Mechanical properties of desert sand high strength concrete with

different desert sand replacement ratio and fly ash dosage

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Hai-Feng Liu*, Qiao-Li Chen and Jie Fu

School of Civil and Hydraulic Engineering, Ningxia University,
Yinchuan, Ningxia 750021, China
†E-mail: liuhaifeng1557@163.com

Experiments on the compressive strength and splitting tensile strength of desert sand high
strength concrete with different fly ash dosage and desert sand replacement ratio were
carried out. The regulation on the influence of fly ash dosage and desert sand replacement
ratio on the compressive strength and splitting tensile strength of high strength desert
sand concrete was analyzed. Experiment results show that with the increase of desert sand
replacement ratio, the compressive strength and splitting tensile strength of high strength
desert sand concrete increases first, followed by a decline. With the enhancement of fly
ash dosage, the compressive strength and splitting tensile strength of high strength desert
sand concrete also increases first, then declines, which provides guidance for the
engineering application of desert sand.

Keywords: Desert Sand High Strength Concrete; Fly Ash; Desert Sand; Compressive
Strength; Splitting Tensile Strength.

1. Introduction
Fly ash was additive in concrete mixtures to produce good workability and
adhesiveness [1-2]. China is one of districts distributed widely with desert. With
the development of western strategy, medium sand resource no longer meets the
requirement of engineering. In order to use local desert sand resource fully, it is
necessary to research the mechanical properties of desert sand concrete.
Currently, many researches [3-10] had been focused on the mechanical
properties of desert sand concrete. There are few documents concentrated on the

*
Corresponding author.
203
 influence of fly ash dosage and desert sand replacement ratio on the mechanical
properties of desert sand high strength concrete.
In this paper, experiments on the compressive strength and splitting tensile
strength of desert sand high strength concrete with different fly ash dosage and
desert sand replacement ratio were carried out. The regulation on the influence
of fly ash dosage and desert sand replacement ratio on the compressive strength
and splitting tensile strength of desert sand high strength concrete was analyzed.
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2. Material
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Cement was a locally produced ordinary Portland cement P.O 42.5R. Coarse
aggregate with the maximum size of 25mm in concrete mixtures was bought
from Zhengbeipu town, Yinchuan, Ningxia, China. Medium sand was man-
made water washed sand. Desert sand was brought from Mu us sandy land,
Yanchi county, China, the finesses of which was 0.194. Fly ash was bought
from local electric power plant. Carboxylic acid high performance water
reducing agent produced by Beijing Muhu Admixture Company was used.

3. Experiment design
Water-binder, water usage and sand ratio were 0.24, 180kg/m3 and 30%,
respectively. Fly ash dosage was 0%, 15% and 25%. Desert sand replacement
ratio was 0%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 60%, 80% and 100%, respectively. The
dimension of specimen was 100mm cube. After demoulding, the specimens
were wet-cured in the laboratory until testing. The uni-axial compression
experiment and splitting tensile test were carried out by Hydraulic universal
testing machine.

4. Experimental results and analysis

4.1. Uni-axial compression experiment

Uni-axial compression strength of desert sand high strength concrete was listed
in Table 1. Compared with the medium value of three compression strength
values every group, the max error is less than 15%, which shows that the
experimental results are effective[9].

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 Table 1. Results of uni-axial compressive strength

Fly ash Desert sand Uni-axial compression strength/ MPa

No dosage replacement 1 2 3 max error/% average value
/% ratio/%
F01 0 0 76.2 81.2 85.8 6.2 81.1
F02 20 76.5 84.8 82.4 7.2 81.2
F03 30 79.0 80.5 81.6 1.8 80.4
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F04 40 85.1 81.13 72.7 10.4 79.6

F05 60 74.7 76.5 73.5 1.3 74.9
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F06 80 68.9 73.4 76.6 6.2 73.0

F07 100 71.5 67.6 76.8 7.3 72.0
F101 15 0 78.2 88.7 70.2 13.4 82.0
F102 20 93.3 85.7 87.9 6.4 88.9
F103 30 80.5 78.1 84.6 5.1 81.0
F104 40 77.6 81.5 82.3 5.0 80.5
F105 60 75.8 78.7 73.2 3.8 75.9
F106 80 73.1 69.7 82.6 13.1 75.1
F107 100 73.5 74.7 72.6 1.5 73.6
F151 25 0 69.3 80.8 72.3 11.7 74.1
F152 20 81.4 79.9 68.8 13.9 76.7
F153 30 78.8 76.6 73.6 3.8 76.3
F154 40 73.1 71.3 77.8 6.5 74.1
F155 60 66.4 79.2 72.6 9.2 72.7
F156 80 73.2 66.4 63.4 10.2 67.6
F157 100 66.8 65.7 69.4 3.8 67.3
Figure 1 showed the relation between desert sand replacement ratio and
compressive strength of desert sand high strength concrete. It can be seem from
Table 1 and Fig. 1 that with the enhancement of desert sand replacement ratio,
the compression strength of desert sand high strength concrete increases firstly,
and then declines. When the desert sand replacement ratio is equal to 20%, the
compression strength of desert sand high strength concrete reaches the
maximum value.

Fig.1. Relation between desert sand Fig. 2 Relation between fly ash dosage and
replacement ratio and compressive strength compressive strength
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 Figure 2 showed the relation between fly ash dosage and compressive
strength of desert sand high strength concrete. As shown in Table 1 and Fig. 2,
with the enhancement of fly ash dosage, the compression strength of desert sand
high strength concrete increases firstly, and then declines. The compression
strength of desert sand high strength concrete with the fly ash dosage of 15% is
larger than that of desert sand high strength concrete with the fly ash dosage of
25% and with the fly ash dosage of 0%.
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4.2. Splitting tensile strength experiment

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Splitting tensile strength, max error and average value of desert sand high
strength concrete were listed in Table 2. It can be seem from Table 2 and Figure
3 that with the enhancement of desert sand replacement ratio, the splitting tensile
strength of desert sand high strength concrete increases firstly, and then declines.
When desert sand replacement ratio is equal to 20%, the splitting tensile strength
of desert sand replacement ratio reaches the maximum value.
Table 2. Results of splitting tensile strength

Fly ash Desert sand Splitting tensile strength /MPa

No dosage replacement 1 2 3 max error /% average value
/% ratio/%
F01 0 0 4.42 4.67 4.39 5.6 4.49
F02 20 5.89 5.89 5.71 3.0 5.83
F03 30 5.41 5.50 5.26 2.8 5.39
F04 40 5.28 5.07 5.31 3.9 5.22
F05 60 4.54 4.78 5.08 6.3 4.80
F06 80 4.76 4.63 4.69 9.1 4.69
F07 100 4.47 4.44 1.53 1.5 4.48
F101 15 0 4.35 4.97 4.72 7.8 4.68
F102 20 6.03 6.11 6.05 0.9 6.06
F103 30 5.80 5.57 5.40 2.9 5.59
F104 40 5.08 5.73 4.98 12.7 5.26
F105 60 4.58 4.98 4.90 6.5 4.82
F106 80 4.97 4.77 4.53 5.1 4.76
F107 100 4.72 5.03 4.39 7.0 4.71
F151 25 0 4.21 4.29 4.33 2.0 4.28
F152 20 5.20 5.38 5.54 3.4 5.38
F153 30 5.01 5.13 5.12 2.1 5.08
F154 40 4.92 4.87 4.80 1.3 4.86
F155 60 4.87 4.67 4.72 3.2 4.75
F156 80 4.51 4.64 4.63 2.8 4.59
F157 100 4.01 4.63 4.60 2.7 4.41

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 Figure 4 showed the relation between fly ash dosage and compressive
strength of desert sand high strength concrete. It can be seem from Table 2 and
Fig. 4 that with the improvement of fly ash dosage, the splitting tensile strength
of desert sand high strength concrete increases firstly, and then declines. The
splitting tensile strength of desert sand high strength concrete with the fly ash
dosage of 15% is larger than that of desert sand high strength concrete with the
fly ash dosage of 25% and with the fly ash dosage of 0%.
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Fig.3 Relation between desert sand Fig.4 Relation between fly ash dosage and
replacement ratio and compressive compressive strength
strength

5. Conclusion
Uni-axial compression strength experiment and splitting tensile strength test of
desert sand high strength concrete were carried out. The influence of fly ash
dosage and desert sand replacement ratio on the 28d compression strength and
splitting tensile strength was analyzed. Experimental results show that with the
enhancement of desert sand replacement ratio, the compression strength and
splitting tensile strength of desert sand high strength concrete increases firstly,
and then declines. When desert sand replacement ratio is equal to 20%, the
compression strength and splitting tensile strength of desert sand high strength
concrete reached the maximum value. With the improvement of fly ash dosage,
the compression strength and splitting tensile strength of desert sand high
strength concrete increases firstly, and then declines, which provided the
guidance to engineering.

207
 Acknowledgements:

The project is supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China

(No.51368048 and 11162015) and Postgraduate Innovation Program of
Ningxia (GIP2015048).

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