RESEARCHING ON USING SEA SAND TO PRODUCE CEMENT CONCRETE FOR ROAD PAVEMENT CONSTRUCTION

Assoc. Prof. Dr. TRAN TUAN HIEP

University of Transport and Communications, Viet Nam

Abstract: This presents the research results on sea sand and sea sand cement concrete in Vietnam Key word: Sea sand; cement concrete; highway construction; road pavement

I. APPROACHING
In renovation time, Vietnams economy have been being developed so fast.

Infrastructure, specially, transport infrastructure rehabilitation have been invested

thousands billions VND per year; so requested that millions m3 of cement concrete.
In recent years, Vietnams cement industry have broken through in development. Many

cement plants with capacity of 1.5-2.0 million tons/year have been opened by the investment for importing modern advance technology accompany with plenty resource of good rock, clay which are available in over country. Quantity and quality of Vietnams cement are so high that it can satisfy not only domestic demand but also remain to export. Cement concrete (CC) with
its properties of distinction is encouraging to apply in base courses and rigid pavement of road,

to replace asphalt concrete which is imported expensively. In order to manufacture CC with that big quantity, itll required to supply millions m3 of good sand. These sand sources are exploited from rivers, streams. They are increasingly
exhausted, transported so far that sometimes may cause projects to be broken-down. Specially,
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some construction projects in islands may not be completed because of transport difficulty. Vietnam has 3,200 km of coast and thousands islands, thus source of sea sand is

inexhaustible. Vietnams sea sand includes red sand, white sand, yellow sand, grey sand which
attracts the tourists, mining of titanhowever, in invert side, it may cause negative impactions for people such as: desertizing, sand flooding, sand running those are seriously disasters.

Fig 1. Desertizing and sand flooding

Research to use sea sand for construction, especially, using sea sand to make the cement
concrete is aimed to exploit maximally the potential of a local material being available, cheap

for socioeconomic developing and prevent from its harmful impaction. However the study to use sea sand cement concrete is a big problem of civil engineering field. In many countries sea sand have been using for making cement concrete since long time ago, naturally, its technology depends on the research achievement and specific conditions of each country.
In Vietnam, sea sand up to now has not been officially allowed to use in the manufacture of cement concrete, mainly because of too small sand grains, containing sea salt and also some minerals and other impurities. Sea sand, therefore, has not been comprehensively studied as a

building material.
Previous studies on sea sand was limited as a kind of soil, or other discrete research,

initially on sea sand cement mortar in some locations, local specific.

From such a context, the study of coastal sea sand for use in construction, especially

in making cement concrete for road construction is a specially significance.

To study the use of sea sand cement concrete in such manufacturing scale and significance there should be a strategic research. On that basis, the collective research of the University of

Transport headed by Dr. Tran Tuan Hiep has made a plan for research and continuous synchronization in three stages:

Phase 1: Starting from 1996, research - oriented with sea sand in a some specific localities.
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The number of studies was limited. Studies have been initially success in conducting further research broader and deeper. Phase 2: The next has been implemented since 2000 continuously up to now. During this period the collective research conducted research contents:

+ The study of sea sand on a large scale, in many localities (13 localities) of 10 provinces
of the three regions: the Northern, Central and South. From research results that have been identified primarily on the ability and general exploitation of sea sand for road construction. + The study on strength of cement concrete using sea sand in localities above. The study focused on the target: the strength of compression resistance and tension bending strength, this is particularly important criteria to decide whether to use sea sand cement concrete in building roads or not? + Researching technology solutions to improve the quality and efficiency of sea sand

concrete.
+ Evaluating the effectiveness of techno-scientific solutions of using sea sand cement concrete, guiding technology and prepare experiment outlines to conduct a pilot application in

the field. Phase 3: Will continue to conduct research with a wider scope and deeper:
+ Researching continuously on the sea sand in more places and deeper: on physio chemical properties of sea sand concrete.

+ Researching further on the construction - exploitation properties of sea sand cement concrete, especially in road construction, protection works and other related fields; including influence of salt to steel in reinforced concrete.
+ The research supplement to perfect technology solutions for making sea sand concrete and construction technology using sea sand concrete; the interactive effects of environment and

exploit loads.
+ Researching, evaluating comprehensively the effectiveness of sea sand concrete

technology. + Establishing the specification standards for sea sand cement concrete technology.
+ Applying the technology solutions on a large scale. Naturally, ever - changing reality, all research should be always proceeded, any technology must be always innovated, improved by the human endeavours, by the spirit of contributions and tireless dedication as benefit of the community and sustainable development, prosperity of

the country.
Experiments were done with sea sand in 13 localities in 10 provinces of Vietnam

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Figure 2. Map of Vietnam, the researched locals The expriments was conducted:1 - Sea sand in Ba Ria - Vung Tau beach; 2 - Sea sand in Binh Thuan (red sand of Mui Ne, white sand Hoa Thang); 3 - Sea Cat in Ninh Thuan (Vinh Hai, Ninh Hai); 4 - Sea sand in Quang Ngai (Duc Minh); 5 - Sea sand in Quang Nam (Ky Ha); 6 - Sea sand in Da Nang (Nam ); 7 Sea sand in Thua Thien-Hue (Lang Co); 8 - Sea sand in Ha Tinh (Thach Hai, Ky Loi); 9 - Sea sand in Nghe An (Dien Chau, Cua Lo); 10 - Sea sand in Quang Ninh (Van Don, Mong Cai)

II. RESEARCHING TO DETERMINE THE PHYSICAL PROPERTIES OF SEA SAND

2.1. Experiment contents The sand samples were studied in the laboratories to determine the criteria: 1. Components and fineness modules of sea sand grains;

2. Unit volume of sand; 3. Content of mica in the sand; 4. Content of dust, mud, clay; 5. Volume of foam; 6. Sea salt in the sand;
7. Content of shell in sea sand. Experimental results of the physical indicators of sea sand in different localities are

summarized in Table 1
2.2. Experimental results Table 1. Physical properties of sea sand in different localities
Sand in the localities Vng Tu
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Criteria

Modulus of fineness 0,945 2,51 1,13 0,971 0,954 1,67 2,55 1,46 1,72 2,8 1,84 1,11 2,16 2,80 1,07 1,25 2,16 1,825 2,65

Gravity Unit (g/cm3) 2,612 2,703 2,64 2,661 2,654 2,632 2,65 2,636 2,63 2,65 2,62 2,63 2,66 2,67 2,45 2,39 2,67 2,68 2,63

Content Of mica, (%) 0,255 0,88 0,165 0,03 0,02 0,02 0,05 0,03 0,30 0,55 0,0 0,00 0,00 0,10 0,24 0,12 0,52 0,03 0,05

Content of dust, mud clay, (%) 0,457 1,247 0,670 0,047 0,084 0,495 0,41 0,435 1,03 0,83 1,20 0,6 0,5 0,35 0,98 1,02 0,31 0,86 0,52

Unit Volume ( g/cm3) 1,391 1,483 1,391 1,467 1,423 1,415 1,37 1,42 1,38 1,391 1,601 1,41 1,37 1,35 1,41 1,43 1,41

Content Of salt, (%) 0,01 0,01 0,024 0,028 0,024 0,02 0,023 0,096 0,016 0,026 0,092 0,084 1,4 -

Content of shell (%) 0,30 0,25 0,30 7,30 -

Sea sand River sand in D. Nai Bnh Thun Red sea sand White sea sand Ninh Thun White sea sand Qung Ngi Sea sand of D.Minh River sand of T.Khuc Qung Nam Sea sand of K H

Nng
Sea sand of Nam Riversand Tuy Loan TThin-Hu Sea sand Lng C

H tnh

Sea sand Thch Hi Sea sand K Li River sand a Loi

Ngh An

Sea sand Ca L Sea snd Din Chu River sand Sg. Lam Qung Ninh Sea sand Vn n River sand Sng L

III. RESEARCHING THE STRENGTH OF SEA SAND CEMENT CONCRETE

The research team has taken samples of sea sand, yellow river sand (for comparison) in localities to test for determining the strength criteria of cement concrete.
Results of experiments in the laboratories to determine the compressive strength, bending

tensile strength corresponding to cement concrete using sea sand, river sand in different
provinces were introduced in Table 2.
Table 2. The results of experiments on using sea sand, river sands in localities
The compressive strength of cement concrete specimens using local sands (daN/cm2)(corresponding. to ages of specimens) Cement concrete Age using sea of sands in spec. provinces Vng Tu Sea sand Riversan D.nai Bnh Thun Red sea sand White sea sand Riversand Ninh Thun
White sea sand

M200 R14 R28 M250 327,9 368,8 M250 342,6 271,3 313,7 327,3 352,9 344,7 364,6 343,4 359,7 R60 R14

M250 R28 M300 376,8 403,5 M300 386,5 372,4 385,5 384,2 398,4 358,6 367,6 R60 R14

M300 R28 M350 415,6 463,6 M350 425,5 383,3 399,1 407,2 417,5 R60

258,6

316,1 M150

328,7

322,2

354,7 M200

366,3

350,2

372,5 M250

398,1

Qung Ngi Seasand D.Minh River sand Tra Khuc Qung Nam Seasand Ky Ha Nng Seasand Nam O River sand Tuy Loan TThin - Hu Seasand LangCo H tnh Seasand Th.Hai Seasand KyLoi
River sand T.Loi

131,3 117,6

148,3 150,0

152,3 157,4

173,3 153,0

186,5 192,3

198,4 212,1

227,8 205,1

240,5 245,4

251,0 270,3

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129,6 208,0 223

144,5 M200 245 277

150,5 281 305

166,2 301 308

182,9 M250 327 390

195,1 354 441

220,0 320 350

238,3 M300 381 430

246,6 413 496

224 175 271 239

255 217 322 258

293 239 359 328

320 314 361 296

371 363 394 387

404 395 479 389

362 300 384 328

412 317 437 398

436 346 461 487

Ngh An Seasand CuaLo River sand SLam Qung Ninh Seasad VanDon River sand Sg.Lo 245 195,2 352 253,8 361 255,5 258 315,2 353,1 366,0 362,9 373,3 391,8 460,7 467,0 250 255 275 282,5 325 335 355 365 367,5 405 395 417 472,5
425

490
502,5

510
518

IV. CONCLUSION, PROPOSAL

The use of sea sand for making cement concrete has been studied and carried out since long

time in many countries around the world, however research in Vietnam last stop at the original
level, for a small number of trials in some placements. The use of sea sand to manufacture

cement concrete is not permitted by standard. Even more people are wondered and concerned

about the quality and strength of cement concrete using sea sand. Sea sand is not actually used
in the technology of cement concrete materials. Problem is: - How are properties of sea sand in Vietnam with different localities?
- Can use sea sand which is plentiful and available instead of river sand being expensive

and increasingly exhausted or not?

- How are strength of cement concretes using sea sand in different localities? Whether they meet requirement of concrete for road construction or not? - The technology solutions to improve the strength of cement concrete using sea sand? - How is the implementation solution for using sea sand to manufacture concrete in fact?
Research group from the University of Transport and Communication has conducted the

research within 15 years in a consistent strategy to solve the problems mentioned above and obtained good results. The research was oriented to a few localities, and then conducted in various localities of the three regions: the Northern, Central and South. First study of sea sand, then studies on target strength of cement concrete using sea sand.
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This is the important criteria to determine applicability of concrete cement using sea sand on the construction of highway, islands and coastal protection works.

On sea sand:
Short can confirm: sea sand of Vietnam is a great source of precious natural resources.

Ability to use sea sand in construction, especially in the manufacture of cement concrete for road construction and protective works in coastal, islands is very promising and effective.

In Vietnam by sea sand color, can be divided into four categories: white sand, red sand, yellow sand and gray. Red sand is more available in Binh Thuan, Ninh Thuan.
White sand and yellow sand are distributed almost throughout the provinces of the Central, the South Central. Gray sand is distributed in the coastal areas of South and North Viet Nam. The distribution of such a regime is the influence of sediment by river systems, especially systems of the Red River and Mekong River. Generally, sea sand in Vietnam is relatively clean, low impurities, high content of silica. Average salt content is from 0.02 to 0.1%. Shell content is small, almost negligible, except in Dien

Chau, Quynh Luu (Nghe An); content of shells can be up to > 7%. Sea sand in Vietnam is mainly of fine sand; except in some places: Ha Tinh, Da Nang, Lang Co
where there is quite clean and coarse sand, their modulus of fineness is equivalent to river sand: 1.5 to 2.8. On cement concrete using sea sand: The experiment studies were carried out with the local sea sands; river yellow sand (for

comparison) and showed evidently:

The strength of cement concrete using sea sand is less than traditional cement concrete using yellow river sand from 4 - 10%. The only cases of Cua Lo sea sand, sea sand of Ky Loi
(Ha Tinh) and Lang Co beach; the strength of specimens of sea sand and river sand cement

concrete are approximate. Strength of cement concrete using sea sand can reach 300 - 350 daN/cm2 meet requirements of concrete for construction of highway, the coastal protection works and islands. Laboratory experimental results in 13 different localities along Vietnam coast permit to
confirm that: full of sea sand can manufacture cement concrete for road construction; (road bed,

base course, pavement; specially, pavement of coastal rural roads). Naturally, the application of sea sand concrete for coastal highway construction (especially for island) is very effective for socio-economic and defense .
Experiment conditions are so difficult but experimental results are quite convergent, and

high reliable.
Basing on the research results at this stage; to continue further research on exploiting properties of sea sand cement concrete; extensive research in both the scope of territory, and in scale; large applying to the site. The experiments results on using admixtures with sea sand concrete will be presented later

in next paper.

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for making

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