MALAWI UNIVERSITY OF BUSINESS AND APPLIED SCIENCES

FACULTY OF ENGINEERING.

DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING.

PROJECT REPORT:
ASSESSING THE IMPACT OF WATER QUALITY ON THE STRENGTH OF CONCRETE.

SUBMITTED BY: MWAYI NG’OMA (DCE/19/PE/102)

(+265882990235)
Email: ngomamwayi18@gmail.com
SUBMITTED TO: DR. P. MBEWE

JUNE, 2023

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DEDIDATION
I dedicate this research project report to my parents, Mr. Ishmael and Mrs. Pamela Ng’óma.
Whose unwavering love and support have been my guiding light throughout my academic and
personal pursuits. Your constant encouragement and belief in my abilities have inspired me to
strive for excellence.

This report is a small tribute to your love, guidance and unwavering support. Thank you for
being my pillars of strength and for believing in me,

You are always in my memories

Mwayi.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I would like to express my heartfelt thanks to my supervisor Dr. P. Mbewe, for the guidance and
support throughout this project. The technical advice, expertise, encouragement, and constructive
feedback have been valuable in shaping my research and improving the quality of my report.

I am also grateful to my classmates for their insightful discussions, feedback and collaboration.
Their diverse perspectives and constructive criticism have helped me to refine my ideas and
broaden my understanding of the topic.

I would like to extend my appreciation to the laboratory technicians of MUBAS who provided
me with access to the resources and facilities necessary for the project and the guidance and
technical support rendered to me during carrying out laboratory experiments.

Lastly, I want to acknowledge my family and friends, whose love and support have been a
constant source of motivation and encouragement. Their understanding, patience and financial
support during the time when I was completely immersed in my research have been instrumental
in making this project a success.

You Made This Happen!

“Thank You” and God bless You All.

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DECLARATION
I hereby declare that this research project report is my original work and has not been submitted,
in part or in full, for any other academic program. The research presented in this report is based
on my own independent work, except where otherwise stated and properly cited.

All the sources of the information and data used in this report are duly acknowledged and the
research has been conducted in accordance with ethical principles and guidelines.

SIGNATURE: ……………………………………………………

NAME: MWAYI NG’OMA

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ABSTRACT
This study investigates the effect of water quality on the compressive strength of concrete. The
compressive strength of concrete is a critical factor in the construction industry, as it determines
the structural integrity and durability of buildings and infrastructures. Water quality has been
identified as critical factor that affects the compressive strength of concrete.

The research involved the use of different types of water with varying levels of impurities to
prepare concrete samples. The samples were tested for compressive strength at different curing
periods using a compression testing machine. The results were analyzed and compared to
determine the effects of water quality on the compressive strength of concrete.

This work carried out to assess the strength of concrete using borehole water, storm water in
concrete mix as a comparison with the strength of concrete made by tap water.

The compressive strength of block samples of 150 x 150 x 150 mm with cement-water ratio of
0.55 was evaluated in duration of 7, 14, and 28 days. The results show that, using storm water
and borehole water is not suitable since varied from the expected compressive strength for 1:2:4
mix 25.3% and 21.8 % respectively. Swamp water varied from the expected strength for 1:2:4
mix by 14.1% making it suitable for concreting. The performance requirements by British
standards require that compressive strength of concrete cubes for 1:2:4 mix not to be more than
20% from the expected strength of 25Mpa. The batching of the cubes was done by mass 6.75 for
concrete, 13.5 for fine aggregate & 27 for course aggregate.

The results suggest that water quality should be considered as an important factor in preparation
of concrete and proper measures should be taken to ensure that water used is of good quality.
The chemical composition of the different water types from different sources affects the concrete
strength under many considerations like hydration process. From the slump result obtained,
showed that the source of water in mixing concrete doesn’t affect the workability of concretes.

This study can help engineers and construction professionals make informed decisions about
selection of water for concrete preparation and improve the durability and structural integrity of
buildings and infrastructures.

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Table of Contents

DEDIDATION............................................................................................................................................2
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT...........................................................................................................................3
DECLARATION.........................................................................................................................................4
ABSTRACT................................................................................................................................................5
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................8
1.1 BACKGROUND........................................................................................................................8
1.2 PROBLEM STATEMENT........................................................................................................9
1.3 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES......................................................................................................10
1.3.1 GENERAL OBJECTIVE.................................................................................................................10
1.3.2 SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE..................................................................................................................10
1.4 SIGNIFICANCE AND LIMITATIONS OF STUDY..............................................................11
1.5 SCOPE OF STUDY.................................................................................................................11
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW...................................................................................................12
2.1. CONCRETE DEFINITION...................................................................................................................12
2.2 MATERIALS FOR MAKING CONCRETE..............................................................................................12
2.3. HYDRATION OF CEMENT.................................................................................................................14
2.4. COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH...............................................................................................................15
2.5 PRELIMINARY LITERATURE REVIEW....................................................................................15
CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY.............................................................................................................16
3.1 METHODS OF DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS............................................................16
3.2. SAMPLE PREPARATION...................................................................................................................16
3.2.1 MATERIALS PREPARATION........................................................................................................16
3.2.2 WATER COLLECTION.................................................................................................................17
3.3 CONCRETE PRODUCTION.................................................................................................................17
3.4. SLUMP TEST................................................................................................................................19
3.5. CURING...........................................................................................................................................20
3.6. COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH TEST......................................................................................................21
3.7. WATER SAMPLES ANALYSIS............................................................................................................24
CHAPTER 4: RESULTS AND ANALYSIS.............................................................................................25
4.1. CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL COMPOSITION OF THE WATER SAMPLES.........................25
4.2 SLUMP TEST RESULTS...............................................................................................................26

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 4.3. COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH RESULTS.....................................................................................27
4.3.1 COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH RESULTS (7 DAYS)............................................................................27
4.3.2 COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH RESULTS (28 DAYS)..........................................................................28
4.3.3. AVERAGE COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH RESULTS FOR ALL...........................................................30
4.4. DISCUSSIONS AND CONCLUSION...........................................................................................30
CHAPTER 5: REFERENCE LIST............................................................................................................31
4.1 REFERENCE LIST..................................................................................................................31

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Figure 1 Concrete square cube mould.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 17
Figure 2 Dry Concrete mixing (Batching).--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 19
Figure 3 Mass of aggregate calculation.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 19
Figure 4 Mass of cement calculation.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 20
Figure 5 Slump Test.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 21
Figure 6 Curing of Concrete cubes------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 22
Figure 7 Compressive Test Machine---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 23
Figure 8 Crushed Cube--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 23
Figure 9 Recording Results---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 24
Figure 10 Measuring Scale---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 24

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Table 1 TEST ON WATER SAMPLES FOR DIFFERENT PARAMETERS 27
Table 2 SLUMP TEST RESULTS 28
Table 3 COMPRESSIVE MACHINE FACTOR 29
Table 4 COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH RESULTS FOR CONCRETE CUBES MADE WITH POTABLE WATER (7 DAYS) 29
Table 5 COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH RESULTS FOR CONCRETE CUBES MADE WITH BOREHOLE WATER (7 DAYS) 29
Table 6 COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH RESULTS FOR CONCRETE CUBES MADE WITH STORM WATER (7 DAYS) 30
Table 7 COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH RESULTS FOR CONCRETE CUBES MADE WITH POTABLE WATER (28 DAYS) 30
Table 8 COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH RESULTS FOR CONCRETE CUBES MADE WITH BOREHOLE (28 DAYS) 31
Table 9 COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH RESULTS FOR CONCRETE CUBES MADE WITH SWAMP WATER (28 DAYS) 31
Table 10. AVERAGE COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH FOR 7, 14, 28 DAYS 32

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 CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND
Concrete is an engineering material that simulates the properties of rock. It is generally a
composite material composed of cement; fine and coarse aggregate bonded together with the
help of water and it hardens over time. Water is an important ingredient of concrete. It reacts
chemically with cement in a reaction known as cement-hydration to obtain a required
characteristic strength of the concrete. Water-cement ratio plays an important role which
influences various properties such as workability, strength and durability. Adequate water
cement ratio is required for production of workable concrete. The cement hydration reaction
helps ingredients to form a hard matrix that binds the materials together into a durable stone
like material. Apart from the quantity of water used, its quality in terms of absence of
impurities has significant effect on the durability, strength and workability of the concrete
produced in both fresh and hardened state. Most of the specifications recommended the use
of drinkable water for making concrete, but there are exception cases. For instance, in some
areas, local drinking water is saline and may contain an excessive amount of chloride,
undesirable amount of alkali carbonates and bicarbonates, which could contribute to the
alkali-silica reaction. The research intends to find out how the difference in quality of water
affects the compressive strength of concrete. As potable water is generally accepted for use
in mixing and curing concrete. In most rural areas where construction projects are situated,
supply of potable water is always limited as results contractors opt for other sources of water
in order to achieve cost effective concrete production. When non-potable water is opted to be
used, which poses dissolved salts, other minerals/substances; it is important to assess the
level of impurities to ensure the water do not inhibit the concrete performance. This research
study aims to investigate the effects of varying water quality to the compressive strength of
concrete cured for hydration period of 28days. The concrete prepared and mixed with
distilled water was used as a control. The study will add to existing knowledge in concrete
material development and also importance of water quality assessment in concrete
production.

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1.2 PROBLEM STATEMENT
The binding power of cement can only be activated through the application of water; thus,
water is regarded as an absolute necessity ingredient for concrete as the hydration of cement
is possible only in its presence.

Although the quality of mixing water affects the setting, hardening and strength of concrete.
Only great control on properties of cement and aggregate is exercised, while the control on
the quality of water is mostly neglected. Speaking based from my industrial attachment
experience, working as an intern at DEC construction limited; at my allocated site most of
the times water with a high content of suspended solids was used for concreting works and
zero caution was taken. Though there is no evidence that this affected the strength and
serviceability of the structure since these depends on the properties of concrete but some
structural concrete defects were encountered which made me to suspect it’s because of the
non-potable water that was used.

In summary, due to the scarcity of potable water in rural areas, contractors have resorted
collecting borehole water and even rainwaters which is used for concreting works and curing.
In common practice. The other alternative water is not tested for suitability which might not
achieve the required class of concrete as stated in the contract. It is therefore of importance to
explore the impact of water quality on concrete strength.

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1.3 AIMS AND OBJECTIVES
1.3.1 GENERAL OBJECTIVE
The main objective of the research was to assess/investigate the effects of water quality on
the compressive strength of concrete.

1.3.2 SPECIFIC OBJECTIVE

i. To find out the compressive strength of the concrete cubes made from different types
of water quality at 7 days, 14 days and 28 days.
ii. To determine the parameters in the different sources of water from different sampling
sources and points.
iii. To investigate on how the compressive strength of concrete can be affected when
mixed with water from different sources.

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1.4 SIGNIFICANCE AND LIMITATIONS OF STUDY
Concrete mixed at the site requires special quality control which should be carried out
during preparation, batching, mixing and curing.

This research investigates on how the compressive strength of concrete can be affected
when mixed with water from different sources. This will ensure better quality control
exercised on the quality of water used for concreting works in order to achieve a durable
structure in rural areas.

1.5 SCOPE OF STUDY

This research covered the effects of borehole water, run-off/river water and tap water (as
control) on the compressive strength of concrete. The water samples were collected from
Nayizi primary school borehole in bangwe, un-appearing water from rivers around bangwe
and tap water which was collected at MUBAS laboratory taps. Cement, coarse and fine
aggregates were purchased locally and I used MUBAS concrete cube moulds.

The approach to this research was an experimental one as such data collected followed a
random format affected by a wide range of factors. The data was analyzed quantitatively.
Results were reported as the mean value for the three specimens for each different water type
laboratory test. These results were evaluated by comparison with acceptable standards (as
British standards).

The study involved determination of a few water quality parameters for the different water
samples in order to determine their suitability.

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 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1. CONCRETE DEFINITION
Concrete is a composite material composed of coarse granular material (the aggregate or filler)
embedded in a hard matrix of material (the cement or binder) that fills the space among the
aggregate particles and glues them together (Li, 2011).

Concrete’s versatility, durability, sustainability, and economy have made it the world’s most
widely used construction material. Concrete is the most widely used construction material in the
world, and its popularity can be attributed to two aspects. First, concrete is used for many
different structures, such as dams, pavements, building frames, or bridges, much more than any
other construction material. Second, the amount of concrete used is much more than any other
material. Its worldwide production exceeds that of steel by a factor of 10 in tonnage and by more
than a factor of 30 in volume. (Li, 2011). Concrete is produced in a cruder way and its quality
varies considerably. Even the quality of cement, the binder of concrete, is guaranteed by the
manufacturer in a manner similar to that of steel; however, the quality of concrete is hardly
guaranteed because of many other factors, such as aggregates, mixing procedures, and skills of
the operators of concrete production, placement, and consolidation.

2.2 MATERIALS FOR MAKING CONCRETE

1. AGGREGATES
Aggregates constitute a skeleton of concrete. Approximately three-quarters of
the volume of conventional concrete is occupied by aggregate. It is inevitable
that a constituent occupying such a large percentage of the mass should
contribute important properties to both the fresh and hardened product.
Aggregate is usually viewed as an inert dispersion in the cement paste.
However, strictly speaking, aggregate is not truly inert because physical,

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 thermal, and, sometimes, chemical properties can influence the performance of
concrete (Neville, 1990). Aggregates are classified into two in accordance to
size; fine and coarse aggregates. Coarse aggregates are those that most
commonly retained on a No. 4 (4.75-mm) sieve. Generally, the size of coarse
aggregate ranges from 5 to 150 mm. Aggregates passing through a No. 4 (4.75
mm) sieve and retained on a No. 200 (75 µm) sieve are classified as fine
aggregates. River sand is the most commonly used fine aggregate.
2. CEMENTITIOUS BINDERS
Based on composition, binders are classified into; organic and inorganic.
Organic binder can be easily burned and thus cannot stand with fire. Polymer
and asphalt are two commonly used organic binders. Inorganic binders are
usually made of different natural minerals. The inorganic binder can be further
classified into non-hydraulic cement and hydraulic cement. Typical examples of
non-hydraulic cement are gypsum and lime. The main difference in composition
between two types of inorganic cements is that the hydraulic cement contains
some amounts of clayey impurities (silicate composition). Example of hydraulic
cement is the commonly used Portland cement.
3. WATER
Water is an important ingredient of concrete, and a properly designed concrete
mixture, typically with 15 to 25% water by volume, will possess the desired
workability for fresh concrete and the required durability and strength for
hardened concrete. The roles of water are for hydration and workability. The
total amount of water in concrete and the water-to-cement ratio may be the most
critical factors in the production of good-quality concrete. Too much water
reduces concrete strength, while too little makes the concrete unworkable.
Because concrete must be both strong and workable, a careful selection of the
cement-to-water ratio and total amount of water are required when making
concrete (Popovics, 1992).
4. ADMIXTURES
Are those ingredients in concrete other than hydraulic cement, supplementary
cementations’ materials (SCMs), water, aggregates, and fiber reinforcement that

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 are added to the mixture immediately before or during mixing. They are in the
form of powder or fluids and are added to the concrete to give it certain
characteristics not obtainable with plain concrete mixes.

2.3. HYDRATION OF CEMENT

The concrete (or specifically, the cement in it) needs moisture to hydrate and cure (harden).
When concrete dries, it actually stops getting stronger. Concrete with too little water may be dry
but is not fully reacted. The properties of such a concrete would be less than that of a wet
concrete. The reaction of water with the cement in concrete is extremely important to its
properties and reactions may continue for many years. When water is added to cement, each of
the compounds undergoes hydration and contributes to the final concrete product. Only the
calcium silicates contribute to strength. Tricalcium silicate is responsible for most of the early
strength (first 7 days). Dicalcium silicate, which reacts more slowly, contributes only to the
strength at later times. The equation for the hydration of tricalcium silicate is given by:

Tricalcium silicate + water = calcium silicate hydrate + calcium hydroxide + heat

Upon the addition of water, tricalcium silicate rapidly reacts to release calcium ions, hydroxide
ions, and a large amount of heat. The pH quickly rises to over 12 because of the release of
alkaline hydroxide (OH-) ions. This initial hydrolysis slows down quickly after it starts resulting
in a decrease in heat evolved. The reaction slowly continues producing calcium and hydroxide
ions until the system becomes saturated. Once this occurs, the calcium hydroxide starts to
crystallize. Simultaneously, calcium silicate hydrate begins to form. Ions precipitate out of
solution accelerating the reaction of tricalcium silicate to calcium and hydroxide ions. (Le
Chatlier's principle). The evolution of heat is then dramatically increased. The formation of the
calcium hydroxide and calcium silicate hydrate crystals provide "seeds" upon which more
calcium silicate hydrate can form. The calcium silicate hydrate crystals grow thicker making it
more difficult for water molecules to reach the un-hydrated tricalcium silicate. The speed of the
reaction is now controlled by the rate at which water molecules diffuse through the calcium
silicate hydrate coating. This coating thickens over time causing the production of calcium
silicate hydrate to become slower and slower. Dicalcium silicate also affects the strength of
concrete through its hydration. Dicalcium silicate reacts with water in a similar manner
compared to tricalcium silicate, but much more slowly. The heat released is less than that by the

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hydration of tricalcium silicate because the dicalcium silicate is much less reactive. The products
from the hydration of dicalcium silicate are the same as those for tricalcium silicate:

 Dicalcium silicate + Water → Calcium silicate hydrate + Calcium hydroxide + heat

2.4. COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH

Compressive strength or compression strength is the capacity of a material or structure to
withstand loads tending to reduce size, as opposed to tensile strength, which withstands loads
tending to elongate. For designers, compressive strength is one of the most important
engineering properties of concrete. It is a standard industrial practice that the concrete is
classified based on grades. This grade is nothing but the Compressive Strength of the concrete
cube or cylinder. Cube or Cylinder samples are usually tested under a compression testing
machine to obtain the compressive strength of concrete. The compressive strength of concrete is
given in terms of the characteristic compressive strength of 150 mm size cubes tested at 28 days.

2.5 PRELIMINARY LITERATURE REVIEW

Water fit for drinking is obviously fit for concreting. Unfiltered water is generally used for
concreting and it is not of same quality in all places. At every place the quality of water differs
and it contains different minerals. For construction works, huge amount of water is needed and
many times we are in a position to use locally available water, which is not 100% fit for
construction.” Obtained from Journal of Civil Engineering Research and Practice, Vol. 7 No.2,
October 2010, pp. 1 – 10.

In 1996, Neviell, justified that the quality of water plays a significant role in concrete production;
impurities in water may interfere with the setting of the cement paste; adversely affecting the
strength of the concrete or cause straining on its surface, and corrosion of the reinforcement.

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 CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY
3.1 METHODS OF DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS
This study used the following methods to collect data:
a. Laboratory tests
b. Desk study
c. Field work
The methodology followed an experimental procedure as discussed below:
3.2. SAMPLE PREPARATION
3.2.1 MATERIALS PREPARATION
For sample preparation, well graded coarse aggregates of maximum size 20 mm were purchased.
Fine aggregates (river sand) were purchased as well and sieved properly. Ordinary Portland
cement was purchased locally for the research work. Concrete cube molds used were borrowed
of sizes 150mm x l50mm x 150mm with the inside coated with oil.

Figure 1 Concrete square cube mould.

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 3.2.2 WATER COLLECTION
Clean water was collected straight from the Blantyre water board taps at MUBAS lab and it
wasbe used as a control. Borehole water was collected from a community primary school
borehole in bangwe and I extracted un-appearing water from river in bangwe. The samples of the
water were taken to MUBAS laboratory for testing and specimen preparation.

3.3 CONCRETE PRODUCTION

The following mix ratio; 1:2:4 (C25) was used. Batching was done by mass. As to say 1:2:4
having Mass of coarse aggregate of 27kg, fine aggregate 13.5kg and cement mass, 6.75kg. Dry
mixing/batching was done in concrete mixer.

From the range of W/C ratio; 0.40 – 0.60. 0.55 was picked for the wet mix. To find the liters,
0.55 factor was multiplied by mass of cement (6.75) to get 3.7125litres. The water was measured
and then poured in the dry concrete mixture and mixed roughly to produce wet mixture. Concrete
cube production was carried out in accordance with BS 1881: part 108:1983. Each layer of
concrete received 35 strokes of a 25mm square steel runner. This procedure was repeated with all
different quality of water producing 9 cubes at each sample of water, producing total of 27 cubes.

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Figure 2 Dry Concrete mixing (Batching).

Figure 3 Mass of aggregate calculation.

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Figure 4 Mass of cement calculation.

3.4. SLUMP TEST

Slump test was carried out to determine the workability of the freshly laid concrete.

Firstly, I Ensured the inner surface of the cone is clean and dry and then placed the bottom of the
cone on a clean, smooth, horizontal, firm and non-absorbent surface. While firmly holding the
cone, I filled the cone with fresh concrete within 2 minutes after mixing. The cone was filled in
three layers, each approximately one third of the height of the cone when tamped.

I tamped each layer with 25 strokes of the tamping rod, the strokes being distributed uniformly
over the cross-section of the layer. Heaping the concrete above the cone before the top layer is
tamped was done. After the top layer had been tamped, we strike off the concrete level with the
top of the cone with a sawing motion of the tamping rod.

 With the cone still held down, I removed away excess concrete found outside of the cone.

 Then removed the cone from the concrete by raising it vertically, slowly and carefully in 5 to 10
seconds. The entire operation from the start of filling to the removal of the cone was carried out
without interruption and completed within 2.5 minutes.

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 Immediately after the cone was removed, I measured the slump to the nearest 5mm by using the
rule to determine difference between the height of the cone and of the highest point of the
specimen being tested.

Figure 5 Slump Test.

3.5. CURING
Curing of the concrete cubes was done by immersing the cubes in a vibration-free water
container. Each concrete cube was marked distinctly for identification. Each group of cubes
made from the different types of water were cured with their different types of water. The
concrete cubes were immediately submerged in the water that was used to make them i.e., cubes
that were made using borehole water were submerged in borehole water at room temperature and
only be removed at the time for the compressive strength test (to determine the compressive
strength), that is after 7, 14 and 28 days of curing.

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Figure 6 Curing of Concrete cubes

3.6. COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH TEST

The cubes for the different types of water used in their mixture was weighed at their different
days of curing i.e., 7, 14, and 28 days, Area and density determined and a dimensional check was
carried out. The cured cube was placed with the cast faces in contact with the platens of the
Compressive strength machine electrically operated.

The test method was done in accordance to the BS EN 12390 – Part 3: 2002

The load on the cube was applied at constant rate of stress. The load was applied without shock
and increased continuously until failure. The maximum load (failing load) applied to the cubes
were recorded separately for all the 27 cubes with different water samples and different ageing
days. i.e., 3 cubes made with borehole were tested on 7 th day of curing to give an average
strength. That means on 7th curing day 9 cubes of different water samples were tested to give
average compressive strength for the separate samples. The procedure was repeated on 14 and 28
days.

The machine used to calculate the compressive strength had a machine factor of: 1.4546000

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The cross-sectional area of each cube was calculated and the compressive strength was
determined by using the equation below:

COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH = FAILING LOAD (kN) x 1000 x MACHINE FACTOR

CROSS SECTIONAL AREA (mm2).

Figure 7 Compressive Test Machine

Figure 8 Crushed Cube

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Figure 9 Recording Results

Figure 10 Measuring Scale

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3.7. WATER SAMPLES ANALYSIS
The following water parameters of the sampled water were tested and monitored:
pH
Total suspended solids
Total dissolved solids
Nitrates
Chlorides

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 CHAPTER 4: RESULTS AND ANALYSIS
4.1. CHEMICAL AND PHYSICAL COMPOSITION OF THE WATER SAMPLES

Table 1 TEST ON WATER SAMPLES FOR DIFFERENT PARAMETERS

TESTS PORTABLE BOREHOLE WATER STORM WATER

WATER

pH 8.2 6.6 10.2

Total Dissolved Solids 580 mg/l 246 mg/l …………
Total Hardness 328 mg/l 690 mg/l ………….
Nitrates 35 mg/l 75 mg/l 0.5 mg/l
Chlorides 150 mg/l 175 mg/l 210 mg/l
Total Suspended Solids …………… …………….. 270 mg/l

The result of the waste water analysis shows higher concentration of sulphates and Total
Suspended Solids for storm water compared to other water samples. All the water samples were
within the permissible limits as shown in TABLE ABOVE

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4.2 SLUMP TEST RESULTS

Table 2 SLUMP TEST RESULTS

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 4.3. COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH RESULTS
Table 3 COMPRESSIVE MACHINE FACTOR

MACHINE FACTOR 1.4546000

4.3.1 COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH RESULTS (7 DAYS)

Table 4 COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH RESULTS FOR CONCRETE CUBES MADE WITH POTABLE WATER (7 DAYS)

NUMBER DATE DATE AGE AREA VOLUME MASS FAILING CUBE STRENTH AVERAGE
CASTED TESTED (DAYS) OF OF CUBE LOAD DENSITY (MPa) STRENGTH
CUBE (kg) (kN) (Kg/mm3) (N/mm2) (N/mm2)
(mm2)

1 7 22500 0.003375

2 7 22500 0.003375

3 7 22500 0.003375

Table 5 COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH RESULTS FOR CONCRETE CUBES MADE WITH BOREHOLE WATER (7 DAYS)

NUMBER DATE DATE AGE AREA VOLUME MASS FAILING CUBE STRENTH AVERAGE
CASTED TESTED (DAYS) OF OF CUBE LOAD DENSITY (MPa) STRENGTH
CUBE (kg) (kN) (Kg/mm3) (N/mm2) (N/mm2)
(mm2)

1 7 22500 0.003375

2 7 22500 0.003375

3 7 22500 0.003375

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Table 6 COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH RESULTS FOR CONCRETE CUBES MADE WITH STORM WATER (7 DAYS)

NUMBER DATE DATE AGE AREA VOLUME MASS FAILING CUBE STRENTH AVERAGE
CASTED TESTED (DAYS) OF OF CUBE LOAD DENSITY (MPa) STRENGTH
CUBE (kg) (kN) (Kg/mm3) (N/mm2) (N/mm2)
(mm2)

1 7 22500 0.003375

2 7 22500 0.003375

3 7 22500 0.003375

4.3.2 COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH RESULTS (28 DAYS)

Table 7 COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH RESULTS FOR CONCRETE CUBES MADE WITH POTABLE WATER (28 DAYS)

NUMBER DATE DATE AGE AREA VOLUME MASS FAILING CUBE STRENTH AVERAGE
CASTED TESTED (DAYS) OF OF CUBE LOAD DENSITY (MPa) STRENGTH
CUBE (kg) (kN) (Kg/mm3) (N/mm2) (N/mm2)
(mm2)

1 28 22500 0.003375

2 28 22500 0.003375

3 28 22500 0.003375

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Table 8 COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH RESULTS FOR CONCRETE CUBES MADE WITH BOREHOLE (28 DAYS)

NUMBER DATE DATE AGE AREA VOLUME MASS FAILING CUBE STRENTH AVERAGE
CASTED TESTED (DAYS) OF OF CUBE LOAD DENSITY (MPa) STRENGTH
CUBE (kg) (kN) (Kg/mm3) (N/mm2) (N/mm2)
(mm2)

1 28 22500 0.003375

2 28 22500 0.003375

3 28 22500 0.003375

Table 9 COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH RESULTS FOR CONCRETE CUBES MADE WITH SWAMP WATER (28 DAYS)

NUMBER DATE DATE AGE AREA VOLUME MASS FAILING CUBE STRENTH AVERAGE
CASTED TESTED (DAYS) OF OF CUBE LOAD DENSITY (MPa) STRENGTH
CUBE (kg) (kN) (Kg/mm3) (N/mm2) (N/mm2)
(mm2)

1 28 22500 0.003375

2 28 22500 0.003375

3 28 22500 0.003375

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4.3.3. AVERAGE COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH RESULTS FOR ALL

Table 10. AVERAGE COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH FOR 7, 14, 28 DAYS

AVERAGE COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH

(N/mm2)
NUMBER WATER TYPE

7 DAYS 14 DAYS 28 DAYS

1 POTABLE WATER

2 BOREHOLE WATER

3 STORM WATER

4.4. DISCUSSIONS AND CONCLUSION

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 CHAPTER 5: REFERENCE LIST

4.1 REFERENCE LIST

British Standard, 1978, BS 4550: Part 3: Methods for Testing Cement, British Standards

Institution, London, UK.

Bye, G.C 1983, Portland Cement, Composition, Production and Properties, Perganon Press,

Oxford, UK.
Doran, D.K, 1992, Construction Materials Reference Book, Butterworth-Heinemann Ltd,

London.
Naviell, A.M. (1996): Properties of concrete, 4th Edition, ELBS Longman London, 1-50.

G. Dhinakaran and P. Saravanakumar (2010): Effect of Acidic Water on Strength, Durability

and `Corrosion of Concrete, Journal of Civil Engineering Research and Practice, Vol. 7 No.2,
October 2010, pp. 1 – 10.

www.caribcement.com/resources/article/2012/03/08/water-for-mixing-concrete

Neville, A.M, 1995, Properties of Concrete, 4th edn, Longman House, England.

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