PROPERTIES OF CONCRETE INCORPORATING COPPER SLAG AS FINE AGGREGATE AND DIATOMACEOUS EARTH AS CEMENTITIOUS MATERIAL

Abstract

Concrete is a composite material that consists of cement, fine aggregate, coarse aggregate and water. There is
a need of alternatives for the conventional constituents of concrete for the safety of environment. This study aims to
analyze the compatibility of a natural pozzolana diatomite and waste material copper slag in partial replacementof
cement and fine aggregate respectively in concrete. At first when the diatomite was added to the concrete by different
percentages, 4% diatomite content shows the maximum strength. This was obtained by conducting the standard cube
compression test. In the 4% optimum mix, the copper slag was added by different percentages from 30 to 70. Copper slag
content of 40% showed the maximum strength in all the standard tests like cube compression, flexural strength, split
tensile test. More properties were analyzed by conducting the durability tests like bulk diffusion, carbonation and
Sulphate resistant test in concrete containing different percentages of copper slag and 4% diatomite (D4C40). The
strength generating property were confirmed by conducting load deflection test of optimum mix specimen and the
conventional concrete specimen in loading frame of 100T capacity. From that test, the mix D4C40 specimen was found
to have 43% higher strength than the conventional concrete.