Studies on Enhanced Strength of Concrete on Use of Industrial Waste Blends Like Red Mud And Iron Ore Slickens

Concrete is one of the most commonly known versatile building materials. The advantages of using concrete are to obtain high compressive strength, very good fire resistance, high water retention qualities, low maintenance requirements, and long service life/ durability. The disadvantages of using concrete include poor tensile strength, low strain of fracture and form work requirement. The major disadvantage is that concrete develops micro cracks during curing. The rapid propagation of micro cracks in concrete under application of stresses that are responsible for the low tensile strength of the material. Other disadvantages include relatively low strength per unit weight. The main reasons for adding steel fibres to concrete matrix is to improve the post- cracking response of the concrete by improving its tensile strength , i.e., to improve energy absorption capacity and apparent ductility of the material, and to provide resistance to cracks and hence causing crack control. The study aimed to identify the optimum percentage of steel fibre reinforcement as the replacement of cement in the M20, M30 and M40 grade of concrete mixes. The percentage at which the SFRC gives maximum workability were also determined in the study. It was observed that the optimum percentage for M20 grade of concrete is 1% as a replacement of cement, whereas its 1.5% for M30 and M40 grade of concrete.