Abstract:
The industrial waste and metal by-products such as steel fibers, synthetic fibers, carbon fibers and
steel particles can be used as reinforcement materials since they possess reinforcement properties.
Steel particles are produced in millions of tons per year as waste material in metal shops. This
enormous waste is currently not being harnessed productively in the metal shops in the Central
Region of the Republic of Ghana. In most cases, they are indiscriminately dumped into the
environment causing environmental Pollution that deplete the Ozone layer causing global
warming. The concrete industry offers an ideal remedy to deal with the steel particles produced
from the steel shops in the environment. The purpose of the study was to investigate the strength
performance of concrete with steel particles. Sample of steel particles with a particle size of 20um
were collected from metal shops in the Cape-Coast Metropolis. The steel particles were added at
different percentages (0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, 20% and 25%) to the concrete at different curing times
of 7 and 28 days. Sixty cubes and sixty beams were cast and tested using 1:2:4 mixes by weight
with 0.5 water/ cement ratio. The results showed that at the 28days curing age, the compressive
strength recorded 25.28 N/mm2
, 26.61N/mm2
, 27.05N/mm2
and 25.01N/mm2 which met the target
strength of 25N/mm2
for 0% to 15% particles. Addition of 20% to 25% performed poorer than the
control specimen. 10% replacement gave the highest compressive strength, about 7% higher than
the control. The flexural and tensile strengths also followed the compressive strength trend. The
results for water absorption resistance for both 7 and 28 days were 6.89%, 6.91%, 6.94%, 19.10%
and 11.83% when 0% to 25% particles were added. The mean values increased from 6.91% to
11.83% when 5% to 25% particles where added for both 7 and 28 days. This shows that, addition
of particles increased both physical and mechanical properties content of about 60%
Description:
A Thesis in the Department of Construction and Wood Technology Education, Faculty of
Technical Education, Submitted to the School of Graduate Studies, University of
Education, Winneba in partial fulfillment of the requirements for award of the Master of
Philosophy in Construction Technology Degree.
OCTOBER, 2018
