నైరూప్య

Weathered Crystalline Rock: Suitability As Fine Aggregate In Concrete ��? A Comparative Study

Eldhose M Mathew, Shaji M Jamal, Ranjan Abraham

Concrete is one of the most versatile building materials used in the world. It is prepared by mixing cement, fine aggregate, coarse aggregate and water in suitable proportions. From earlier days onwards river sand is used as fine aggregate. Nowadays, M-sand, pit sand etc. are also used. Since pit sand is available only at certain regions and due to the scarcity of river sand and M-sand, it has become necessary to find an alternative material, as fine aggregate. The alternative material selected here is sand from Weathered Crystalline Rock. And this type of rock is abundantly available at low cost in tropical areas. This paper discusses the use of Weathered Crystalline Sand as fine aggregate in concrete. A comparison of properties like fineness, specific gravity, bulking of sand, bulk density, compressive strength of mortar cubes and compressive strength of concrete cubes using different fine aggregates is also conducted.