Interaction of the Mining Environment on the Properties of Hydraulic Mortars in Silty Sands in Togo

Abstract

The objective of this study is to determine the influence of the surrounding soils on the granular properties of the silty sands of Togo and on the resistance of the mortars. Sand compositions are made by substituting silty sands with clay soil, vegetal soil, lateritic soil or fine elements (<0.08 mm) which are the surrounding land polluting the sands in Togo. After identification tests, the mixtures were used to prepare test specimens of mortar which are subjected to bending and compression. It appears that additions of clay and plastic soils ( ES = 0, VBM > 0.53 and IP > 19) from 10% to 35% cause drops in resistance of mortars from 7 % to 96%; this loss is 8% to 70% for the rates of addition of less clayey soil ( ES = 33, VBM = 0.40 and IP = 0) at rates of 10% to 100%. As for fine powdery soils ( ES = 56.53 and VBM = 0.25), they have virtually no influence on resistance (loss of less than 3% for rates of 100%). Construction stakeholders thus have a decision-making tool for the choice of silty sand extraction zones according to the surrounding land and the quality of the desired concrete.