EXPERIMENTAL STUDY ON

STRENGTH CHARACTERISTICS
OF CONCRETE (M25) BY PARTIAL
REPLACEMENT OF CEMENT
WITH FLY ASH
 INTRODUCTION
In the epoch of modernization arouse from numerous
civilizations, the technologies adopted, methods developed
and techniques used in construction world matters a lot
and constitute too many factors. In order to hike the list of
pros and to outnumber the cons some changes must be
made in construction. Catalyzing of global warming, lesser
durability, unbounded usage of materials available are basic
items in cons list which can be checked by the usage of fly
ash in construction
DEFINITION
Fly ash, also known as flue-ash, is one of the residues

generated in combustion, and comprises the fine

particles that rise with the flue gases. Ash which does
not rise is termed bottom ash. In an industrial context,
fly ash usually refers to ash produced during
combustion of coal. Fly ash is generally captured by
electrostatic precipitators or other particle filtration
equipment before the flue gases reach the chimneys of
coal-fired power plants.
 Types of fly ash
According to ASTMC618 fly ash is classified into two types.


Class F fly ash

The burning of harder, older anthracite and bituminous coal typically produces
Class F fly ash. This fly ash is pozzolanic in nature, and contains less than 20%
lime(CaO).


Class C fly ash

Fly ash produced from the burning of younger lignite or sub bituminous coal, in
addition to having pozzolanic properties, also has some self-cementing properties.
Class C fly ash generally contains more than 20% lime (CaO).
Composition of fly ash
MATERIALS
ORDINARY PORTLAND CEMENT

FLY ASH

COARSE AGGREGATE

FINE AGGREGATE

WATER
CEMENT

Ordinary Portland Cement 53-grade of JSW

brand confirming to B.I.S. standards is used

in the present investigation. The cement is
tested for its various properties as per IS:
4031-1988 and found to be confirming to
the requirements as per IS: 12269-1989.
TESTS ON CEMENT
Fineness by dry sieving

Standard consistency

Determination of soundness by ‘Le-Chatelier Method’.

Specific gravity

Determination of compressive strength

Fineness of Cement
Trail No. 1 2 3

Weight in cement 100 100 100

(g)

Weight of residue 1 3 1
in I.S. Sieve No. 9

Quantity of 1 3 1
Cement Retained
(%)
Fineness of the given cement is found to be 1.66 %
Standard consistency of cement
Depth not
Quantity of *Initial
Final Reading Penetrated[
water added Reading
mm]

132 0 10 10

136 0 6 6

Standard consistency of cement is found to be 34%

Soundness of Cement (By Lechatelier
Method)
S.No Initial Final Expansion
Distance Distance
1 10 11 1

2 20 21 1

3 28 29 1

Soundness of Cement is found to be 1 mm

Specific Gravity of Cement
Volume of Specific
Initial Final
S. No Cement Gravity
Reading Reading
(V) in c.c. G=W/V

1 0 21 21 3.04

2 0 20 20 3.20

Specific Gravity of Cement is found to be 3.12 at room

temperature
Compressive Strength Of Cement
Number of cubes casted = 6

Weight of cement taken for each cube=200g

Weight of sand taken for each cube=600g

Water added for each cube=92ml

Average compressive strength of cement under loading

for 7 days = 27.08 N/mm2
Average compressive strength of cement under loading
for 28days = 51 N/mm2
 
FLY ASH
Fly ash is obtained
from
Rayalaseema Thermal
Power Plant, located
at proddutur.
TESTS ON FLY ASH

Fineness of fly ash

Specific gravity of fly ash by Lechatelier

flask
 property values

Fineness modulus 7.4

Specific surface area 370 m2/kg

Specific gravity 2.3

Chemical composition Percentage by mass

SiO2+ Al2O3 + Fe2O3 80

SiO2 58.40

CaO 4.0-5.0

MgO 0.9

So3 0.11

L.O.I 0.9
Tests on Aggregates

Grain size distribution of fine aggregate.

Grain size distribution of coarse aggregate

Specific gravity of fine aggregate.

Specific gravity of coarse aggregate

FINE AGGREGATE
The sand obtained
from Hundri River
near Kurnool is used as
fine aggregate in this
project investigation.
The sand is free from
clayey matter, silt and
organic impurities etc.
Grain Size Distribution of Fine Aggregate
S. No Sieve Size Wt. retained %age wt. Cumulative %age
in g retained %age wt. passing
retained(F) (100-F)
1 4.75mm _ _ _ 100
2 2.36mm 46 4.6 4.6 95.4
3 1.18mm 103 10.3 14.9 85.1
4 600µm 538 53.8 68.7 31.3
5 300µm 239 23.9 92.6 7.4
6 150µm 54 5.4 98 2
7 Pan 19 1.9 99.9 0.1

Fineness modulus = 2.78

The given fine aggregate passes through grading zone-II
Specific Gravity of Fine Aggregate
Weight of dry and empty pycnometer (W1) =602g

Weight of pycnometer +fine aggregate (W2) =1102g

Weight of pycnometer+fine aggregate+water (W3)=1812g

Weight of pycnometer +water (W4) =1497g

Weight of oven dry aggregate sample (W5) =500g

COARSE AGGREGATE
•Crushed 20mm
maximum size was used.
Grain Size Distribution of Coarse Aggregate
S.No Sieve size Wt. %age Wt. Cumulativ %age
mm retained in retained e %age passing
gm Wt. (100-F)
retained
(F)
1 20 0 0 0 100
2 12.5 485 48.5 48.5 51.5
3 10 79 7.9 56.4 43.6
4 6.3 324 32.4 88.8 11.2
5 4.75 104 10.4 99.2 0.8
Fineness modulus=∑F 100=292.9/100=2.929
̸
Specific Gravity of Coarse Aggregate
For coarse aggregate (for 20mm size)

Weight of dry and empty pycnometer (W 1) =600g

Weight of pycnometer +coarse aggregate (W 2) =1099g

Weight of pycnometer+coarse aggregate+water (W 3) =1816g

Weight of pycnometer +water (W4) =1496g

Weight of oven dry aggregate sample (W 5) =500g

Specific gravity = W5/ (W2-W1)-(W3-W4)

= 500/ (1099-600)-(1816-1496)

= 2.78
MIX DESIGN FOR M25 GRADE OF CONCRETE
Design stipulation:
Grade designation : M25
Type of cement : OPC 53 grade conforming
to IS 12269
Maximum size of aggregate : 20 mm
Water cement ratio : 0.45
Degree of quality control :good
Test data for materials
Cement : JSW 53grade OPC
Specific gravity of cement : 3.12
Specific gravity of fine aggregate : 2.70
Specific gravity of coarse aggregate : 2.78
Target strength for mix proportioning:
Fck = fck +t.s
Fck = target mean strength
fck = characteristic compressive strength at 28
days
t = a constant depending on the accepted
proportion of low results and the number of
tests = 1.65
s = standard deviation (for M25 and good
quality control) = 4.0
Fck= 25+1.65×4= 31.6 N/mm2
Selection of water- cement ratio:

Adopt water- cement ratio as 0.45

Selection of water content

From table 2 of IS 10262-2009

Maximum water content for 20 mm aggregate is 186 lts.

Determination of cement content:

Water- cement ratio = 0.45

Water =186 kg

Cement = 186/0.45 =413.0kg

Proportion of volume of coarse aggregate and fine

aggregate content

From table 3 of IS 10262-2009, volume of coarse aggregate

corresponding to 20 mm aggregate and fine aggregate
(zone-II) for water- cement ratio of 0.5=0.62

As the water- cement ratio is lower by 0.05, the proportion

of volume of coarse aggregate is increased by 0.01.
Final volume of coarse aggregate = 0.63

Volume of fine aggregate = 1-0.63=0.37

MIX CALCULATIONS
The mix calculations per unit volume of concrete shall be as follows:

 a)Volume of concrete = 1m3

 b)Volume of cement = (Mass of cement/sp.gr. of cement) X
(1/1000)
= (413/3.12) X (1/1000)
= 0.132 m3
 c)Volume of water = (Mass of water/sp.gr. of water) x
(1/1000)
= (186/1) x (1/1000)
= 0.186 m3
 d)Volume of all in aggregate = (a – (b+c) )
= (1- (0.132+0.186))
= 0.682 m3
 Mass of coarse aggregate = d x volume of coarse aggregate

x sp.gr. of coarse aggregate

x1000

= 0.682 X 0.63 X 2.78 x 1000

= 1195 kg

 Mass of fine aggregate = d x volume of fine aggregate

x sp.gr. of fine aggregate x 1000

= 0.682 x 0.37 x 2.70 x 1000

= 681 kg
MIX PROPORTIONS FOR PLAIN CONCRETE

Cement = 413 kg/m3

Water = 186 kg/m3

Fine aggregate = 681 kg/m3

Coarse aggregate = 1195 kg/m3

Water-cement ratio = 0.45

MIX DESIGNATION
S.No MIX DESIGNATION

1 0% fly ash replacement R0

2 10% fly ash replacement R10

3 20% fly ash replacement R20

4 30% fly ash replacement R30

5 40% fly ash replacement R40

 Mix proportions for casting 3 cubes, 3 beams, 3
mix Total Cement Fly cylinders
Water w/c Fine Coarse
design cement Kgs ash lts aggreg aggreg
ation Kgs Kgs ate ate
Kgs Kgs
R0 20.299 20.299 0 9.142 0.45 34.110 56.817
R10 20.299 18.269 2.03 9.142 0.45 34.110 56.817
R20 20.299 16.239 4.06 9.142 0.45 34.110 56.817
R30 20.299 14.209 6.09 9.142 0.45 34.110 56.817
R40 20.299 12.180 8.119 9.142 0.45 34.110 56.817
 TESTS ON CONCRETE
Compressive strength test

Split tensile strength test

Flexural strength test

 COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH TEST
Cubes of size 150×150×150mm are used in the present work.
The mould is applied with oil for lubrication.
Concrete is laid in the mould in three equal layers, each layer
being compacted with tamping rod.
The next step is vibration on a vibrating machine.
The above procedure is same for all the mixes with different
percentages of admixture replacement.
These specimens are tested by compression testing machine
after 7 days curing and 28 days curing. Load should be
applied gradually at the rate of 140 kg/cm2 per minute till the
specimen fails. Load at failure divided by area of specimen
gives compressive strength of concrete.
COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH VALUES
S.No % of cement Compressive Compressive
replacement strength strength
with fly ash (N/mm2) (N/mm2)
At 7 days At 28 days
1 0 27.92 34.73
2 10 28.15 36.95
3 20 30.51 40.35
4 30 21.11 33.75
5 40 20 30.08
variation of compressive strength for various
mixes at 28 days
45
40
compressive strength

35
30
(N/mm2)

25
20
Compressive strength (N/mm2)

15
10
5
0
RO R10 R20 R30 R40

% replacement of cement with fly ash

 variation of compressive strength for various mixes at 7
days and 28 days

45
COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH (N/mm2)

40
35
30
25 R0
R10
20
R20
15 R30
10 R40
5
0
0 days 7 days 28 days
AGE ON DAYS
 SPLIT TENSILE STRENGTH
Cylinder of size 150 mm diameter and length 300 mm are
used in the present work.
Concrete is laid in the mould in three equal layers, each
layer being compacted with tamping rod.
The next step is vibration on a vibrating machine.
The above procedure is same for all mixes with different
percentages of admixture replacement.
These specimens are tested by compressive testing
machine after 7 days curing and 28 days curing.
The corresponding strength values are tabulated.
TENSILE STRENGTH VALUES
S.No % of cement Split tensile
replacement with strength (N/mm2)
fly ash at 7 days

1 0 2.15

2 10 2.47

3 20 1.69

4 30 1.68

5 40 1.40
 variation of Tensile strength for various
mixes at 7 days
SPLIT TENSILE STRENGTH
3
split tensile strength (N/mm2)

2.5

1.5

0.5

0
R0 R10 R20 R30 R40
% replacement of cement with fly ash
Flexural strength
The casting procedure is same as that in compressive strength
test.
Beams of size 500×100×100 mm are used in the present work.
The mould is applied with oil for lubrication.
Concrete is laid in the mould in three equal layers, each layer
being compacted with tamping rod.
The next step is vibration on a vibrating machine.
The above procedure is same for all mixes with different
percentages of admixture replacement.
These specimens are tested by universal testing machine after 7
days curing and 28 days curing.
The corresponding strength values are tabulated.
Flexural strength values
S.No % of cement Flexural strength
replacement with (N/mm2) at 7 days
fly ash
1 0 3.37

2 10 3.53

3 20 3.72

4 30 3.12

5 40 2.63
variation of flexural strength for
various mixes at 7 days
FLEXURAL STRENGTH
4
3.5
FLEXURAL STRENGTH

3
2.5
(N/mm2)

2
1.5
1
0.5
0
R0 R10 R20 R30 R40
% REPLACEMENT OF CEMENT WITH FLY ASH
 conclusions
Based on above experimental results obtained, we arrived at
following conclusions
The compressive strength of concrete increases from 0% to 20% fly
ash replacement of cement and further it decreases with increase in
fly ash replacement of cement.

At 20% replacement of cement with fly ash a maximum compressive

strength of 40.35 N/mm2 was attained.

Concrete with 20% replacement of cement with fly ash has attained a
maximum flexural strength of 3.72N/mm 2.
Concrete has attained highest split tensile strength of
2.47 N/mm2 with 10% fly ash replacement of cement.

The utilization of this waste by products with partial

replacements has a lot of benefits to environment
reducing the environment pollution.

By replacement of cement with fly ash, reduction in

cost of concrete by 8-10% is achieved.