AN EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION ON PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF ARTIFICIAL AGGREGATE

Abstract

In many countries, the use of waste materials in the construction sector is a viable option due to rising raw material costs and the continuous depletion of natural resources. Waste materials have shown to be valuable as construction materials when properly processed, and they readily fulfil design criteria. Natural aggregate extraction is still prevalent, but it's wreaking havoc on the environment. Aggregate extraction alters the landscape and may cause other issues, such as weathering, which frequently results in lasting harm to rural areas. Fly ash aggregates, which are created from industrial waste, not only supply additional aggregate sources but also aid in pollution reduction.

Fly-ash is a finely dispersed waste produced by the combustion of powdered coal that is carried by flue gases and collected using an electrostatic precipitator. Fly ash is an environmentally toxic waste product that is difficult to decompose. Fly ash from power stations is utilized in a variety of civil engineering applications, including blended cement, lightweight aggregates, fly ash bricks and blocks, and lightweight concrete. India's energy industry is currently reliant on coal-fired thermal power plants, which generate a considerable quantity of fly ash (about 200 million tons per year). Fly ash has mostly been used in concrete as a cement replacement element or as aggregate fillers. Fly ash is utilized to substitute cement in around 30% of concrete applications. This degree of replacement must be increased. Future additions of high-volume fly ash are projected.

Fly ash aggregates are a novel breakthrough in the construction industry, directly replacing coarse aggregates which are typically a major constituent of buildings. The strength characteristics of fly ash aggregate concrete were investigated in this experimental investigation by manufacturing aggregates with cement and fly ash in the ratios of 10:90, 15:85, and 20:80. The tests were performed on concrete to look at qualities like compressive and split tensile strength.