Physical Characterization of Laterite for the Formulation of Structural Concrete

Abstract

This study presents another approach to the use of laterite as a common construction material for the development of a new type of concrete. Laterites are found all over the world and are used in various ways in road construction as sub-base, base course or wear courses. Being a material consisting in the raw state of sand and gravel, the study addresses its use for the formulation of structural concrete. The physical characterization made it possible to identify three granular classes distributed as follows: 28.26% passing at 80 μm, 32.12% sand (0.08/4 mm) and 39.62% nodule (4/25) mm. The absolute density of the aggregates varies from 2.73 and 2.82 from the sand to the nodules. The absorption rate varies from 3.01% and 5.71% respectively for sand and nodules. The granular compactness of the different granular classes studied varies from 0.580 to 0.630. The formulation of the concrete was made by the method of absolute volumes by varying the W/C ratio from 0.4 to 0.7, N/S from 2.2 to 2.8 and that of the cement dosage from 350 to 450 kg/m 3 . The results obtained show that the density of the concrete formulated based on these aggregates of lateritic origin have a density which varies between 2000 and 2300 kg/m 3 . With a cement content of 400 kg/m 3 , a W/C ratio of 0.4 and N/S of 2.8, concrete based on lateritic aggregates offers better mechanical performance in compression of approximately 21.23 ± 1.24 MPa at 28 days. This strength class obtained allows laterite concrete to be used as structural concrete in the structure of civil engineering works.