INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SCIENTIFIC & TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH VOLUME 4, ISSUE 09, SEPTEMBER 2015 ISSN 2277-8616

Egg Shell As A Fine Aggregate In Concrete For

Sustainable Construction
S.A. Raji, A. T. Samuel

ABSTRACT: This work has investigated the potential use of usedegg shell as a concrete material. The usedegg shells were used as fine concrete
aggregate. In the laboratory test, conventional fine aggregate was replaced at 100% replacement level. A total of 18 cubes were cast, cured and tested.
The strength development of the concrete mixes containing egg shell aggregates was compared to that of conventional concrete with sand as
fine aggregate. The result showed a reduction in compressive strength of the concrete but still falls within limits of lightweight concrete. This paper
recommends that egg shell can be used for producing concrete where a lighter weight concrete is required and a reduction of dead load of structure is
desired.

Keywords: Concrete, egg shell, coarse aggregate, light weight concrete.

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INTRODUCTION TYPES OF CONCRETE

Through out the world, concrete is being widely used for the According to the unit weight of concretes, they can be
construction of most of the buildings, bridges etc. Hence, it classified into four categories, as shown in Table 1. Ultra-
has been properly labeled as the backbone to the lightweight concrete can only be used to build up
infrastructure development of a nation. Sustainable nonstructural members. Lightweight concrete can be used
construction has become an interest in the engineering to build both nonstructural and structural members,
community and several standards have been developed to depending on its specified composition. Normal-weight
assess the environmental impact of new construction concretes are commonly used concretes in the construction
projects. (Isler, 2012). Researches have shown that it is of infrastructures and buildings. Heavyweight concrete is
possible to use recycled materials to replace some of the used to build some special structures, such as laboratories,
traditional mixture components in concrete products and hospital examination rooms, and nuclear plant, where
produce a more sustainable building material. One common radioactive protection is needed to minimize its influence on
material that can be recycled and have the possibility of use people’s health (Zongjin Li, 2011).
in concrete applications is used egg shell. Eggshell waste
falls within the category of food waste, which is materials
from the preparation of foods and drinks, if subjected to
adequate scrutiny, and they could can be suitable
alternative material for construction (DohS.I. 2014).
Concrete is a manmade building material that looks like
stone. The word ―concrete‖ is derived from the Latin
concretus, meaning ―to grow together.‖ Concrete is a
composite material composed of coarse granular material
(the aggregate or filler) embedded in a hard matrix of
material (the cement or binder) that fills the space among
the aggregate particles and glues them together.
Alternatively, we can say that concrete is a composite
material that consists essentially of a binding medium in
which are embedded particles or fragments of aggregates.
The simplest definition of concrete can be written as;
concrete = filler + binder. Concrete can be used for all Table 1: Classification of concrete in accordance with unit
standard buildings both single storey and multistory and for weight
containment and retaining structures and bridges. In the Source: Zongjin Li (2011)
usage of concrete, the designer should be knowledgeable
of the strength and weaknesses of concrete. In the This research paper discusses the use of egg shell as an
production of ―good‖ concrete, fine and coarse aggregates alternative fine aggregate to the more conventional
combined in a correct ratio or proportion are bonded granite/gravel. Eggshells are agricultural throw away
together by a cementitious material (usually Portland objects produced from chick hatcheries, bakeries, fast food
cement) to form a harden matrix concrete (Zongjin Li, restaurants among others which can damage the
2011). surroundings and as a result comprising ecological
issues/contamination which would need appropriate
treatment. In the ever soaring tasks to change waste to
____________________ wealth, the efficiency of adapting eggshells to
advantageous application constitutes a concept worth-
 S.A. Raji, A. T. Samuel accepting. It is systematically acknowledged that the
Department of Civil Engineering, University of eggshell chiefly consists of compounds of calcium
Ilorin, Kwara State, Nigeria, [email protected] (Sivakumar .M, and Mahendran .N, 2014)

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INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SCIENTIFIC & TECHNOLOGY RESEARCH VOLUME 4, ISSUE 09, SEPTEMBER 2015 ISSN 2277-8616

MATERIALS includes Magnesium, Aluminum, Phosphorous, Sodium,

Cement: In the most general sense of the word, Potassium, Zinc, Iron, Copper, Ironic acid and Silica acid.
cement is a binder, a substance that sets and hardens Eggshell has a cellulosic structure and contains amino
independently, and can bind other materials together. It is acids;
the basic binding material in concrete. thus, it is expected to be a good bio-sorbent and it was
reported that large amounts of eggshells are produced in
some countries, as waste products and disposed in landfills
Properties Values annually (Karthick J. et al. 2014).

Advantages of egg shell

Initial Setting time 30 minutes 1. Considerable reduction in alkali-silica and sulfate
expansions.
Final Setting time 600 minutes 2. Meets the most stringent environmental regulations
nationwide.
3. Ideal for painting in occupied spaces.
Specific gravity 3.15 4. Excellent durability and washable finish.
5. Resist mold and mildew on the paint film.
6. Saves money; less material required.
Table 2: Properties of Ordinary Portland cement 7. Meets strict performance and aesthetic requirements.

The cement used for the various experiments and test is

ordinary Portland cement of grade 43. Grade of cement
indicates minimum strength of cement in N/mm2 tested as
per standard conditions. A 43grade cement should give
minimum strength of 43 N/mm2 at 28 days.

Water: Water is a key ingredient in concrete production. It

helps in binding the mixture of cement and aggregate
together to form a cementitious paste. It hydrates cement
and also makes concrete workable. Water used in concrete
needs to be pure and free from chemical impurities in order
to prevent adverse reactions from occurring which may
weaken the concrete, the role of water is important because
the water to cement ratio is the most critical factor in the
Table 3: Physical Properties of Egg Shell
production of concrete. During the test period, potable
Source: (Karthick J. et al. 2014).
water gotten from the taps in the civil engineering
department labs were used.
Coarse Aggregate: Coarse aggregate: Aggregates
Fine Aggregates:Aggregates passing through a No. 4 predominately retained on a No. 4 (4.75-mm) sieve are
classified as coarse aggregate. Generally, the size of
(4.75 mm) sieve and predominately retained on a No. 200
coarse aggregate ranges from 5 to 150 mm. For normal
(75 µm) sieve are classified as fine aggregate. No. 200 (75
concrete used for structural members such as beams and
µm) sieve are classified as fine aggregate.Finely grinded
columns, the maximum size of coarse aggregate is about
eggshell is used as fine aggregate in this research at 100%
25 mm. For mass concrete used for dams or deep
replacement for fine sand.The main ingredient in eggshells
foundations, the maximum size can be as large as 150 mm.
is calcium carbonate (the same brittle white stuff that chalk,
limestone, cave stalactites, sea shells, coral, and pearls are Figure 1 shows some examples of coarse aggregates
(Zongjin Li, 2011).
made of). The shell itself is about 95% CaCO3 (which is
also the main ingredient in sea shells). The remaining 5%

Figure 1: Different sizes of coarse aggregates

Source: Zongjin Li (2011).
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EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURES & MIX DESIGN

Test Procedure
The experimental process followed the flow diagram shown below.

Figure 2: Flow chart of the laboratory test

The conventional concrete was produced using aggregate (granite &egg shell), OPC and water. The concrete sample were
formed into three shapes; cube, prism and cylindrical.

Mix Design
The basic objective of concrete mix design is to find the most economical proportions (Optimization) to achieve the
desired end results (strength, cohesion, workability, durability. As mentioned earlier the proportioning of concrete is based on
certain material properties of cement, and aggregates. Concrete mix design is basically a process of taking trials with certain
proportions. Concrete mix design is the method of correct proportioning of ingredients of concrete, in order to optimize the above
properties of concrete as per site requirements. In other words, we determine the relative proportions of ingredients of concrete
to achieve desired strength & workability in a most economical way.The test samples were cured and subsequently tested at
7days and 28days.

Concrete Shapes number Dimensions (mm) Area (mm2) days Shape cor. factor
Cube 3 22 x 22 x 22 484 7 5
Cylinder 3 20 x 25 1570 14 5
Prism 3 50 x 30 x 30 1500 21 5
total 9 @ 4 days (36) 28

Table 4: Sample Characteristic Shapes

Figure 3: Samples
Compressive strength test
Compressive strength of concrete is the value of uniaxial compressive stresses reached when concrete fails completely. The
compressive strength of concrete is given in terms of the characteristic compressive strength of 150mm (or 100mm) sizes cubes
tested at 28days. The characteristic strength is defined as the strength of concrete below which not more than 5% of the test
results are expected to fail.

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Size of cube =100mm×100mm×100mm

Area of specimen = 10,000mm2
Expected maximum load = fck × area × f.s
Where fck = characteristic strength at 28 days
f.s = factor of safety
Maximum applied load = P (N)
Compressive strength =
The samples were fed into the Universal Testing machine simultaneously in which the plunger was allowed to have contact with
the surface of the specimen before the load was applied for the specimen to be crushed. Results were collected.

Figure 4: Crushing in Progress

Results and discussion

Force @ Stress @ Stress @ Youngs Time to
Force @ Force @ Area
Test No. Upper Peak Yield Modulus Failure
Peak (N) Yield (N) (mm2)
Yield (N) (N/mm2) (N/mm) (N/mm2) (secs)
1 37.300 24.500 24.500 0.077 0.051 7.266 25.226 484.00
2 43.900 33.100 40.100 0.091 0.068 8.270 15.347 484.00
3 17.700 11.900 11.900 0.037 0.025 9.140 29.678 484.00
mean 32.967 23.167 25.500 0.068 0.048 8.225 23.417 484.00
Compressive strength = (32.967/484.00) =
Percentage difference to control = 97.617
0.068N/mm2
Compressive strength control = 2.854 N/mm2

Table 5: compressive strength results from Universal Testing Machine (cube 7 days)
Force @ Stress @ Stress @ Youngs Time to
Force @ Force @ Area
Test No. Upper Peak Yield Modulus Failure
Peak (N) Yield (N) (mm2)
Yield (N) (N/mm2) (N/mm) (N/mm2) (secs)
1 57.800 15.700 15.700 0.037 0.010 0.373 19.566 785.000

2 31.200 11.100 11.100 0.020 0.007 1.213 27.692 785.000

3 59.600 38.900 38.900 0.038 0.025 0.941 20.257 785.000

mean 49.533 21.900 21.900 0.032 0.014 0.842 22.505 785.000

Compressive strength = (49.533/785.000) =

Percentage difference to control = 96.532
0.063N/mm2

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Compressive strength control = 1.817 N/mm2

Table 6: compressive strength results from Universal Testing Machine (cylinder 7 days)

Force @ Stress @ Stress @ Youngs Time to

Force @ Force @ Area
Test No. Upper Peak Yield Modulus Failure
Peak (N) Yield (N) (mm2)
Yield (N) (N/mm2) (N/mm) (N/mm2) (secs)
1 45.100 37.400 37.400 0.030 0.025 0.996 15.270 1500.000
2 284.300 58.900 58.900 0.190 0.039 1.694 41.425 1500.000
3 19.600 13.500 13.500 0.013 0.009 1.053 20.428 1500.000
mean 116.333 36.600 36.600 0.078 0.024 1.248 25.708 1500.000
Compressive strength = (116.333/1500) =
Percentage difference to control = 94.495
0.078/mm2
Compressive strength control = 1.417 N/mm2

Table 7: compressive strength results from Universal Testing Machine (prism 7 days)

Force Force @ Stress @ Stress @ Youngs Time to

Force @ Area
Test No. @ Peak Upper Peak Yield Modulus Failure
Yield (N) (mm2)
(N) Yield (N) (N/mm2) (N/mm) (N/mm2) (secs)
1 28.200 6.100 6.100 0.058 0.013 4.379 19.333 484.000
2 15.800 15.800 15.800 0.033 0.033 2.142 6.818 484.000
3 30.400 19.900 19.900 0.063 0.041 3.786 12.208 484.000
mean 24.800 13.933 13.933 0.051 0.029 3.436 12.786 484.000
Mean control
Compressive strength = (24.800/484.000) =
Percentage difference to control = 90.438%
0.051N/mm2
Compressive strength control = 5.334N/mm2

Table 8: compressive strength results from Universal Testing Machine (cube 28 days)

Force @ Stress @ Stress @ Youngs Time to

Force @ Force @ Area
Test No. Upper Peak Yield Modulus Failure
Peak (N) Yield (N) (mm2)
Yield (N) (N/mm2) (N/mm) (N/mm2) (secs)
1 24.300 18.000 18.000 0.031 0.023 1.991 4.691 785.000
2 30.400 20.700 20.700 0.039 0.026 4.858 4.473 785.000
3 35.600 23.800 23.800 0.045 0.030 1.986 16.549 785.000
mean 30.100 20.833 20.833 0.038 0.026 2.945 8.571 785.000
Compressive strength = (30.100/785.000) =
Percentage difference to control = 90.00%
0.040/mm2
Compressive strength control = 4.00N/mm2

Table 9: compressive strength results from Universal Testing Machine (cylinder 28 days)

Force @ Stress @ Stress @ Youngs Time to

Force @ Force @ Area
Test No. Upper Peak Yield Modulus Failure
Peak (N) Yield (N) (mm2)
Yield (N) (N/mm2) (N/mm) (N/mm2) (secs)
1 20.000 5.000 5.000 0.013 0.003 0.878 6.786 1500.000
2 24.401 17.901 17.901 0.018 0.008 0.553 13.191 1500.000
3 25.400 20.200 20.200 0.017 0.013 0.792 15.912 1500.000
mean 23.267 14.367 14.367 0.016 0.008 0.741 11.963 1500.000
Compressive strength = (23.267/1500) = 0.016
Percentage difference to control = 99.70%
N/mm2
2
Compressive strength of control 5.334 N/mm

Table 10: compressive strength results from Universal Testing Machine (Prism 28 days)

Shape Average Percentage difference to control

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Cube 94.028
Prism 97.098
cylinder 93.266

Table 12: Summary

CONCLUSION
The following conclusions are made based on compressive
strength test on the samples
 There is a high difference between the control and
result obtained from the tested samples
 Egg shell cannot be used as fine aggregate in the
production of concrete at 100% level of
replacement.

RECOMMENDATION
 It is recommended that the egg shell should not be
used as fine aggregate in the production of
concrete at 100% replacement level.
 Furtherresearch should be carried out at different
level of replacement
 Further research should also be carried out to
ascertain the prospect of using egg shell to replace
cement in concrete at different level of replacement

REFERENCES
[1] DohS.I. (2014).The Performance of Eggshell as
Filler in Concrete Mixtures.Proceedings of the
2014 International Conference on Industrial
Engineering and Operations Management Bali,
Indonesia, January 7 – 9, 2014

[2] IslerJ.W. (2012), Assessment of Concrete

Masonry Units Containing Aggregate
replacements of Waste Glass and Rubber tire
particles, thesis submitted to the University of
Colorado Denver, pp. 11-18

[3] Karthick J, Jeyanthi R, and Petchiyammal M.

(2014).Experimental Study On Usage Of Egg
Shell As Partial Replacement For Sand In
Concrete International Journal Of Advanced
ResearchIn Education Technology (IJARET)
Vol. 1, Issue 1 (July - Sept. 2014). PP 7-10

[4] Multon, S., Barin, X., Godart, B. and

Toutlemende, F.,( 2008) "Estimation of The
Residual Expansion of Concrete Affected by
Alkali Silica Reaction", J. of Mat. in Civil
Eng., Vol.20, No.1, PP.54-62.

[5] Sivakumar .M, and Mahendran .N (2014),

Strength And Permeability Properties Of
Concrete Using Fly Ash (FA), Rise Husk Ash
(RHA) And Egg Shell Powder (ESP). Journal Of
Theoretical And Applied Information
Technology 20th August 2014. Vol. 66 No.2, pp.
489-499

[6] Zongjin Li (2011), Advanced Concrete

Technology. John Wiley & Sons, Inc., Hoboken,
New Jersey.

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