Valorization of Dredged Sediments as a Component of Vibrated Concrete: Durability of These Concretes Against Sulfuric Acid Attack

Hydraulic facilities are subjected to significant siltation which, in a very short period of time, can render them unusable. In Algeria, the silting-up of a great number of dams, built for drinking water needs and for irrigation, implies the necessity and urgency to take action. Therefore, the maintenance work, which leads to dredging the deposited silt, constitutes an unbearable obligation for the preservation of the environment. Chorfa dam (western Algeria) may be mentioned as a concrete example. This study is part of a long research whose objective is to contribute to the valorization and the optimization of the formulations economically that are easy to implement and which enable to use the dredged materials in the formulation of ordinary concretes by partial substitution to cement (10, 20 and 30%) of dredged sediments, after calcination at 750 °C to make them active. Tests were carried out on concrete that was vibrated in the fresh state (setting time) and hardened state (compressive strengths and durability of concrete exposed to sulfuric acid attack) in order to determine their characteristics. The results obtained confirmed the possibility to develop concretes containing calcined silt, with proportions up to 30%, and which can meet the economic, ecological and technological objectives.