Journal of Emerging Trends in Engineering and Applied Sciences: Research Areas

Article Title: Some Flexural Behaviour of Rectangular Concrete Beams with Mound Soil as Partial Substitute for Ordinary Portland Cement
by O.U. Orie and E. O. Eze

Abstract:
The paper determined the flexural characteristics of rectangular concrete beams when mound soil is used as a partial substitute for cement in a concrete mix ratio of 1:2:4 representing cement, fine aggregate and coarse aggregate respectively. The cement in the mix was substituted by bound soil at percentages ranging from 0 � 36% of the cement. For the purpose of the experiment the water/cement ratio was kept constant at 0.6. Granite from Ifon in Ondo, Nigeria of maximum average particle diameter of 14mm was used as coarse aggregate. The fine was Okhuahe river sand and the mound soil was randomly sourced from the habitat of common specie of Termites in Iyekeogba area of Benin City. The geotechnical properties of the materials were determined. Concrete beams measuring 100mm x100mm x 400mm were cast, cured and tested for flexural strength using the Universal Testing Machine after 28 days. The results showed that an increase in percentage content of mound soil caused the beams to behave plastically. The 0% substitute of cement control beams showed a failure load of 2.17kN, modulus of rupture 1.30N/mm2 and flexural rigidity 4.82x109 N/mm2. The optimal 8% substitute produced a failure load of 5.3 kN, modulus of rupture 3.18N/mm2 and flexural rigidity 8.51x109N/mm2. The paper concludes that about 8% by mass of mound soil can be used to enhance the flexural characteristics of concrete beams. Rectangular concrete beams are commonly encountered in structures and mound soil has shown potentials as construction material.

Keywords: cement, substitution, concrete, flexure and mound soil

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