Influence of Particle Packing Method on Sustainable Concrete Using Fly Ash and Recycled Aggregates

Abstract

The construction industry, using concrete most widely, is not sustainable as (i) it consumes large quantities of natural resources (for aggregates), (ii) The principal binder in concrete is cement whose production is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions (iii) Performance of concrete structures relies on rapid strength gain rather than durability and long-term effects. So, use of fly ash and recycled aggregates (RA) in concrete production may become a sustainable construction material with less environmental and economic impact if the performance of concrete structures is satisfied. Effect of RA and fly ash on compressive strength (CS) of concrete is addressed in present context by adopting particle packing method of mix design and modifying mixing techniques. Theoretical and experimental packing density is obtained and compared. A comparison of PPM and Indian standard (IS) code method of mix design is being done for the observed CS. Results concluded that PPM is suitable in terms of compressive strength for RAC with fly ash.