulk density of cement to be not
very important. The density of cement varies
depending on its composition percentage.
The density of cement may he anywhere
from 62 to 78 pounds per cubic foot.

Specific gravity

Specific gravity is generally used in mixture

proportioning calculations. Portland cement
has a specific gravity of
3.15 while other types of cement have
specific gravities of about 2.90.

2.2.3.2Chemical properties of Portland

cement

Loss of ignition

When a cement sample is heated at 900-

1000°C until a constant weight is obtained a
weight loss occurs. This loss of weight is
calculated as loss of ignition. An increase in
the loss of ignition can might indicate
improper and prolonged storage or
adulteration during transfer leading to pre-
hydration and carbonation.

Chemical composition and effects on cement

Chemical analysis of cement raw

materials provides insight into the chemical
properties of cement.
Tricalcium

(C3A)

Low content of C3A makes the cement

sulfate-resissees the hydration of CA. which
liberates

a lot of heat in the early stages of hydration.

C3A does not provide any more than a little
amount

of

aluminate

strength.

Tricalcium
silicate

(CS) C3S causes rapid hydration as well as

hardening and is responsible for the
cement's early

strength gain an initial setting. 2

Dicalciumsilicate(CS)

As opposed to tricalcium silicate, which

helps early strength gain, dicalcium silicate
in cement helps the strength gain after one
week. 3. Ferrite(CAF)

Ferrite is a fluxing agent. It reduces the

melting temperature of the raw materials in
the kiln from 3.000°F to 2.600°F

4. Magnesia(MgO)
The manufacturing process of Portland
cement uses magnesia as a raw material in
dry process plants. An excess amount of
magnesia may make the cement unsound
and expansive, but a little amount of it can
add strength to the cement. Production of
MgO-based cement also causes less CO2
emission. All cement is limited to a content of
6% MgO,

5. Sulphurtrioxide

Sulfur trioxide in excess amount can make

cement unsound. 6 Ironoxide/Ferricoxide

Aside from adding strength and hardness,

iron oxide or ferric oxide is mainly
responsible for the color of the cement. 7.
Alkalis

The amounts of potassium oxide (KO) and

sodium oxide (Na:O) determine the alkali
content of the cement. Cement containing
large amounts of alkali can cause some
difficulty in regulating the setting time of
cement. There is an optional limit in total
alkali content of 0.60%

8. Freelime

Free lime, which is sometimes present in

cement, may cause expansion.

9. Silicafumes

Silica fume is added to cement concrete in

order to improve a variety of properties,
especially compressive strength, abrasion
resistance and bond strength. Hence,
Portland cement
containing 5-20% silica fume is usually
produced for Portland cement projects
that require high

strength.

10. Alumina

Cement containing high alumina has the

ability to withstand frigid temperatures since
aluminu is chemical-resistant. It also
quickens the setting but weakens the
cement.

2.3 Sawdust and sawdust ash

Sawdust is a by-product or waste product of

woodworking operations such as sawing,
sanding. milling, planing, and routing. It is
composed of small chippings of wood.
These operations can be performed by
woodworking machinery, portable power
tools, or by use of hand
tools, Wood dust is also the byproduct of
certain animals, birds, and insects which live
in wood, such as the woodpecker and
carpenter ant. In some manufacturing
industries, it can be a significant fire hazard
and source of occupational dust exposure.

The Sawdust Ash (SDA) is obtained by

incineration of sawdust at a temperature
between 600- 6300 c under a control burning
system for 2hours 25minutes and the ash
was is allowed to cool before sieving through
sieve 75 μm.

2.3.1 Physical properties of sawdust

Chemical properties of sawdust ash

emain chemical components of saw dust are

carbon 60.8%, hydrogen 5.19%, oxygen
33.83%

and nitrogen 0.90%. The specific gravity of

SDA is 2.03 and loss in ignition is 4.27%

The chemical composition of saw dust is

Taste: chemotl.companysiour of supodar nah

2.4Concrete

A composite material that consists

essentially of a binding medium, such as
mixture of Portland cement and water, within
which are embedded particles or fragments
of aggregate, usually a combination of fine
and coarse aggregate. Concrete is by far the
most versatile and most widely used
construction material worldwide. It can be
engineered to satisfy
a wide range of performance specifications,
unlike other building materials, such as
natural stone or steel, which generally have
to be used as they are Because the tensile
strength of concrete is much lower than its
compressive strength, it is typically
reinforced with steel bars, in which case it is
known as reinforced concrete (McGraw,
2016)

2.4.1Strength of concrete
Crete is strong in compression but weak in
tension. Steel is often used as
reinforcement, as it is ng in tension. When
we talk of concrete strength, we generally
mean compressive strength. The mits used
to measure compressive strength are
Newtons per square millimetre, or N/mm2
Strengths are ever increasing due a
corresponding increase in demands from
the material, followed closely by new
technologies. Typical strengths range from
as low as 20N/mm2 for small jobs to as high
as 65N/mm2 for structural concrete

Concrete strength increases with time where

moisture is available. However, it is accepted
that around 80% of the strength is reached
at an age of 28 days and so this is the length
of time a concrete cube is stored, in
controlled conditions before testing.

2.4.2Durability of concrete

Concrete can be affected in the hardened

state by factors such as weathering,
chemical attack, abrasion and freeze thaw
attack It is important that the thickness of
concrete covering steel reinforcement (or
"cover") is sufficient to prevent the ingress
of moisture and air, which may lead to
corrosion. When designing concrete
structures to resist aggressive environments,
a strong, dense concrete with low
permeability is necessary. For a structure to
resist deterioration, the right blend of design,
materials and quality of construction is
needed.

2.4.3 Workability of concrete

This relates to the ease of transportation,

placing, compaction and finishing of fresh
concrete. It can be affected by many factors,
including water content, temperature,
aggregate properties, cement content,
mixing time, elapsed time after mixing. The
workability of fresh concrete is increasingly
referred to in European standards as
consistence. This can be described as a
combination of workability
and cohesion. And cohesion is the
resistance of the mix to the segregation of its
contents and to bleeding- the release of
water from the mix. The most commonly
used test to measure workability is the
Slump Test

2.4.4 Permeability

Permeability of concrete is defined as the

property that controls the rate of flow of
fluids into a porous solid. It largely depends
on the size of pores, connectivity of pores,
and how tortuous the path is for the
permeating fluid. The pores relevant to
permeability are those with a minimum ter of
120 or 160nm, and they have to be
connected. Isolated pores, pores filled with
water. pores with a narrow entrance and
irrelevant to permeability. There are several
factors which influence the durability such
as water to cement ratio, concrete
compaction, concrete curing, and age of
concrete. So, such factors shall be taken into
consideration during mix design and
construction of concrete structure.

2.4.5Proportioning of ingredients in making

concrete

selection of the suitable ingredients and

determination of their relative quantities to
produce, as economically as possible,
concrete of the appropriate workability,
strength and durability are two important
aspects of the proportioning of the
ingredients in making concrete. These
proportions will depend on the
characteristics of ingredients used. The
overall objective of mix design is the
selection of the suitable ingredients among
the available materials and
determining the most economical
combination that will produce concrete with
certain minimum performance
characteristics.

CHAPTER THREE

METHODOLOGY

3.1 Introduction

The materials and the methods that will be

applied to achieve the specific objectives of
the study are the focus of this part. The
research will be driven by experiments
obtained through a literature review on
partial replacement of cement by sawdust
ash.
3.2Research materials

Various tasks need to be carried out in order

to successfully come up with the right and
reliable

data:

i. Obtaining the samples of sawdust

ii. Drying and burning the sample Carry out

test on the sample

iv. Prepare samples to be used for

determination of compressive strength V
Slump test on which it will be maintained
constant

vi. Cubes of 150-150×150 and cylinder of

150mm diameter and 300mm diameter
control
3.3 Methods

3.3.1 Material Properties

3.3.1.1Chemical analysis

The procedures used in the chemical

analysis of portland cement/sawdust ash are
described in this group of tests. For routine
samples, the x-ray fluorescence method is
used. For referee samples, or
es where there is a question as to the
results, the reference test methods
described in ASTM

signation: C 114 shall be used

Procedure

Before testing, pass samples through a

U.S. No. 20 sieve in order to mix the sample,
break up Lumps, and remove foreign
materials. Discard hardened lumps that do
not break up on sieving or brushing. Store
the cement in airtight moisture proof
containers to prevent aeration or absorption
of moisture prior to test.

1. This portion of the method will determine

the oxides of silica, aluminum, iron, calcium.
magnesium, sodium, potassium, and sulfur.
Test in accordance with ASTM Designation:
D 4326 except as noted below.

4) Select a series of at least seven NIST

standard cements that will bracket the
expected concentrations of the elements in
the unknown samples. Prepare standards in
the same way as for samples.
It is recommended that new standard fused
disks be made every 6 months. b) Weigh
1.00 g of cement as received into the
platinum alloy crucible and 6 g of fluxing

material. Add 3 drops of lithium bromide

solution as recommended by the
manufacturer to

prevent the fused disks from adhering to the

crucibles.

c) Fuse the samples following the

manufacturer's recommendations. Analyze
fused disks in the XRF

2. Determine insoluble residue, carbon

dioxide, and loss on ignition in accordance
with ASTM
Designation: C114. 3. An alternative test
procedure for sulfur trioxide is to analyze
with the carbon sulfur determinator, Follow
the manufacturer's recommendations for the
testing of cement

3.3.1.2 Setting time of sawdust ash/cement

The setting times of cement/sawdust ash

give an indication of how long the cement
will remain workable when used in a
concrete mix. If the cement/sawdust ash has
deteriorated or was originally: defective, it
may take an excessive time to set.

Test procedure
A fresh sample of cement paste of standard
consistence should be placed in the mould
and levelled off using a trowel.
2. The initial set needle should be fitted to
the apparatus, this needle is a bluntended
cylinder of diameter 1.13 mm, and weighing
9.00.5g with the needle in position the sliding
portion of the apparatus should weight 300
grams. The weight should be checked prior
to the start of the test.

3. To determine the initial setting time, the

needle is brought into contact with the
surface of the cement paste and released.
Initially the needle will penetrate completely
through the paste to the base of the mould,
but the test is repeated at regular intervals at
different points on the surface until the
needle only penetrates to within 51 mm. of
the base of the mould. The time elapsed
from initially mixing the cement with water
until the desired
penetration is reached is the initial setting
time

To determine the final setting time, the final

set needle is fitted to the apparatus. The
final set needle is a cylindrical blunt-ended
needle which is fitted with a metal collar
which is hollowed out to leave a 5 mm
diameter cutting edge 0.5 mm. behind the tip
of the needle, The weight should be 9.0±0.5
g

5. The needle is brought gently into contact

with the surface of the paste and released.
This operation is repeated at intervals until
the tip of the needle marks the paste but the
cutting edge does not come into contact with
the paste. The time elapsed from initial
mixing of the cement and water until this
stage is reached is the final setting time.
3.3.2 Mix design

Concrete mix design is the science of

deciding the relative proportions of
ingredients of concrete to achieve the
desired properties in the most economical
way.

3.3.2.1 Standard concrete mix ratio

nominal mixes of fixed cement-aggregate
ratio (by volume) vary widely in strength and
may

alt in under or over-rich mixes. For this

reason, the minimum compressive strength
has been ncluded in many specifications.
These mixes are termed standard mixes. IS
456-2000 has designated the concrete
mixes into a number of grades as M10, M15,
M20, M25,
M30, M35 and M40. In this designation the
letter M refers to the mix and the number to
the specified 28-day cube strength of mix in
N/mm2. The mixes of grades M10, MI5, M20
and M25 correspond approximately to the
mix proportions (1:3:6), (1:2:4), (1:1:5:3) and
(1:1:2) respectively.

A partial replacement of cement will be done

in proportions 0%, 5%, 10%, and 15%
following a

standard mix design.

3.3.3 Optimal mix

3.3.3.1 Slump test (BS 1881: PART 102)

The slump test is the most well-known and

widely used test method to characterize
the workability of fresh concrete. The
inexpensive test, which measures
consistency of concrete batch mixes, is as
follows

Apparatus

1. Truncated conical mold 100mm diameters

at the top, 200mm diameter at the bottom
and

300mm high

2. Steel tamping rod 16mm diameter and

600mm long with ends hemispherical.

Procedure

The slump test is carried on the design

mixes. The standard slump cone with a base
plate is used. The inside of the mold
is cleaned and oiled before the test and the
mold made to stand on a smooth
face. The mold is held down using the feet
rested on the foot rests, and the mold filled
in layers of approximately equal sizes. Each
layer is then tamped with 25 strokes using
tumping d and the strokes being uniformly
distributed over the cross-section of the
layer. The surface is smoothened using the
trowel and the surface of the cone and
baseplate wiped clean. The cone is then
lifted vertically upright and the slump
measured for each sample design

3.3.3.2 Compressive strength

This test is carried out in accordance to

ASTM C109. Different plaster mixes are
made from the cement-sand mix with sand
being replaced by volcanic crushed sand in
the mix. Three sets of specimens are cast
and tested at various ages Cubes are tested
at 7, 14 and 28 days of curing age.

Casting of Cubes

1. The specimens are cast in iron molds of

size 150mm x 150mm x 150mm.

2. The molds are tightened with bolts and

nuts to avoid leakage; mold oil is applied on
inner

surface of the molds in order to prevent bond

between the mold and the plaster.

3. The molds are filled in three layers: each

being compacted with a tapping rod 25 times
to

overflowing and excess plaster removed

4. Surface finishing is then done by means
of a trowel. 19

5. The test specimens will then be left in the

molds undisturbed for 24 hours and cured at
a

temperature of 27-50C up to the age of test

in a container.

Procedure for testing

1. After curing the cubes for the specified

period, they are removed and wiped to
remove surface moisture in readiness for
compression test.

2. The plaster cubes are tested for

compressive strength using the universal
testing machine to determine the crushing
load of the hardened plaster.

35. The dimension of the cube is measured,

weighed and loaded in the compression test
machine with troweled faces perpendicular
to the vertical axes to the Universal Testing
Machine.
The load is applied at a constant rate of
stress of approximately equal to 0.6 N/mm2
per

second to failure. The readings on the

screen are recorded for each cube.

5. The results are recorded to the nearest

0.05 N/mm2 and the average recorded to
the nearest 0.01 N/mm2. The compressive
strength is calculated using following
equation

CS-P/ (BL)
Where:

CS: Compressive strength (KN/mm2).

P: Maximum load (N)

L. Length of sample (mm).

B: Width of sample (mm).