LIST OF CONTENTS

CERTIFICATE OF GUIDE………………………………………………………....i

CERTIFICATE OF COURSE CO-ORDINATOR..………………………………ii

CANDIDATE’S DECLARATION……………………………………………....iii

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS………………………………………………………....iv

ABSTRACT…………………………………………………………………………..v

LIST OF FIGURES ……………………………………………………..……….vi

LIST OF TABLES ………………………………………………………….......vii

LIST OF CONTENTS…………………………………………………...………ix

CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 1

1.1 General 1

1.2 Foundry Sand 1

1.2.1 General 1

1.2.2 Uses and Availability 2

1.2.3 Physical characteristics of foundry sand 2

1.2.4 Types of Foundry Sand 3

1.2.4.1 Green Sand 3

1.2.4.2 Chemically bonded sand 3

1.2.5 Physical properties of foundry sand 3

1.2.6 Chemical Composition of foundry sand 4

1.2.7 Foundry Sand Economics 5

1.2.8 Foundry Sand Engineering Characteristics 5

1.3 Silica Fume 5

1.3.1 Physical Properties 7

1.3.2 Chemical Composition of Silica Fume 8

1.3.3 Reaction Mechanism 8

 1.3.4 Advantages of Using Silica Fume 9

1.4 Metakaolin 10

1.4.1 Properties of Metakaolin 12

1.4.1.1 Physical Properties 12

1.4.1.2 Chemical Composition 12

1.4.2 High Reactivity Metakaolin (HRM) 12

1.4.3 Advantages of Using Metakaolin 13

CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW 14

2.1 Concrete 14

2.2 Cement 15

2.3 Cement Replacement Material 15

2.3.1 Introduction 15

2.3.2 Types of Cement Replacement Materials 16

2.3.2.1 Silica Fume 16

2.3.2.1.1 Effect of Silica fume on fresh properties of concrete 16

2.3.2.1.2 Effect of Silica Fume on the Hardened Properties of Concrete 19

2.3.2.2 Metakaolin 24

2.3.2.2.1 Effect of Metakaolin on Fresh Properties of Concrete 29

2.3.2.2.2 Effect of Metakaolin on the Properties of Hardened Concrete 29

CHAPTER 3 RESEARCH GOAL 37

3.2 Significance of this Study 37

3.1 Objective of this Study 37

CHAPTER 4 RESEARCH METHODOLOGY 39

4.1 Aim of the Experimental Programme 39

4.2 Materials Used 39

4.2.1 Cement 39
 4.2.2 Coarse aggregate 41

4.2.3 Fine Aggregate 42

4.2.4 Silica fume 45

4.2.5 Metakaolin 45

4.2.6 Water 46

4.2.7 Admixture 46

4.2.8 Magnesium Sulphate 46

4.3 Mixture Proportioning 47

4.4 Batching, Mixing and Casting of Specimens 48

4.5 Experimental Procedure 48

4.5.1 Testing the compressive strength and splitting tensile strength of concrete 48

4.5.2 Testing the Sulphate resistance of concrete 49

4.6 Tests to be performed for cubes and cylinders 49

4.6.1 Compressive Strength Test (IS: 516 – 1959) 49

4.6.2 Splitting Tensile Strength Test (ASTM C496) 50

4.6.3. Sulphate Resistance Test 52

CHAPTER 5 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 53

5.1 General 53

5.2 Effect of Silica fume on compressive strength, Splitting tensile strength and
sulphate resistance of concrete. 53

5.2.1 Compressive Strength Test (IS: 516 – 1959) 53

5.2.2 Splitting Tensile Strength Test 55

5.2.3 Sulphate Resistance 58

5.3 Effect of Metakaolin on compressive strength, splitting tensile strength and

sulphate resistance of concrete 61

5.3.1 Compressive strength test 61

5.3.2 Splitting Tensile strength 64

 5.3.3 Sulphate Resistance 65

CONCLUSIONS 69

REFERENCES 70