FYP B Final Report Kevin Juan 1001954608
FYP B Final Report Kevin Juan 1001954608
FYP B Final Report Kevin Juan 1001954608
PROPERTIES OF CONCRETE
By
KEVIN JUAN
UCSI University
2023
i
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This report would never have been complete if it wasn’t for the unyielding support and
contribution of many individuals and groups, named or otherwise. Finishing this long
and arduous journey in my academic career, I have far grown from the person I was
when I first set foot in Malaysia, and I could not have been any more grateful for that.
Among those without whose assistance and guidance I would never have completed my
studies are as follows:
First and foremost, I extend my heartfelt gratitude to my family and friends, for their
unending support, both financially and emotionally. Their guidance and patience have
carried me so far in persevering through the most difficult of times and have often
served as inspiration for my improvement as a person.
Special thanks are to Dr. Deprizon Syamsunur, for his supervision during my thesis,
proposal, and experiments. I am also grateful to Dr. Muhammad Noor Hisyam Bin
Jusoh, who greatly helped with the logistical aspect during the procurement of
experimental materials. Finally, I would also want to thank Mr. Firdaus as the block E
lab assistant, who has been a great help during my experiments.
In addition, I am also heavily indebted to many members and teachers of FETBE, who
provided me with a rich learning environment that stimulated my intellectual curiosity
and inspired me to go deeper into my field of study, going the extra mile in my studies.
The lectures I receive, as well as the critique and feedback I had received from my
esteemed professors in FETBE has shaped my mindset and character to become the
person I am today, and I will be in the future.
I want to also thank my former bosses in co-op, without whom I would not be properly
equipped with sufficient knowledge to complete my studies and consequently this
report.
In conclusion, I am humbled and grateful to all those who have contributed to this thesis
in various ways. Your support has been a cornerstone in my academic journey, and I
hope this work will contribute positively to the field and inspire further research and
discussions.
Thank you.
Kevin Juan
July 2023
ii
DECLARATION OF ORIGINALITY AND EXCLUSIVENESS
I hereby declare that this report is based on my original work except for quotations and
citations which have been duly acknowledged. I also declare that it has not been
previously or concurrently submitted for any other degree at UCSI or other institutions.
……………………………………………..
Date: 28.07.2023
Supervised by:
……………………………………………
Date: 28.07.2023
iii
ABSTRACT
Concrete has been a staple in civil engineering for a long period of time. Its combination
of strength, durability, and comparatively low costs has made it the most widely used
material for structural purposes. However, increasing consumer demands on building
performance and quality, coupled with increasingly stricter governmental regulations on
environmental concerns pressures the construction industry to innovate on the process
of concrete production, which undeniably causes a widespread negative impact on
environment. This study aims to analyse the potential of NS inclusion in concrete,
where previous studies on the subject indicated Nano-SiO2 inclusion can replace cement
in part by acting as a secondary source of Silica, a vital component in the hydration
process of concrete. Basis for this comes from previous tests done on NS concrete,
which generally show improvement in mechanical properties because of NS’ effects on
the microstructure, densifying and strengthening concrete. In most cases, previous
studies shown the optimal range of NS inclusion as ranging to 1.5% - 4.0%.
Experiments were conducted on 4 different concrete mixes, one control sample, three
samples which replace cement at 2.0%, 2.5%, and 3.0% percent weight of cement
respectively. This study analyses the performance, workability, and cost effectiveness of
each NS-infused mix and compares them to the control sample. 28-day results showed
that NS infused concrete had improved compressive strength by 20.09%, 11.93%,
34.41% for each mix. However, slump testing had indicated a significant loss in
workability, ranging from 59.38% for the NS20 mix upwards to 73.96% for NS30. For
its cost-efficiency, the performance increase from NS inclusion had outweighed the
extra cost required for NS mixes, where cost effectiveness goes up the higher degree of
NS concentration is used. In conclusion, the mix with 3.0% NS inclusion shown the
highest degree of improvement both in performance and cost-wise, albeit at the cost of
workability. However, future research still needs to be done on the safety measures for
NS usage in project sites, and on finding a way to methodically systemize NS inclusion,
as right now NS impact on concrete properties cannot be reliably projected by standard
design methods.
iv
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ii
ABSTRACT iv
CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION 1
1.1 BACKGROUND 1
1.2 PROBLEM STATEMENT 4
1.3 SIGNIFICANCE 5
1.4 OBJECTIVES 5
1.5 RESEARCH SCOPE 6
1.6 METHODOLOGY 7
1.7 ORGANIZATION 8
2.1 INTRODUCTION 9
2.2 MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF CONCRETE 10
2.2.1 Compressive Strength 10
2.2.2 Flexural Strength 12
2.2.3 Tensile Strength 14
2.2.4 Durability 17
2.3 HYDRATION MECHANISM OF CONCRETE 18
2.4 GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES 19
2.5 NANOMATERIALS AND NANOTECHNOLOGY 20
2.5.1 Nano SiO2 22
2.5.2 Nano CaCO3 23
2.6 INFLUENCE OF NANOMATERIAL ON CONCRETE PROPERTIES 24
2.7 INFLUENCE OF EXTREME ENVIRONMENT 30
2.8 DISCUSSION 33
v
CHAPTER III METHODOLOGY 35
3.1 MATERIALS 37
3.1.1 Coarse Aggregate 37
3.1.2 Fine Aggregate 38
3.1.3 Ordinary Portland Cement 38
3.1.4 Water Reducing Agent 39
3.1.5 Water 40
3.1.6 Nano Silica 40
3.2 MIX DESIGN OF CONCRETE 41
3.2.1 Experimental Design 41
3.2.2 Mix Design 42
3.2.4 Sample Preparation 43
5.1 CONCLUSION 53
5.2 RECOMMENDATION 54
REFERENCES 56
vi
LIST OF TABLES
vii
LIST OF FIGURES
3.4 Sand 38
ix
LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AND SYMBOLS
Symbols
μm Nano meter
A
ACI American Concrete Institute
B
BC Before Christ, the start of Gregorian calendar
C
C Carbon
Ca Calcium
CaCO3 Calcium Carbonate
CO2 Carbon Dioxide
C2S Belite
C3A Aluminate
C3S Alite
C-H Calcium Hydroxide
C-S-H Calcium Silicate Hydrate
D
DOE Department of Engineering
DNA Deoxyribonucleic acid
I
IEA International Energy Agency
K
kWh Kilo watt per hour
x
N
NC Nano Carbonate
NF Nano Ferrite
Nm Nano meter
NS Nano Silica
NSC Composite between Nano Silica and Carbonate
NSX Mix of certain nano silica percentage.
NZ Nano tube
O
O2 Dioxide
OPC Ordinary Portland Cement
S
SEM Scanning Electron Microscope
U
UN United Nations
xi
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND
Figure 1 1 Ancient structure utilizing an early concrete (Gromicko and Shepard 2006)
Concrete found its way through various civilizations at different points in time
with each civilization having their own iteration of the material, such as China in 3000
BC, the Greek in 600 BC, and finally the Romans, who had mastered concrete-based
1
construction in 200 BC. However, the modern version of concrete only appeared in
1824 after Joseph Aspdin had invented modern cement by heating a mixture of
limestone and clay at very high temperatures. In the same period, Francois Coignet had
started embedding steel rods within concrete, which became the basis for its usage as a
means of flexural reinforcement. (Gromicko & Shepard, 2006) In the modern world,
concrete has become the most widely used material for construction. It owes its
widespread usage due to its characteristics of being very strong, durable, and versatile
while at the same time being economical. It is owing to these facts that most modern
structures are built using concrete, from residential buildings, infrastructural buildings,
to industrial buildings. However, usage of concrete is not without its drawbacks. For
example, cement production by itself consumes a large amount of energy. From mining,
transport, and processing, cement production for every ton requires 1.758 kWh worth of
energy to make (Babor & Judele, 2009). In addition to this, more effort has been made
globally to push towards better sustainability, which in turn leads to new governmental
regulations worldwide demanding stricter regulations in how projects are managed and
executed as well as the increase in environmental concerns among the public. To top
this off, construction managers must keep their costs in mind, all the while construction
projects are increasing in terms of complexity. (Lynch 2021) Hence, there is a need to
either find an alternative material to replace concrete, or an innovation in the production
process of concrete which can simultaneously promote better sustainability and cost
effectiveness while still maintaining construction quality.
Throughout the years, there have been many attempts to replace concrete with a
more sustainable material. A few examples (Sturla, 2020) of these are as common as
timber and steel, to new innovative materials such as bamboo, timbercrete, or plastic
waste. However, these potential substitutes either still lack the amount of research and
development required for them to be truly applicable or, as they are now, their usage is
still very limited to specific use cases only. On the other hand, there is also the option of
making an innovation for concrete, namely how the mechanical properties of concrete,
such as strength and durability be improved while at the same time reducing its adverse
impact on the environment. One emerging field that aims to tackle this problem is
nanotechnology. As defined by Mansoori & Soelaiman (2005), nanotechnology refers to
the ability to build and work with something at a molecular level (“nano” referring to
objects ranging from 1-100 nanometers in size). Working on such a small scale offers
2
various advantages that relate to the physical properties of matter, as they can allow
humans to modify the very “DNA” of matter, hence improving them to better suit
human usage. For example, usage of nanostructures can increase a matter’s density and
conductivity, thus allowing for the invention of smaller electrical circuits. Another
example is the capability of placing man-made nanomachines inside living cells, in turn
allowing for the creation of new materials based on nature’s self-assembling properties
(National Nanotechnology Initiative, n.d.). To date, some successful applications of
nanotechnology range from material science to energy, such as flexible and bendable
smartphones, better diagnostic tools, increase in the efficiency of fuel production, to
name a few. Knowing this, the application of nanotechnology in the construction
industry will bear a similarly positive impact.
4
1.3 SIGNIFICANCE
1. This research aims to act as a reference for the mechanical properties and high-
temperature performance of nanomaterial-modified concrete.
2. Illustrate how usage of nanomaterials in concrete production will result in an
increase in efficiency of concrete usage for engineering applications.
3. Analyze how the hydration mechanism of nanomaterials in turn improves the
mechanical properties of concrete.
4. Compare the effect of nano silica utilization using different percentages in
concrete.
1.4 OBJECTIVES
5
1.5 RESEARCH SCOPE
6
1.6 METHODOLOGY
For this experiment, multiple raw materials for concrete production will be
prepared beforehand, such as cement, coarse aggregates, fine aggregates, and water.
Along with basic concrete materials, nanomaterials used for the nano-concrete specimen
will also be prepared. After which, an inspection will be held to determine the quality
and composition of each material before processing. Next, concrete mix samples with
different nanomaterial concentrations will be prepared, with a separate batch tested for
its 7-day compressive strength. A slump and temperature test will also be done, do
determine changes made by the NS on concrete’s workability and internal reactions.
The rest of the batch will undergo 28 days of curing. Finally, they will also be tested for
their mechanical properties.
7
1.7 ORGANIZATION
This paper will be divided into five chapters. The first chapter will serve as an
introduction to the topic, where the background, problem statement, significance,
objectives, scope, and methodology will be described. The purpose of this first chapter
will be to identify the looming problem that this research aims to solve. The second
chapter will be a comprehensive literature review spanning from the basic
characteristics of concrete, its mechanical properties, its chemical processes, up to
nanotechnology, and finally on nano-modified concrete. It will also cover
environmental concerns arising from the construction industry. Chapter three will cover
the methodology of the experimental process, from the materials used, equipment used,
and mix designs. It will also describe the mixing and preparation process. Chapter four
will specifically discuss the experimental results based on chapter three and connect
them to previous research as described in chapter two. Finally, chapter five will
conclude this paper by summarizing findings made from the experiment, as well as
giving recommendations to future research concerning nano concrete.
8
CHAPTER II
LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 INTRODUCTION
Cement-based concrete has long been a staple in construction, due to its high
strength, relatively low costs, and availability. (Amran M, 2022) However, there has
been push for more sustainable practices in construction, despite conflicting interests
with the environmentally demanding industry, resulting in tighter government
regulations, corporate pressure for environmental health, and increased difficulties in
cost management. (Lynch 2021) Additionally, worsening environmental and especially
global climate conditions also play detrimental impact for construction, especially
because of the impact they have towards concrete, such as weakened mechanical
properties and reduced density. (Drzymała et al. 2017) Because of changes in the
climate, temperature increases have continued to grow since the end of the 20 th century,
where further increases are expected in the years to come. (NOAA National Centers for
Environmental Information, 2023) These increases are attributed to the release of
greenhouse gases such as CO2, (Climate.gov, 2023) where the construction industry is
responsible for a staggering 39% of global CO2 emissions. (IEA, 2019) Therefore, an
innovation must be made in the industry, which is capable of simultaneously improving
structural integrity, while at the same time having a positive environmental impact. One
such innovation can come from the implementation of nanomaterials, particularly in the
production process of concrete. Cement production alone allegedly contributes to 8% of
global CO2 (Nature, 2021), whereas cement is required to ensure concrete reaches a
certain desired strength. Nanomaterials, in particular NS reduce the amount of required
cement due to its positive effects on the mechanical properties of concrete, such as its
compressive, tensile, and flexural strength. (Zhuang & Chen, 2019; Ma & Zhu, 2017;
9
Mujkanovic et. al., 2022; Al-Zubaidi et al. 2018; Nigam & Verma, 2023) For this
reason, there is an excellent incentive for further research on nanotechnology
implementation in construction.
10
different brands of cement. Next, mix design also plays a huge part in affecting
compressive strength in concrete. A study was done using four common methods of mix
design which constitutes the Department of Environment (DoE), American Concrete
Institute (ACI), Road Note 4 (RN4) and CPIIO methods. After a 28-day period, the
CPIIO mix design was noted to be approximately 17% stronger than the lowest
performing mix, the ACI. (Aginam et al. 2013) The fifth factor that affects compressive
strength in concrete is time, where all journals performing concrete-related experiments
have found a linear increase of compressive strength in proportion with curing time.
Generally, concrete will reach 90% of its strength at 14 days, and 99% after 28 days.
Finally, temperature also plays a major part in determining the compressive strength of
concrete. Higher temperatures cause a faster reaction, where concrete specimens can
reach a higher level of strength at earlier stages. However, the faster reaction caused by
a high temperature environment also reduces the final strength of concrete (El-Zohairy
et al. 2020)
Figure 2 1 A study comparing the strengths of concrete made using different cement brands
(Bamigboye, et al.., 2015)
11
2.2.2 Flexural Strength
12
Figure 2 2 Centrepoint loading test (ACPA, 2013)
13
Figure 2 4 . Effect of curing conditions on 90-day flexural strength (Zhang et al. 2015)
15
Figure 2 6 Tensile strength relation to temperature (Bazant & Kaplan, 1996)
Figure 2 7 Tensile strength relation to flexural strength, shape, and size of sample (Hillerborg,
1986)
16
2.2.4 Durability
17
2.3 HYDRATION MECHANISM OF CONCRETE
18
Figure 2 8 Heat flow chart on different stages of hydration (Marchon & Flatt, 2016a)
The United Nations defines sustainability as “meeting the needs of the present
without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs”. (UN,
n.d.) Presently, the United Nations projects that the global human population will
increase to 9.8 billion by 2050 and 10.4 billion in 2100. (UN, 2022) Consequently, an
increase in population will necessitate the development of more land to fulfill the needs
of the coming generation. Although this fact means excellent prospects for the
construction industry, environmentally this does not bode quite as well. 20 years since
the start of the 21st century, there was a loss of 100 million hectares of forest area,
because of logging, farming, and agricultural activities. (Weber & Sciubba 2019)
Moreover, construction and developmental processes damage the environment even
further by virtue of the waste produced. It was estimated that 30% of the total weight of
building materials are wasted, where a large portion of these is dumped into landfills. In
2018, the construction industry was found responsible for 36% of energy usage as well
19
as 39% of global CO2 emissions, which is more than any other industry in the world.
(IEA, 2019) Fortunately, there are still practices that can be implemented to remediate
its adverse effects. First is an energy-efficient building design. A study by Pacheco et
al.(2012) recommends that factors such as a building’s orientation, shape, and external
building surface to volume ratio will influence the energy demand greatly. Second,
waste management. There are three key strategies in minimizing waste production from
construction, such as increasing awareness, 3R (reduce, reuse, recycle), and most
importantly empowering government agencies and policies. The government must
incentivize or penalize proper/improper waste management through stronger policy
enforcement. (Saadi et al. 2016) Finally, the usage of more sustainable, alternative
building materials must be pushed. Concrete production is a very emission intensive
process- where 8% of total CO2 emissions are produced by cement manufacture.
Methods to remedy the problem of cement production includes decarbonation through
substitution of fossil fuels, carbon capture, and implementation of alternative cement
materials such as slag, fly ash, and nanomaterial. (Nature, 2021) However,
implementing these practices will not be a smooth process. The process in
implementing more sustainable practices is rife with challenges such as higher
construction costs; increased project complexity; difficult and lengthy bureaucracy; as
well as a lack of knowledge, information, and awareness on sustainable building
processes and materials. (Joshua Ayarkwa, 2022) Ultimately, ensuring that construction
will have a more sustainable future is the responsibility of all stakeholders in society,
and it is not a task that can be solely delegated to construction professionals alone.
Nanomaterials are simply defined as a material of very small size, ranging from
1 to 100 nanometers in size. Nanotechnology therefore is a method of producing objects
at nanoscale. According to Bayda et al.’s review in 2020, nanotechnology and
nanomaterials have been used since ancient times to craft intricate art and architectural
pieces. However, the introduction of the concept itself was coined by Richard Feynman
20
in 1959 while the term and definition were coined by Norio Taniguchi in 1974, as “the
processing of separation, consolidation, and deformation of materials by one atom or
one molecule”. Later in 1981, the STM microscope was invented, which in turn lead to
the development of the carbon nanotube. There are two main approaches in manufacture
of nanotechnology; the top-down approach involves breaking down matter into smaller
systems such as minerals or silicon into transistors; the bottoms-up approach, where
atoms and molecules can be organized into a larger system and even organisms, such as
living cells into man. (Nouailhat, 2008) In current times, nanotechnology experiences
diverse application in many fields, not limited to: IT, security, medicine, transportation,
and energy. Medicinal applications include better probing, imaging, and the
development of future technology. (Saini et al. 2010)
Despite its potential, there are major concerns regarding the implementation of
nanotechnology. First is its effect on environmental health. Due to their small size,
nanoparticles may be absorbed by living organisms, such as from carbon-based particles
causing respiratory and cardiovascular issues on exposure. Toxicology studies also
show that nanoparticles are toxic towards aquatic microorganisms and animals.
(Taghavi SM, 2013) Second is a lack of public awareness towards the field. To facilitate
the general adoption of any emerging technology will require efforts from stake holding
parties, which in turn is influenced by factors such as public perception. A study
observed that public perception is influenced by various factors, such as fear,
environmental concerns, biases, trust, demographic, and media coverage. (Ankita
Rathore, 2021) For example, media coverage provides laymen with simple facts
regarding the topic of nanotechnology, which may help to de-alienize the concept.
Third, another pressing concern on the development of nanotechnology is nano-divide.
As nanotechnology is considered by some to be the next revolutionary technology,
ethical concerns have been rising regarding the availability of these technologies,
towards poorer, less developed countries, which if not tackled well will drive the gap
between developing and developed countries even further than ever before. (Schroeder,
2016) One critique towards nanotechnology development argues that most
nanotechnology innovations are those aimed for profit, such as cosmetics and sports
equipment, meanwhile only a few products are made to benefit the poor, like water
nano-filters, cheaper drugs, better fertilizers, and lighter-weight construction materials.
21
In this context, Geoffrey Hunt (2006) argued that “can we at last… make an
international cooperative effort to put nano-technological developments at the service of
human and ecological welfare, or will it be primarily nanotechnology for more over-
consumption?”. All in all, efforts to further ethicize nanotechnology must continue to be
made in conjunction with development of new technologies, be it from an
environmental, geopolitical, or social aspect.
Silica is a material which is commonly found on the Earth’s surface, in sand and
quartz. (Yadav and Raizaday 2016) It has various applications in the modern world,
ranging from pharmaceutics, food & beverages, and electronics. The application of
silica depends on the type of silicate, which can come as colloidal, fumed, high-purity
ground, gel, or precipitated. (Lindroos et al. 2010) In turn, the resulting silicate depends
on the inherent quality of a silica along with the processing method used. (Bulatovic,
2015) Nano Silica is a derivative of silica, produced from micron-sized silica. Like its
base material, Nano Silica (abbreviated to NS) has widespread applications such as in
medicine and agriculture. In medicine, gold-coated NS was found in the treatment of
tumors and malaria. Meanwhile, NS usage in agriculture was found to be potent soil
stabilizers, pesticide, and in reducing fertilizer costs. (Pooja Goswami, 2022) In
construction, although NS is not yet commonly found, silica fume (a micro silica) has
already been used in manufacture of ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC) as it was
found to improve its hydration process, mechanical properties, and density. (A. Lazaro,
2016) In addition, NS was also found to improve the workability of concrete when
minimal superplasticizer was included. NS also has self-healing capabilities, reacting
with CH and formulating C-S-H gel. (Kwok Wei Shah, 2020) Unfortunately, safety
hazards have been linked with NS usage. NS dust has been found to cause respiratory
problems and liver injury from continuous inhalation. (Khan, 2018) Therefore, further
research on minimizing this risk as well as clear on-site safety protocols are a must.
22
2.5.2 Nano CaCO3
23
2.6 INFLUENCE OF NANOMATERIAL ON CONCRETE PROPERTIES
For example, Wang et al. (2022) did tests on three nano-concrete samples
containing 2% NC, 2% NS, and 1%NC + 1%NS. It was found that the NS had lowered
the sample’s mechanical strength, but NC had remarkably improved it, while the
composite sample using both nanomaterials, NSC had still improved in their mechanical
properties but was offset by inclusion of the NS. In a review, Zhuang and Chen (2019)
found NS addition to improve the properties of concrete. A concrete sample infused
with 1.5% NS had improved 28-day compressive strength by 17% in contrast with a
control sample of OPC concrete. Maximum flexural strength is achieved with a higher
dosage of NS at 3%. Maximum tensile strength is similarly found to be achieved with
3% NS dosage. Adnan et al. (2022) on the other hand reported that the addition of 4%
NS by weight of concrete yields a better result than with 2% NS, finding an increase of
13.68% in its compressive strength and 12.35% for its flexural strength. It was also
found here that the inclusion of NS in concrete reduces the amount of slump and
consequently the amount of water needed for the mix. Nigam and Verna (2023) tested
seven different concrete samples each of which contained different NS contents varying
from 0% to 3% with a 0.5% increment. It was found that increasing NS contents also
proportionally improved its mechanical properties, approximately gaining an increase of
27.78% in compressive strength, 29.4% in tensile strength, and 29.8% in flexural
strength. It was also found that increment of the NS had also reduced workability and
decreased specimens’ setting times. Al-Zubaidi et al. (2018) found 3% NS content to
show the highest improvement in mechanical properties of the concrete, while 4% was
24
the optimum nano-content for NC, and 3% for the binary mix of NC and NS. NS
inclusion consistently show the highest impact on mechanical properties, with NC
showing a less impactful result and NSC showing a more conservative effect due to the
combined effects of NS and NC.
Figure 2 9 Compressive strengths of mix designs with different NS concentration (Nigam & Verma,
2023)
25
Figure 2 10 Comparative graph on the effect of different nanoparticle contents on tensile and
flexural strength. Al-Zubaidi et al. (2018)
Similarly, microscopic, and visual changes are also observed due to the
inclusion of nanomaterials. In the first image, the control sample of cement paste
without NS additive is a lot more fractured in terms of appearance, with needle-like
objects being the connection between particles. In the mixture containing NS,
microstructure is noticeably denser and more compact with less voids in between
particles. (Wang B. W., 2008) In figure 14 from another experiment, the test piece with
NS included also similarly show better compactness in comparison to its reference
counterpart. (Jo et al., 2007)
26
Figure 2 11 SEM micrograph of sample without(top) and with(bottom) nanomaterial addition
(Wang B. W., 2008)
Figure 2 12 Grout of sample without (left) and with (right) nanomaterial addition (Jo et al. 2007)
27
Table 2.1 Effect of nanomaterial on mechanical properties
Opt
imu Splittin Flexura
Nano Compressi
Yea m Advan g l
Author mater ve increase Influence factor
r dos ce increas increas
ials (%)
age e (%) e (%)
(%)
NS improves due
to reaction with
CH, resulting in
NS
Compr more CSH gels
3%,
NC, essive, strengthening.
NC
(Al-Zubaidi et. 201 NS, Flexur NC influenced
4%, 47 68.75 63.63
al 2018) 8 NC+ al, hydration,
NS
NS Tensil improving
C
e compressive
3%
strength and
durability.
Decrease of
slump and
Compr
compaction
essive,
(Nigam & factor. Water in
202 NS Flexur
Verma, NS 27.78 29.4 29.8 between NS
3 3 al,
particles
2023) Tensil
enchances
e
workability.
from NS and
calcium
Flexur
hydroxide,
al,
increasing the
Tensil
rate and amount
e
of C-S-H gel
formation.
NC reacts
with concrete
materials,
Compr
resulting in an
essive,
improvement to
(Nejad et al. 201 NC Flexur
NC 57.2 36.9 45.2 its hydration
2018) 8 0.5 al,
products, in turn
Tensil
causing an
e
increase in its
mechanical
properties.
29
Opt
imu Splittin Flexura
Nano Compressi
Yea m Advan g l
Author mater ve increase Influence factor
r dos ce increas increas
ials (%)
age e (%) e (%)
(%)
densifying its
Tensil microstructure
e due to its small
size.
Increasing
nanomaterials
over the
Compr
optimum content
(Safaei et al. 202 NC essive,
NC 25 20 - proved
2021) 1 1.5 Tensil
detrimental to
e
concrete’s
mechanical
properties.
NS
inclusion in the
mix tightens the
concrete
(Ngo et al. 202 NS Flexur structure and
NS - - 14.82
2020) 0 1.5 al produces more
gels, which
altogether
strengthens the
concrete.
Figure 2 13 Temperature variance with respect to 1901-2000 average (NOAA National Centers for
Environmental Information, 2023)
Figure 2 14 Cracking and visual effect of high temperature heating (Brzozowski, et al.., 2022)
32
Figure 2 15 Effect of high temperature on normal concrete, NS, and NC (Cao et al. 2022)
2.8 DISCUSSION
34
CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY
Figure 3.1 highlights the Gantt charts for FYP A and B. These Gantt charts
highlight the planned schedule for each phase in the writing of this paper.
35
Figure 3 2 Methodology flowchart of the concrete analysis process
Figure 3.2 presents the experimental methodology for the analysis and mixing of
concrete samples. First, the raw materials will be inspected for quality control purposes,
then the mix design would be made using the DOE method of concrete mix design.
After mix ratios have been determined, a sample batch were mixed to determine if the
mix design and raw materials are up to standard of concrete properties. If they are not,
new raw materials must be selected, or a new mix should be designed. Should they fulfil
the standard, the experimental process will continue with the batching of concrete mixes
with 2.0%, 2.5%, and 3.0% NS replacing the total weight of cement. Next, performance
of the mixes that have been prepared will be tested using the compressive strength test.
36
3.1 MATERIALS
For this experiment, raw materials such as nanomaterials, fine aggregates, coarse
aggregates, and cement were prepared. The preparation process will involve inspection
of technical parameters and quality control, which will be recorded for further
evaluation.
37
3.1.2 Fine Aggregate
The fine aggregate used in the concrete was sand with brownish colour, with
moisture content of 7.7% and 48% passing on 600μm sieve.
Figure 3 4 Sand
The cement class used for the mix was ordinary Portland cement of cement
strength class 42.5N.
38
Figure 3 5 Ordinary Portland Cement
A polycarboxylic acid water reducing agent was also used to control the
workability of the concrete mix with a reduction rate of 5%. The brand used is
PENTENS Q – SET.
39
3.1.5 Water
40
Figure 3 8 Powder form of NS
Specific
Particle Purity(% PH Volume Specific Crystal
Item surface area 3
Size(nm) ) value density(g/cm ) gravity(g/cm3) form
(m2/g)
The DOE method of concrete design will be used to find the optimal ratio of
cement, water, coarse, and fine aggregates. Then, a portion of the cement will be
replaced using the same amount of NS, where its effect on concrete properties can be
investigated later. Based on the reviewed articles, the optimum amount of NS ranged
from 0.5% to 4%. Based on investigations to previous research and journal articles, part
41
of the cement was replaced by nanoparticles. Experimental preparation will consist of
using cube specimens, where after curing, mechanical properties of the nano concrete
were tested.
42
Figure 3 9 Nano magnetic stirrer
The stirring will be done using a nano-magnetic stirrer for a period of 5 minutes.
During this time, the NS will be pre-mixed with water and stirred. While stirring, water
reducing agent is slowly added into the nano solution. Finally, the nano-solution was
put together into the concrete mixer with other raw materials, such as aggregates and
ordinary Portland cement. This experiment used the DOE method of mix design
standard, with a target strength of C25. Mix proportion and amount for each material is
shown in the table 3.2 for one cube sample of volume 0.001 m3. The quantity of NS
used was 2%, 2.5%, and 3% by weight of the cement respectively. For reference, the
control sample uses a ratio of 1:0.54:1.72:2.48, for cement, water, fine, and coarse
aggregates respectively.
Nano-
Water(kg Fine Course Water reducing
Sample Cement(kg) SiO₂(kg
) aggregate(kg) aggregate(kg) agent(kg)
)
43
NS25 0.40625 0.225 0.716817 1.031517 0.00406 0.01016
Using the concrete mix design detailed in 3.2.3, each batch will be poured into a
plastic cube mold with dimensions of 100mm*100mm*100mm. Before pouring
however, the mix will be tested for its slump and temperature values. After
approximately one day, the concrete sample will be removed from its mould. Then,
curing will be done for 7 days and 28 days respectively. A total of 24 cubic samples
were made. After 28 days, the 28-day specimens would be taken out of the curing box
to be left to dry. After curing, compression test will be done to test the performance of
the concrete.
CHAPTER IV
44
inclusion on the workability of concrete, where previous studies indicated that the water
absorbing properties of nanomaterials may reduce concrete workability by a significant
degree. (Nigam & Verma, 2023; Kwok Wei Shah, 2020; Mujkanovic et al., 2022). Low
workability may mean that the mix design, or even inclusion of nanomaterial itself is
impractical for industrial applications. As such, workability is also considered an
important factor in determining the optimum ratio of NS usage in concrete mixes,
regardless of its performance in terms of strength. Slump test is done using the standard
cone test, where a cone is filled to its brim with the concrete mix, whereafter the cone is
lifted to measure the height difference between the cone (the initial height of the slump)
vs the final height, this difference would be taken as the slump. Another measurement
taken was on temperature, which was taken immediately after mixing to determine any
increases in temperature due to the presence of Silica from NS triggering additional
chemical reactions. (Ma & Zhu, 2017) Table 4.1 as well as figures 4.1 and 4.2 shows
the result of these tests.
Temperatur
Slump e
Mix (mm) (C˚)
NS0 96 29
NS20 39 29.7
NS25 33 30.4
NS30 25 29.7
45
Figure 4 1 Slump test of control sample
Based on table 4.1, the design mix itself had achieved the target slump value at
60-180mm, where the achieved result is at 96 mm, which indicates it has sufficient
workability. However, subsequent tests with NS infused samples had shown a very
46
significant drop in terms of workability. Gathering from these results, NS is clearly
responsible for a reduction in the workability of concrete, as previous studies have
shown. A prevailing theory as to why this happens may be due to the high surface area
of NS particles, a trait which encourages higher water absorption (Mujkanovic et al.,
2022) and resulting in a much drier concrete. For the temperature, only negligible
changes in the mix temperature are observed, however the slight improvement in
temperature of NS samples can indicate a faster reaction within the structure of the
concrete mix (Ma & Zhu, 2017), consequently leading to a slightly faster setting time as
result of NS.
47
Figure 4 4 Temperature measurement for NS30
For each mix design, 3 samples were made and tested, from which the average
value of compressive strength is taken. Based on the 7-day results, compressive strength
test results indicate a change of -5.78%, -5.916%, and 15.925% respectively for 2.0%
nano, 2.5% nano, and 3% nano admixtures. Based on the 28-day curing results,
compressive strength results show a change of 20.09%, 11.93%, 34.41% for each NS-
based design respectively. The 7-day results for NS20 and NS25 samples shows a slight
reduction in compressive strength as opposed to the NS0 sample, while the NS30
sample enjoyed a quite significant improvement in compressive strength. For the 28-day
results, the compressive strength of all nano samples had shown improvement unlike the
7-day results.
A common trend between 7- and 28-day samples is that the NS30 mix had
shown the highest amount of improvement in performance, which is followed by the
NS20 mix, and finally the NS25 mix. NS30 had shown the most significant
improvement in performance but also the lowest amount of slump, indicating a lower
moisture content because of the absorption process from the NS inclusion. (Mujkanovic
et al., 2022) The downwards trend in slump value further supports this hypothesis, as
slump values seem to consistently go downwards with each addition in NS. The results
for NS30’s compressive strength followed by a huge drop in slump value also increases
in inverse proportion with the improvement of compressive strength. To conclude, the
optimum admixture of NS was 3% based on the replaced quantity of cement, albeit this
comes at the cost of greatly reducing workability of the material. This also implies that a
reduction in cement to achieve a certain target strength is viable, seeing as the
introduction of small amounts of NS is capable of significantly improving the
mechanical properties of concrete. However, the inclusion of additional water or the
49
exclusion of water reducing admixtures should be considered to minimize the impact of
NS.
30
25
20
15
10
0
NS0 NS20 NS25 NS30
7day 28day
Based on visual inspection, there are some white marks shown on the surface of
the NS doped samples as shown in figure 4 7, this contrasts with control samples shown
on figure 4 6, which is relatively unblemished. Though the initial hypothesis as to why
this happened was due to agglomeration of NS as highlighted by Xu et al. (2021),
however it does not seem to impact the mix other than visually.
50
Figure 4 6 Physical appearance of control samples
51
In chapter 3, materials used for the experiment are listed as follows; water,
cement, fine aggregate, coarse aggregate, water-reducing admixture, and finally Nano
Silica. Table 4.2 elaborates and compares the material cost of concrete for each design
mix, based on their compressive strength with respect to its price. Pricing for each
material shown is based on retailer prices in Malaysia, except for NS prices which is
taken from a Chinese manufacturer. Another assumption taken in determining the
pricing is that they are to be purchased in bulk, at least 1 ton in weight for each material
used. The metric used to measure and compare the cost-effectiveness of each mix
design is by dividing the total price for an assumed one-meter cube worth of concrete by
their 28-day compressive strength test results. The resulting value would be in terms of
money spent, in RM for each unit of strength, in MPa or N/mm2. Results from this
analysis shows that inclusion of NS has generally improved the cost effectiveness of the
mix, especially the higher the amount of NS used, where NS3 has improved cost
effectiveness of concrete by 23.337% as opposed to the NS0 sample. However, it is to
be noted that since bulk prices generally tend to be cheaper than retail, NS will not be
very cost effective should only small quantities are utilized. Therefore, NS usage might
be more suitable for medium or larger scale projects in opposed to smaller ones in terms
of its applicability for industry purposes.
Price / m3 of concrete
Material NS0 NS20 NS25 NS3
286.726 286.726 286.726 286.726
Sand 7 7 7 7
Coarse aggr. 928.368 928.368 928.368 928.368
250.000 245.000 243.750 242.500
Cement 2 2 2 2
94.2500 114.867 141.375
NS 0 8 3 1
CHAPTER V
53
CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION
5.1 CONCLUSION
This report aims to study the effect of NS inclusion in concrete, replacing a set
amount of cement with NS which substitutes the silica content in cement with that of
pure NS. Cubic samples were to utilize to compare and analyse factors such as
performance, workability, hydration, and cost analysis respectively. Experimental
results find that:
54
improvement in strength. This means that to achieve a certain target amount of
compressive strength, less cement is required. Consequently, reducing cement
usage will greatly benefit the environment.
- Concerning the use of NS in an industrial setting, it is very cost ineffective for
smaller projects, as purchasing it in smaller volumes or at retail value leads to an
astronomical increase of project costs. Therefore, further research on mass-
producing NS cheaply should be pursued, and industrial stakeholders having an
interest in NS for their projects are better reserving it for larger projects.
- In addition, NS as a material is dangerous when handled improperly, Industrial
usage of NS therefore should also put safety precautions into deep consideration,
especially during the mixing process.
- Finally, further research needs to be done to standardize the usage of NS. As of
now, quantifying the effectiveness of NS usage is not possible without direct
testing. Therefore, mix design methods such as DOE or ACI should also take NS
into consideration, or a new system focusing on NS concrete should be
developed.
5.2 RECOMMENDATION
55
- It is also recommended to batch a larger number of samples together at once, to
take less days for testing purposes. Planning batch, curing, and testing dates is
also recommended.
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