Influence of Optimum Particle Packing on the Macro and Micro Properties of Sustainable Concrete

Wisam J. Abushama, Adil K. Tamimi (), Sami W. Tabsh, Magdi M. El-Emam, Ahmad Ibrahim and Taghreed Kh Mohammed Ali
Additional contact information
Wisam J. Abushama: Department of Civil Engineering, College of Engineering, The American University of Sharjah, Sharjah P.O. Box 26666, United Arab Emirates
Adil K. Tamimi: Department of Civil Engineering, College of Engineering, The American University of Sharjah, Sharjah P.O. Box 26666, United Arab Emirates
Sami W. Tabsh: Department of Civil Engineering, College of Engineering, The American University of Sharjah, Sharjah P.O. Box 26666, United Arab Emirates
Magdi M. El-Emam: Department of Civil Engineering, College of Engineering, The American University of Sharjah, Sharjah P.O. Box 26666, United Arab Emirates
Ahmad Ibrahim: Elkem Materials, Dubai P.O. Box 262213, United Arab Emirates
Taghreed Kh Mohammed Ali: Department of Architecture Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, Koya University, Koya KOY45, Kurdistan Region, Iraq

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 19, 1-23

Abstract: In this research, the possibility of making eco-friendly concrete from available materials in the local United Arab Emirates (UAE) market was investigated. Supplementary cementitious materials, such as ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBS) and silica fume (SF), were utilized for decreasing the cement quantity, enhancing the particle size distribution and improving packing. In sum, 130 concrete specimens—cubes, cylinders, and prisms—from 10 different concrete mixes were tested to determine the enhancement levels in the fresh and hard properties of new concrete. The results showed the improved particle packing of the concrete, especially within the region of sizes 100–10,000 microns, produced by the Elkem Materials Mix Analyser (EMMA), closely matching the Andreassen theoretical model. The green concrete incorporating SF and GGBS possessed air content in the range 1.0–1.4% and compressive strength that is on average 11% higher than the well-packed concrete that did not contain SF or GGBS. Compared to the ACI 318 code’s predictions, the experimental findings of the optimally packed concrete’s moduli of rupture and elasticity were under-estimated by 55–69% and 0.8–8.8%, respectively. The rapid chloride permeability test (RCPT) showed results as low as 392 coulombs for mixes with supplementary cementitious materials, indicating very low chloride permeability. Microstructural analysis using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) demonstrated that concrete with supplementary materials has fewer voids, more homogeneous integration of ingredients, and an abundance of C-S-H products that supported the RCPT findings and tests of mechanical properties. The study demonstrated a significant decrease in carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) emissions of concrete utilizing GGBS and SF and the financial feasibility of eco-friendly concrete in the UAE.

Keywords: eco-friendly concrete; particle packing; rapid chloride permeability; microstructural analysis; CO 2 emissions (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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