Effect of Quartz Sand and Silica Fume on the Performance of High Strength Concrete Under Elevated Temperatures

Abstract

Concrete, as a widely used construction material, owes its remarkable properties to the careful selection and combination of various construction materials. Strength is a crucial characteristic of concrete, and the choice of construction materials greatly impacts its physical and mechanical properties. The purpose of this research is to determine the effect of properties of different construction materials and the mix design used with silica fume in the production of high-strength concrete and also to observe the effect of elevated temperatures on the strength of concrete. The results show that Quartz sand is the appropriate construction material for the production of high-strength concrete due to its excellent physical properties as compared to other fine aggregates. Similarly, the coarse aggregates in which locally available crushed stones, Sakhi Sarwar and Sargodha crush are used, and the results depicted that Sakhi Sarwar crush has a lower specific gravity, maximum water absorption, and higher abrasion value as compared to Sargodha Crush which leads to its negligible use in production of high strength concrete over Sargodha crush. In the next phase, different concrete mix designs are used to produce high-strength concrete by using silica fumes as a supplementary binding material. The maximum compressive strength has been achieved for the designed mix containing 15% silica fume and the addition of 0.2% Quartz sand in concrete. For the next phase of this research, the concrete mix with maximum compressive strength has also performed excellently under elevated temperatures up to 400oC.