Using silica mineral waste as aggregate in a green high strength concrete: workability, strength, failure mode, and morphology assessment

ABSTRACTEnvironmental degradation is a major challenge in the developing countries, which are caused due to unmanaged solid waste, or improper disposal. This study investigates the effect of using silica mineral waste (eco sand) as aggregate in a green high strength concrete, in which properties such as workability, strength, failure mode, and morphology were determined. There was low slump and compacting factor in all the concrete mixtures, however, strength properties were improved with the incorporation of eco sand as a replacement of conventional fine aggregate. Higher strength properties were achieved in the eco sand concrete than the reference mixtures, which occurred at an optimum eco sand content of 25%. The morphology and failure mode of the eco sand concrete showed that there was a significant compactness and constituents parking in the matrix.