TITLE:
Physical Characterization of Laterite for the Formulation of Structural Concrete
AUTHORS:
Dekandji Thomas Ekpo, Yemalin Daniel Agossou, Judicial Agbelele, Edmond C. Adjovi
KEYWORDS:
Laterite Concrete, Granular Compactness, Mechanical Strength
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Civil Engineering,
Vol.13 No.3,
August
16,
2023
ABSTRACT: This study presents another approach to the use of laterite as a common
construction material for the development of a new type of concrete. Laterites
are found all over the world and are used in various ways in road construction
as sub-base, base course or wear courses. Being a material consisting in the
raw state of sand and gravel, the study addresses its use for the formulation
of structural concrete. The physical characterization made it possible to
identify three granular classes distributed as follows: 28.26% passing at 80 μm,
32.12% sand (0.08/4 mm) and 39.62% nodule (4/25) mm. The absolute density of the aggregates
varies from 2.73 and 2.82 from the sand to the nodules. The absorption rate
varies from 3.01% and 5.71% respectively for sand and nodules. The granular
compactness of the different granular classes studied varies from 0.580 to
0.630. The formulation of the concrete was made by the method of absolute
volumes by varying the W/C ratio from 0.4 to 0.7, N/S from 2.2 to 2.8 and that
of the cement dosage from 350 to 450 kg/m3. The results obtained
show that the density of the concrete formulated based on these aggregates of
lateritic origin have a density which varies between 2000 and 2300 kg/m3. With a
cement content of 400 kg/m3, a W/C ratio of 0.4 and N/S of 2.8, concrete based on
lateritic aggregates offers better mechanical performance in compression of
approximately 21.23 ± 1.24 MPa at 28 days. This strength class obtained allows
laterite concrete to be used as structural concrete in the structure of civil
engineering works.