Evaluating the Compressive Strength of Concrete Containing Recycled Aggregate in Different Curing Conditions

Abstract In construction industry, demolished construction waste is recently used as reprocessed aggregate to produce environmentally friendly concrete which is a good substitute to normal crush due to increased demand of ecological growth and conservation benefits. Though, the properties of recycled aggregate concrete are smallest as compared to concrete produced from natural aggregate and these properties can be enhanced by adding some materials having cementitious properties. Rice husk ash (RHA) is used as partial replacement of cement in recycled aggregate concrete to improve the properties as well as to conserve the natural resources. The elementary purpose of this investigation is to determine the compressive strength of concrete by the replacement of cement with different percentages of rice husk ash such as 0%, 7.5%, 10%, 12.5%, 15%, and 17.5% respectively with different curing conditions. For the experimental program approximate 198 cylinders (18 for rapid curing, 90 for normal water curing and 90 for acid curing) are casted with the mix proportion of 1:2:4 and water to cement ratio of 0.50 whereas curing is done at the ages of 3,7,14,21 and 28 days. Various experiments are performed on fresh and hardened concrete to determine the effects of rice husk ash on recycled aggregate concrete with different curing conditions. Linear regression analysis is carried out to determine the compressive strength of concrete. It is pragmatic from the slump test results that the workability of recycled aggregate concrete is decreased by increasing the quantity of rice husk ash. This reduction in slump is due to high water absorption of recycled aggregates and rice husk ash. Further, the compressive strength of recycled aggregate concrete with normal and acid curing is decreased by increasing the percentages of rice husk ash. It is also observed that at 28- days of normal water curing for mix M1,M2,M3,M4,M5 and M6 the compressive strength is increased by 0.96%, 2.74% 1.45%,4.50%,4.23% and 4.22% respectively as compared to the compressive strength values at 28 days of acid water curing. Therefore, it is concluded that recycled aggregate concrete with 10 to 12% of rice husk ash is suitable for properties of concrete. The acid water curing has negative impacts on hardened properties of concrete as it reduced the compressive strength of concrete as compared to normal water curing.