DURABILITY PROPERTIES OF CONCRETE WITH OIL PALM SHELL (OPS) AGGREGATES

Collin Tiong Inn Seng

Bachelor of Engineering with Honours (Civil Engineering) TA

683 2010 T59IJ 2010

UNIVERSITI MALAYSIA SARA W AK

BORANG PENGESAHAN STATUS TESIS

Judul: DURABILITY PROPERTIES OF CONCRETE WITH OIL PALM SHELL (OPS) AGGREGATES

SESI PENGAJIAN: 2006 - 2010

Saya COLLIN TlONG INN SENG (HURUF BESAR)

mengaku membenarkan tesis * ini disimpan di Pusat Khidmat Maklumat Akademik, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak dcngan syarat-syarat kegunaan scperti berikut:

I. Tesis adalah hakmilik Universiti Malaysia Sarawak. 2. Pusat Khidmat Maklumat Akademik, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak dibenarkan membuat salinan untuk

tujuan pengajian sahaja. 3. Membuat pendigitan untuk membangunkan Pangkalan Data Kandungan Tempatan. 4. Pusat Khidmat Maklumat Akademik, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak dibenarkan membuat salinan tesis

ini sebagai bahan pertukaran antara institusi pcngajian tinggi.

5. ** Sila tandakan ( '" ) di kotak yang berkcnaan

o SULIT (Mengandungi maklumat yang berdarjah kcselamatan atau kepentingan Malaysia seperti yang tcrmaktub di dalam AKTA RAHSIA RASMI 1972).

o TERHAD (Mengandungi maklumat TERHAD yang telah ditentukan oleh organisasil bad an di mana penyelidikan dijalankan).

o TIDAK TERHAD

Disahkan olch

(TANDATANGAN PENYELlA)(TAN~NGAN PENULIS)

Alamat tetap: 38, LANE 35, OYA ROAD, 96000 SIBU SARAWAK DR. DELSYE TEO CHING LEE

(Nama Penyelia)

Tarikh: 12 April 2010 Tarikh: --------------~-----------------

CATATAN * Tesis dimaksudkan sebagai tesis bagi Ijazah Doktor Falsafah, Sarjana dan Sarjana Muda.

** Jika tesis ini SULIT atau TERHAD, sila lampirkan surat daripada pihak bcrkuasalorganisasi berkenaan dengan menyatakan sekali scbab dan tempoh tesis ini perlu dikelaskan sebagai SULIT dan TERHAD.

The Following Final Year Project:

Title : Durability Properties of Concrete with Oil Palm Shell (OPS)

aggregates

Author : Collin Tiong Inn Seng

Matric number: 16140

has been read and certified by:

Dr. Delsye Teo Ching Lee Date

(Supervisor)

PlJsal Kbidl"al M4Uumat Akaderuil IJ NJV ER n MA 'iSlA S WAY.

DURABILITY PROPERTIES OF CONCRETE WITH OIL PALM SHELL (OPS) AGGREGATES

COLLIN TIONG INN SENG

This project is submitted in partial fulfillment of

the requirements for the Degree of Bachelor of Engineering with

Honours (Civil Engineering) 2010

To my beloved parents and cherished friends

Acknowledgments

I would like to take this opportunity to thank and acknowledge certain people,

whom if not for their contribution and helps, the completion of my study will not be

possible.

First and foremost, I would like to express my sincere gratitude to my

supervisor, Dr. Delsye Teo Ching Lee for giving me the chance to complete my

study under her supervision. Her abundant knowledge in civil and construction field

is a benefit especially for an undergraduate like me.

A special thank you is reserved to the management of Kilang Sawit

Samarahan for their support and cooperation in making this project possible.

Special gratitude and thanks goes to all of my friends in the self-leadership

field for your kindness.

Last but not least, I would like to end by saying thanks to all who contributed

intellectually, materially and morally will forever hold dear in my heart and will

never been forgotten. Thank you all.

ii

ABSTRAK

Perkembangan terbaru di bidang konkrit telah mengakibatkan pelbagai aspek yang

perlu diambil kira bagi menghasilkan konkrit yang berkualiti tinggi dengan ciri yang

lebih baik daripada konkrit biasa dan banyak memberi manfaat bagi kehidupan kita

dalam jangka masa lama. Dalam indudtri pembinaan kini, pengunaan konkrit ringan

juga semakin popular kerana isipadunya yang ringan dan ia mampu mengurangkan

kos pembinaan bagi sesuatu projek. Kajian dilakukan bagi memenuhi keperluan

industri pembinaan pada masa kini supaya sebuah bangunan yang ekonomi dapat

didirikan. Kajian dilakukan bagi sisa tempurung kelapa saw it (OPS) telah dihasilkan

dalam kuantiti yang banyak daripada industri pertanian di Malaysia. Penggunaan

(OPS) ini sebagai agregat dalam konkrit dapat mengurangkan masalah pencemaran.

Objektif daripada kajian ini adalah untuk menentukan sifat-sifat keawetan konkrit

OPS dan membandingkan sifat keawetan antara konkrit OPS dengan konkrit nonnal.

Ujian-ujian yang dilakukan keatas sample ialah kekuatan tegangan, jerapan air,

"sorptivity" dan kekalisan konkrit. Kesumua sample yang disediakan melalui

pengawetan air pada umur konkrit 3 hari, 7 hari , 28 hari dan 56 hari. Dimensi sample

blok yang digunakan dalam kajian ini adalah lOOmm x lOOmm x IOOmm, 150mm x

150mm x 150mm dan silinder adalah 100mm x 204mm. Hasilnya menunjukkan

bahawa prestasi keawetan konkrit OPS menurun apabila peratusan penggantian OPS

sebagai agregat kasar dalam campuran konkrit meningkat.

IV

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I

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CONTENTS

PAGE

DEDICATION

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 11

ABSTRACT III

ABSTRACK IV

CONTENTS V

LIST OF TABLES x

LIST OF FIGURES XlI

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AND NOTATIONS XIV

CHAPTERl INTRODUCTION

1..1 Overview

1..2 Research significance 3

1..3 Research objective 5

1..4 Scope of project 5

1..5 Thesis organization 7

v

.-----------------------------------

CHAPTER 2 LITERATURE REVIEW

82.1 General

2.2 Waste material based concrete 9

2.2.1 Inorganic waste 10

2.2.1.1 Recycled Aggregate 10

2.2.1.2 Waste Glass 11

2.2.2 Industrial waste 12

2.2.2.1 Blast-Furnace Slag 13

2.2.2.2 Air-cooled Slag 13

2.2.2.3 Red Mud 14

2.2.2.4 Burnt Clay 14

2.2.3 Organic waste 15

2.2.3.1 Rice Husk 16

2.2.3.2 Coconut Shell 17

2.2.3.3 Saw Dust 18

192.2.3.4 OPS aggregate

212.3 Lightweight concrete

vi

I

2.3.1 Types of lightweight concrete 22

2.3 .2 Types of lightweight aggregate 24

2.3 .3 Properties of lightweight concrete 25

2.4 OPS concrete 27

2.5 Durability properties of lightweight

OPS concrete 28

CHAPTER 3 METHODOLOGY & MATERIAL USED

3.1 General 30

3.2 Aggregate properties test 30

3.3 Material used 32

3.3.1 Oil palm shell (OPS) 32

3.3 .2 Coarse aggregate 35

3.3.3 Fine aggregate 37

3.3.4 Portland cement 40

3.4 Concrete mix design 40

3.5 Concrete testing 42

vii

I

3.6 Determination durability properties of OPS concrete

3.6.1 Water absorption test 43

3.6.2 Sorptivity 44

3.6.3 Concrete Impermeability Test 45

CHAPTER 4 RESULT, ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION

4.1 General 47

4.2 Specify gravity and water adsorption 47

4.3 Mix design 48

4.4 Mix proportions of concrete for various

percentage of OPS replacement 50

4.5 Properties of fresh concrete

4.5.1 Slump 51

4.5.2 Wet density of concrete 52

4.6 Properties of hardened concrete

4.6.1 28 days air-dry density 54

4.6.2 Compressive strength 55

viii

I

4.6.3 Water adsorption test 57

4.6.4 Sorptivity 59

4.6.5 Concrete impenneability test 62

CHAPTERS CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

5.1 General 64

5.2 Conclusions 64

5.3 Recommendations 66

REFERENCES 67

ix

LIST OF TABLES

Table Page

2.1 Physical and mechanical properties of 20

crushed granite and OPS aggregates

2.2 Types and Grading of Lightweight concrete 23

2.3 Physical properties of Lightweight aggregate 24

3.1 Aggregate properties test 31

3.2 OPS properties 33

3.3 Sieve analysis for OPS 33

3.4 Coarse aggregate properties 35

3.5 Sieve analysis for coarse aggregate 36

3.6 Fine aggregate properties 38

3.7 Sieve analysis for fine aggregate 38

3.8 Mix proportion trials 41

3.9 Compressive strength and slump of mix proportion trials 41

4.1 Specific gravity and water absorption of aggregates 48

4.2 Optimum Mix Proportion Used For Production of Concrete 49

x

4.3 Compressive Strength 49

4.4 Slump, Wet Density and Air-Dry Density of

Mix Proportion 49

4.5 Mix proportions of concrete for various percentage

of OPS replacement 50

xi

LIST OF FIGURES

Figure Page

2.1 Gradation of crushed granite, OPS and river sand 21

3.1 Grading curve for OPS 34

3.2 Grading curve for coarse aggregate 37

3.3 Grading curve for fine aggregate 39

4.1 Slump of concrete specimens 52

4.2 Wet density of concrete specimens 53

4.3 28 days air-dry density of concrete specimens 54

4.4 Comparison of compressive strength for different percentage

of OPS replacement in concrete specimens 57

4.5 Comparison of water adsorption for different percentage

ofOPS replacement in concrete specimens 59

4.6 Comparison of sorptivity for different percentage of OPS

replacement in concrete specimens 61

xii

4.7 Sorptivity test 61

4.8 Comparison of concrete impenneability (penetration) for

different percentage of OPS replacement in concrete

specimens 63

xiii

LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS

ABBREVIAnONS

OPS

SSD

GWT

CMS

i

s

t

K

C c

h

A

p

AND NOTATIONS

FULL NAME

OIL PALM SHELL

SATURATED SURFACE DRY

GERMANN WATER PERMEATION TEST

CAHA Y A MAT A SARA W AK Sdn. Bhd.

Cumulative water absorption per unit area surface

Sorptivity coefficient

Time at which the weight is determined

Permeability coefficient (m1s),

Volume of water collected (m3)

Height of specimen (m)

Area of specimen (m2)

Pressure (m of water column)

xiv

CHAPTER!

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Overview

Concrete is the most widely used man-made construction material in the world,

and is second only to water as the most utilized substance on the planet. It is obtained by

mixing cementitious materials, water and aggregates (and sometimes admixtures) in

required proportions. The mixture when placed in fonns and allowed to cure hardens

into rock-like mass known as concrete (Beall et aI, 2003).

The hardening is caused by chemical reaction between water and cement and it

continues for a long time, and consequently the concrete grows stronger with age. The

hardened concrete may also be considered as an artificial stone in which the voids of

larger particles (coarse aggregate) are filled by the smaller particles (fine aggregate) and

the voids of fine aggregate are filled with cement. In a concrete mix the cementitious

1

material and water fonn a paste called cement-water paste which in addition to filling

the voids of fine aggregate, coats the surface of fme and coarse aggregates and bind

them together as it cures, thereby cementing the particles of the aggregates together in a

compact mass (Gambhir, 2004).

The major factors responsible for wide usage of concrete are mouldability, early

hardening, and high early compressive strength. The concrete also have desired

properties with admixture to be used in adverse situations, pumpability and durability.

These are simple reasons for its extensive use in construction within a wide range by

using appropriate ingredients and by special mechanical, physical and chemical

processing techniques.

Based on the research of Mannan et al (2006), oil palm shell (OPS) concrete can

potentially be utilized in lightweight concrete applications that require low to moderate

strength such as pavements and infill panel for floorings and walls. OPS are light and

naturally sized; therefore, they are ideal for substituting aggregates in lightweight

concrete construction. OPS are agricultural solid waste which is biodegradable and can

decay over a period of time if the environment is congenial, i.e. if enough moisture and

sufficient air are present unless preservative treatment is done on the OPS aggregate.

Compared to nonnal weight concretes of 2400 kg/m3, OPS concrete is

approximately 20% lighter. This shows that OPS concrete would decrease 20% dead

load when used in construction. By reducing the weight of the structure, the catastrophic

2

earthquake forces and inertia forces that influence the structures can also be reduced

since these forces are proportional to the weight of the structure (Mannan et aI, 2006).

1.2 Research Significance

In Malaysia since last two decades, the extensive building and infrastructure

development projects have led to an increase in construction waste material generation.

However, construction wastes which represent a greater proportion of total solid waste

generation in the country and create greater problems such as illegal dumping should

receive greater attention. On the other hand, the prices of construction materials increase

from year to year due to the depletion of the natural resources. Therefore, the engineers

do many researches and develop new materials relying on renewable resources. The

resources include the use of by-product and the waste materials in building construction.

It helps to reduce the pollution problems and improve the quality of environment.

Malaysia is well known for its palm oil industry and has become the world

largest producer and exporter of palm oil. However, it is also the main contributor to the

nation's pollution problem. The labors pick up the oil palm and send to the mill for

process. After being processed, solid residues and liquid wastes are generated. These by­

products include empty fruit bunches, fibre, shell, and effluent. According to Teo et al

(2006), there are over 4 millions tones of OPS production per year in Malaysia and large

amounts of waste OPS are left at the mill area.

3

Recently, the demand of low cost houses has increased and OPS can be used as

the alternative for the normal aggregate to fulfill this demand. There are few examples

with respect to this, Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS) had built a small footbridge of

about 2 m in span in May 2001 and a low-cost house with a floor area of about 59 m2 in

2003, both using OPS concrete and constructed near the coastal area within the campus

(Teo et aI, 2006).

Currently, research efforts have been directed towards the potential use of OPS

as aggregate for the production of lightweight concrete. OPS is ideal as replacement of

coarse aggregates replacement in concrete. The bulk density of OPS is much less than

stone aggregate with a density of about 1850 kg/m3. The compressive strengths of OPS

concrete range from 20 to 24 N/mm2 for 28 days; this satisfies the strength requirement

of structural lightweight concrete (Mannan and Ganapathy, 2004).

From their research, concrete with OPS as coarse aggregate can be used for the

construction of low-cost houses, farm structures, bus stop, wayside, pavements, blocks

and paving drains. The most important concern for OPS concrete is the compressive

strength and the durability characteristic because OPS as an organic aggregate may

decay after a certain period.

4

Pusst h..Illamal. l~laJU~ AK.ademik. UNIVERSITI MALAYSIA SARA-WAX.

1.3 Research objective

The specific objectives of this research are as follow:

1.) To investigate the compressive strength development of OPS concrete.

2.) To detennine the durability perfonnance of OPS concrete.

3.) To compare the durability perfonnance between OPS concrete with nonnal

concrete.

1.4 Scope of project

This project is classified as an experimental project. Several experimental works

have been carried out to obtain the required data needed to accomplish this project. The

research have been carried on define the durability of concrete with the OPS as

replacement for coarse aggregates.

Firstly, laboratory test have been carried out to study the physical properties of

both OPS and nonna! aggregates. For the aggregates, the laboratory tests will be carried

out to detennine the specific gravity, unit weight, total moisture content, surface

moisture content, void ratio and absorption rate.

5

Secondly, the mix design and trial mix have been prepared to obtain the optimum

mix proportion that achieves required design strength, workability and durability. Then,

the control mixes have been prepared. After that, the coarse aggregates proportions of

control mix have been replaced by OPS in 25%, 50%, 75% and 100%.

For all the specimens, the target slump test for the concrete in this research is

between 50mm to 75mm. The tests for the hardened concrete properties will be

conducted at the specific age of 3 days, 7 days, 28 days and 56 days. All the information

and results obtained from the tests will be used in order to carry out the obj ectives of the

research.

6

1.5

problems

Thesis Organization

This thesis is divided into five chapters.

i. Chapter 1 : Introduction

ii. Chapter 2 : Literature Review

iii. Chapter 3 : Methodology

iv. Chapter 4: Result, Analysis and Discussion

v. Chapter 5: Conclusion and Recommendation

This thesis is divided into five chapters. Chapter one IS mainly gives an

introduction to the entire research project. It elaborates in general the definition of

concrete, background of OPS concrete, objective and the scope of work in this project.

Chapter two describes the literature review related to the study of OPS concrete and

compares the OPS concrete with normal concrete.

Chapter three describes the methodology used to carry out this project. The

details of methods use and laboratory works are also explained in this chapter. Chapter

four presents the laboratory tests. The raw data have been analyzed and illustrated in

table and graphical form. The discussions in this chapter regarding the results and

faced in laboratory works. Finally, chapter 5 contains the summary,

CODClusions and also the recommendations from this research.

7