Effects of Non-Potable Water On the Strengths of Concrete
Abstract
Concrete is a composite material made from a mixture of cement, aggregates and water. This study presents the effects of non-potable water on the strengths of concrete. Tap, stream and partially polluted stream water samples were used in moulding the concrete. Optimum water-cement ratios (w/c) were determined for each of the water samples. Concrete specimens were prepared using nominal mix proportion of 1:2:4 and optimum water-cement ratio (w/c) of the known water quality. The concrete specimens were cured by total immersion in water. Compressive and flexural strengths of the concrete were determined using standard methods. The results showed that the optimum w/c were 0.65, 0.55 and 0.65 for concrete made with tap water (A), non-polluted stream water (B) and polluted stream water (C) respectively. At 28-day curing, their compressive strengths were 18.3, 17.13 and 18.00 N/mm2 while at 56-day curing the compressive strengths were 25.60, 20.87 and 22.56 N/mm2 respectively. The pHs of the water samples (A, B, C) were 6.7, 9.5 and 6.7 respectively. The concrete made with water (A) gave the highest compressive and flexural strengths while the concrete made with water (B) gave the least strengths. It was concluded that the two stream waters (B and C) are acceptable for concrete production but concrete made with water (C) gave better results. The stream water polluted by partially treated effluent from biological treatment plant does not have serious adverse effect on the strengths of concrete.
References
Akinkurolere, O.O., Cangru J. and Shobola, O.M.,‘The influence of salt water on the compressive strength of concrete’. Journal of Engineering and Applied Sciences. 2(2): 412-415, 2007.
Al-Harthy, A.S., Taha, R. Abu-Ashour, J. Al-Jabir, K. and Al-Oraimi, S.,‘Effect of water quality on the compressive strength of flowable fill mixtures’. Cement & Concrete Composite.Vol. 27: 33 – 39, 2005.
APHA, ‘Standard Methods for the Examination of Water and Wastewater’. American Public Health Association. 20th edition, Washington, D.C., 1998.
ASTM Standard C 78, ‘Flexural strength of concrete (using simple beam with third-point loading)’. ASTM International, West Conshohocken, DOI: 10.1520/C0078-09, 2009.
Ayininuola, G.M.,‘Water quality effect on concrete compressive strength: Ogunpa stream water case study’. Civil Engineering Horizon. http://horizon.webinfolist.com/material/2009, 2009.Accessed on 16th June, 2012.
BS 1881: Part 108, ‘Method for making test cubes from fresh concrete’. British Standard Institution, London, 1983.
BS 1881: Part 116, ‘Method for determination of compressive strength of concrete’. British Standard Institution, London, 1983.
BS 812-103-1, ‘Methods for determination of particle size distribution – Sieve tests’. British Standard Institution, London, 1985.
BS EN 1008,‘Mixing water for concrete –Specification for sampling, testing and assessing the suitability of water, including water recovered from processes in the concrete industry, as mixing water for concrete’. British Standard Institution, London, 2002.
BS EN 196, Part 2, ‘Method of testing cement – Chemical analysis of cement’. British Standard Institution, London, 1995.
Cebeci, O.Z and Saatci, A.M.,‘Domestic sewage as mixing water in concrete’. Journal of American Concrete Institute, ACI.503 – 506, 1989.
El-Nawawy, O.A and Ahmad, A.S.,‘Use of treated effluent in concrete mixing in arid climate’.Cement and Concrete Composite. Vol. 13: 137 – 141, 1991.
Ghosh, R.K., Chatterjee, M. R. and Lai, L.,‘Flexural strength of concrete – Its variations, relationship with compressive strength and use in concrete mix design’. Central Road Institute, India. India Road Research Bulletin No. 126, 1972.
Lee, O.S. Saliu, M.R. Ismail, M and Ali, M.I.,‘Reusing treated effluent in concrete technology’. Jurnal Teknologi. 34(F): 1- 10, 2001.
Oke, I.A., ‘Engineering analysis and failure prevention of a water treatment plant in Nigeria’.Journal of Failure Analysis and Prevention. 10:105-119, 2010.
Oktar, O.N., Moral,H. and Tasdemir, M.A.,‘Factors determining correlations between the concrete properties’. Cement and Concrete Research. 26(11): 1629-1637, 1996.
Shetty, M.S.,‘Concrete technology: theory and practice’. 6th edition. S.Chand and company Ltd. Multicolour illustrative edition, 2007.
Standards Organisation of Nigeria (SON), ‘Nigerian Standard for Drinking Water Quality’. Nigerian Industrial Standard Publication, ICS 13.060.20, 2007.
Su, N. Miao, B. and Liu, F-S., ‘Effects of wash water and underground water on properties of concrete’.Cement and Concrete Research. Vol. 32: 777 – 782, 2007.
Taha, R.A. Al-Harthy, A.S. and Al-Jabri, K.S.,‘Use of production and brackish water in concrete mixtures’.International Journal of Sustainable Water and Environmental System, IASKS. 1(2): 39 – 43, 2010
