CHAPTER ONE

1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Background Information
Due to current levels of major construction in Kenya, there is an ever-increasing demand
for concrete materials such as fine aggregates. Fine aggregates constitute the bulk of a concrete
mixture hence they are an integral part of concrete. Power plants which produce more than half
of the electricity consumed in the United States today are fueled by coal. In addition to
electricity, these plants produce a material that is fast becoming a vital ingredient for improving
the performance of a wide range of concrete products. That material is fly ash (Halstead &
Crumpton, 1986).
Fly ash is comprised of the non-combustible mineral portion of coal. When coal is
consumed in a power plant, it is first ground to the fineness of powder. Blown into the power
plants boiler, the carbon consumed leaves molten particles rich in silica, alumina and calcium.
These particles solidify as microscopic, glassy spheres that are collected from the power plants
exhaust before they can fly away hence the products name: Fly Ash (Gianoncelli et al.,
2013).
Chemically, fly ash is a pozzolan. When mixed with lime (calcium hydroxide), pozzolans
combine to form cementitious compounds. Concrete containing fly ash becomes stronger, more
durable, and more resistant to chemical attack. Mechanically, fly ash also pays dividends for
concrete production. Because fly ash particles are small, they effectively fill voids. Because fly
ash particles are hard and round, they have a ball bearing effect that allows concrete to be
produced using less water. Both characteristics contribute to enhanced concrete workability and
durability (Halstead & Crumpton, 1986).

Furthermore, fly ash use creates significant benefits for our environment. Fly ash use
conserves natural resources and avoids landfill disposal of ash products. By making concrete
more durable, life cycle costs of roads and structures are reduced. Furthermore, fly ash use
partially displaces production of other concrete ingredients, resulting in significant energy
savings and reductions in greenhouse gas emissions (Gianoncelli et al., 2013).
During iron and steel production, slag is generated as a byproduct. It is a non-metallic
product, consisting essentially of calcium silicates and ferrites combined with fused oxides of
iron, aluminum, manganese, calcium, and magnesium that are developed simultaneously with
steel in basic oxygen, electric arc, or open-hearth furnaces. The main constituents of iron and
steel slags are silica, alumina, calcium, and magnesia, which together make about 95% of the
total composition. Minor elements included are manganese, iron, Sulphur compounds, and traces
of several other elements. The addition of slag reduces the rate of heat evolution and increases
the resistance to chemical attack. It is made use of in hot regions due to less effect on early
strength of concrete. The percentage of slag used also depends upon the aggregate. If the
aggregate were highly reactive, it would require more of the slag to mitigate ASR or alkalisilicate reaction (Tripathi & Chaudhary, 2016).
The rapid increase in the annual consumption of natural aggregates due to the expansion
of the construction industry worldwide means that aggregate reserves are being depleted rapidly,
particularly in Kenya where the construction industry is at an all-time high. It has been reported
that, if alternative aggregates are not utilized in the near future, the concrete industry will
globally consume 8-12 billion tons of natural aggregates annually. Such large consumption of
natural aggregates will cause destruction of the environment. Therefore, it is imperative that
alternative substitutes for natural aggregates be found. One possibility is the utilization of

industrial by-products and waste materials in making concrete, which will lead to a sustainable
concrete design and a greener environment (Monosi, Giretti, Moriconi, Favoni & Collepardi,
2001).
Concrete's potential contribution to a more sustainable world includes the possibility of
using by-products from other industries that would otherwise pose awkward disposal problems.
A new opportunity comes from the possible use of slags and other by-products from non-ferrous
metal production in concrete. This could eventually mean an impressive double win that is by
saving tax for the metal and construction industries, while helping the environment (Monosi et
al., 2001).
Producers of such metals as zinc and aluminium currently pay millions to stockpile or
send slag and unwanted by-products to landfill. If these were to prove viable as an aggregate,
concrete manufacturers would then have a source of recycled material, exempt from the pay of
aggregates tax, while metal producers would no longer need to dump the material and pay
landfill taxes and charges (Tripathi & Chaudhary, 2016).
1.2 Problem Statement
The damping of industrial wastes such as ISF slag and fly ash at waste management
dumpsites causes a major problem to our environment by destroying soils and release of toxic
fumes to the atmosphere. Hence, the utilization of ISF slag and fly ash, which constitute
industrial wastes, can provide solutions to the environmental degradation challenge posed by
dumping of industrial wastes such as ISF slag and fly ash since these wastes are nonbiodegradable. In order to curb this, there is need to provide an alternative use of ISF slag and fly
ash by substituting them as partial replacements to natural fine aggregates.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

1.3.1

Main Objective
The project focuses on investigating the possibility of using imperial smelting
furnace slag as a partial replacement of fine aggregates in concrete containing fly
ash.

1.3.2

Specific Objectives

1. Design a concrete mix containing fly ash with varying ratios of ISF slag.
2. Determine the compressive strength of concrete mixed with ISF Slag.
3. Determine the leaching rate of Heavy Metals from concrete containing ISF slag at
different ages.
1.4 Justification
Disposal of ISF slag and fly ash is causing an alarm to the environment due to pollution.
The more wastes are being dumped away in landfills, the more the environment pays the price.
The release of toxins to the environment has led to a series of complications to human life.
Therefore, we need to find a way to solve the problem caused by the disposal of ISF slag and fly
ash. Also, with the rapid increase in construction projects in Kenya and the growth of the
construction industry in the country, there is need for more greener concrete. Hence, the use of
industrial by-products such as fly ash and Imperial Smelting Furnace (ISF) slag will provide a
substitute to natural aggregates, reduce the construction cost by some significant margin,
improve durability, and increase the efficiency of the design process.
1.5 Significance of the Study
Slag and fly ash are industrial wastes that lie idle in dumpsites causing hazardous effects
to the environment. The lack of a way of putting them to any use makes them readily available

and they are low cost materials. Therefore, they can be used in economizing the cost of a project.
Apart from economy, it also saves the environmental cost of cement since the use of cement
leads to a production of high amount of carbon dioxide that causes greenhouse effect. Hence, this
study will provide a new approach of reducing the costs associated with the construction process
as well as saving the environment.

CHAPTER TWO
2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Introduction
Cement is the core constituent material in concrete, mortars and renders whose properties
are crucial for the construction of good structures. For any construction, the ease with which
Portland cement concrete is mixed, transported, placed, and compacted is extremely important in
executing successful concrete construction. In order to achieve this, an analysis of the concrete
workability in the Kenyan market is important.
American Concrete Institute (ACI) Standard 116R-90 (ACI 1990b) defines workability as
that property of freshly mixed concrete which determines the ease and homogeneity with which
it can be mixed, placed, consolidated, and finished. For this study, workability is considered to
increase or improve as the ease of placement, consolidation, and finishing of concrete increases.
In this study, workability of the concrete is considered to increase with the addition of ISF slag in
replacing sand as fine aggregates by enhancing the properties of concrete mixed with fly ash
(Pepe, 2016).
2.2 Previous Research on the Topic
A variety of reports for use of ISF Slag in concrete as a replacement of sand have been
written and reported in literature. A brief survey of the research work done in this area is
discussed below.
Shashidhara and Vyas (2010) reported the results of replacing sand in cement concrete
using imperial smelting furnace Zinc slag in Indian Concrete Journal. The fine aggregate fraction
so produced conformed to the grading requirements of both fine aggregate and all in aggregate.
The workability of concrete improved as the replacement level increased, though the packing

density of the dry all-in aggregate reduced. Replacing sand with zinc slag did not affect the
compressive strength, but in a leaching test, complete replacement resulted in Lead (Pb) setting
leached above the permissible level.
Hooper, R. et al. (2002) focused on setting characteristics of ISF Slag, the effect of fly
ash in minimizing retardation of set as well as the European policies for reuse of secondary
materials. According to them, the UK Ten Year Transport Plan, including the development of the
highway infrastructure, offers opportunities to demonstrate successfully the consumption of
small volume streams of secondary materials, including ISF slag, within the local area. Pavement
construction offers several opportunities for consumption, the most credible of these being the
replacement of the sand fractions by the slag in bound mixtures, cement and bituminous. The
paper focused upon cementitious mixtures alone. The presence of zinc and lead ions in the ISF
slag were proven to have an impact on the setting characteristics of concrete mixtures, although
there is little difference in the compressive strengths after 28 days. The leaching, characteristics
of the slag suggested that the retardation is not linearly related to the quantities of zinc or lead
leached. Additionally, leaching tests in combination with pulverized fuel ash (fly ash) and
ground granulated blast furnace slag indicated that it might be possible to minimize retardation
of set in by including these materials in the concrete mixture.
Tripathi, B. et al. (2012) assessed the strength and abrasion characteristics of ISF Slag
Concrete. In their report, they assessed the potential of ISFS (Imperial Smelting Furnace Slag) as
sand in concrete, considering the presence of toxic elements (lead and zinc) and their detrimental
effects on the early hydration of cement. Equivalent volume of sand was replaced by ISFS in
different percentages. Concrete specimens were prepared at different water to cement ratios.
Compressive, flexural, and pull off strength, along with abrasion resistance, were examined.

Leaching potentials of toxic lead, zinc, and cadmium from ISFS concrete mixtures were also
analyzed to evaluate environmental viability. Their Results were encouraging because sign of
delay in setting was not observed. Improvement in compressive and pull off strength;
comparable flexural strength and abrasion resistance; and, leaching of toxic elements within safe
limits assured the potential of future use of the ISFS as sand in concrete.
Morrison and Richardson (2004) stated in their study of Re-use of zinc smelting furnace
slag in concrete, studied environmental concerns associated with the reuse of ISF Slag concrete
due to the presence of heavy metals like Zinc and Lead. They concluded that the ISF slag is
physically suitable for use as an aggregate, although there are several barriers that must be
overcome before it can be used in concrete. The study also reported that the glassy nature of the
slag initially raised concerns regarding the potential for alkalisilica reaction (ASR) to occur in
concrete. However, after a comprehensive series of accelerated ASR tests indicated that the
material was not susceptible to this type of deleterious reaction.
2.3 Properties Of Materials
2.3.1 Aggregates
Aggregates is a general term applied to those inert (chemically inactive) material, which
when bounded together by cement, form concrete. Most aggregates used in Kenya are naturally
occurring aggregates such as sand, crushed rock and gravel.
Aggregates for concrete are divided into three categories:

Fine Aggregates: Most of which passes through 4.75 mm sieve and retained on
150micron

Coarse Aggregates: Most of which passes through 63 mm sieve and retained on

4.75micron

All in Aggregate: Mixed aggregate, as it comes from the pit or riverbed. It is sometimes
used for unimportant work without separating into different sizes.

Properties of Natural Aggregates

The properties should comply with the norms laid down in BS EN 12620:2002+A1:2008
specification for C.A. and F.A. from natural sources for concrete. Aggregates should be
chemically inert, strong, hard, durable, of limited porosity (water absorption when immersed in
water for 24 hours should not be more than 10%.), free from adherent coating, clay lumps, coal
and coal residues and should contain no organic or other admixture that may cause corrosion of
the reinforcement or impair the strength or durability of the concrete. The shape (rounded,
irregular, angular and flaky) and sizes of the aggregates should conform to the strength and
workability requirements (Chaudhary & Tripathi, 2013).
Functions of the Aggregates in a Mix
Aggregates serve the following purposes:

They reduce the cost of the concrete. Natural aggregates require only extraction, washing
and grading prior to transportation to the site.

Correctly graded aggregates produce workable, yet cohesive concrete.

They reduce the heat of the hydration of the concrete since they are normally chemically
inert and act as heat sink for hydrating cement

Uses of the Aggregates

Naturally occurring crushed stone aggregates can be used for producing any type of good
concrete or R.C.C. for construction purpose

Broken brick aggregates is used to produce plain concrete but not suitable for R.C.C.
which is lighter than broken stone aggregate

Air- cooled blast furnace slag, which is a by- product in the process of pig iron, forms a
stronger and durable concrete when mixed with sand, and has a high fire resistance

Lightweight aggregate produce low density concrete, which can be used for interior parts
of the building where high strength are not desired

2.3.2 Fly Ash

It is a Pozzolanic material which itself does not have any cementitious property but in
finely divided form and in the presence of moisture chemically react with lime to form
compounds having cementitious properties. It is a residue resulting from the combustion of
powdered coal (Halstead & Crumpton, 1986).
Properties

They gain strength slowly and require curing over a longer period of time

The long term strength is high

Used for economizing the use of cement

Classification by ASTM: Class F (having less than 5% CaO) and Class C (CaO content in
excess of 10%)

Use of good quality fly ash reduces the water demand

With water reduction, bleeding and shrinkage will reduce

2.3.3 Slag
Why Use Fly Ash and Slag Replacement?

Fly Ash and Slag are artificial Pozzolanic materials that improve the properties of
concrete in both fresh and hardened state

10

The calcium hydroxide formed after hydration of tri-calcium and di-calcium silicate
reacts with finely divided siliceous or aluminous compounds in fly ash to form highly
stable cementitious substances

Pozzolan + Ca(OH)2 + water--- C-S-H gel

Economize the use of cement as cement production causes production of carbon dioxide
into the atmosphere which is harmful for the environment

Properties of GGBS (Ground Granulated Blast Furnace Slag)

Surface hydration of slag is slightly slower

Reduces heat of hydration, therefore, good for use in mass structures

Refinement of pore structures

Reduces permeability

Increased resistance to chemical attack

Possesses cementitious properties

2.4 Chemical Composition of Sand and ISF slag

The elemental composition of sand was determined at the IIC, IIT Roorkee, by energy
dispersive X-Ray analysis (EDAX). The Oxide composition of elements present in
ISF slag determined by X-Ray fluorescence (XRF) was supplied. The chemical composition of
sand and ISF slag are as shown in Table 1 and Table 2.

11

Table 1 Composition of ISF Slag

12

Table 2: Chemical composition of Sand and

XRF of ISF slag

ISF slag (EDAX of Sand)

Element

% by weight
11.91

Constituent detected
SiO2

02.53

Al2O3

Na

06.91

CaO

Al

29.92

Si

03.19

01.16

Ca

01.85

PbO

MgO

Insoluble residue

34.28
8.17
17.91
1.93

Na2O
K2O
Mn2O3
9.21
1.22
1.41

Sulphide Sulphur

18.08

Fe2O3

42.53

ZnO
Fe

% content

6.28
(+)5.68

Loss on ignition (LOI)

13

0.68
0.71
1.33

CHAPTER THREE
3.0 METHODOLOGY
3.1 Introduction
The properties of material used, that is, fineness modulus and specific gravity using
pycnometer, of sand, slag as well as the sieve analysis of fine and coarse aggregates will be
carried out, and the results determined in the laboratory. Grading curves as well as the
underlying zones for the fine aggregate and slag will also be determined in the laboratory
according to BSI codes of practice. The compressive strength tests will have to be carried out
using the standard procedure as prescribed in the code BS EN 12390-3:2009. The Metal
Leaching Test will also conducted for different mixes.
3.2 Preparation of Aggregates
The term aggregates is used to describe the gravel, crushed stones and other materials,
which are mixed with cement to make concrete.
3.2.1 Essential Requirements of Aggregates
a) Durability - Aggregate should be hard and should not contain materials that are likely to
decompose or change in volume when exposed to weather or to affect the reinforcement.
b) Cleanliness - Aggregates should be clean and free from any organic impurities. The
particles should be free from coatings of dust or clay, as they prevent proper bonding of
the particles. Gravel and sand should therefore be washed to remove clay, silt and other
impurities which if present in excessive amounts, results into poor quality concrete.
3.2.2 Size of the Aggregates
In reinforced and pre-stressed concrete construction, nominal maximum sizes of the
coarse aggregates are usually 40, 20, 14, and 10. Aggregates should be small enough to allow

14

concrete to flow around reinforced bars so that it can be adequately compacted. On the other
hand, it is advantageous to use the higher maximum sizes because in general, as the maximum
size of aggregate increases, a lower water/cement ratio can be used for a given workability to
obtain a higher strength. However, above 40mm, the gain of strength due to the reduced
water/cement ratio is offset by the adverse effects of the lower bond area between the cement
paste and the aggregate and by the discontinuity caused by the large particles (Chaudhary &
Tripathi, 2013).
3.2.3 Grading of the Aggregates
For concrete to be durable, it has to be dense and when fresh, it should be sufficiently
workable for it to be properly compacted. The mortar should be sufficiently more to fill the void
in the coarse aggregates. In turn, the cement paste should be slightly more than sufficient to fill
the void in the fine aggregates. In essence, the voids in the aggregates depend on its particle size
distribution. The grading of the aggregates affects the strength of the concrete mainly indirectly,
though it has an important effect on water/cement ratio required for specified workability. Badly
graded aggregates require a higher water/cement ratio and hence results in the weaker concrete
(Chaudhary & Tripathi, 2013).
3.2.4 Sampling of Aggregates
Riffling
It involved the splitting of the samples into halves using a riffle box. The sample will be
discarded into the riffler over its full length and the two halves collected into two boxes on each
side. One-half discarded, and riffling of the other half will be repeated until the sample is
reduced to the desired quantity for testing and experiments to follow.

15

3.3 Material Testing and Specification

3.3.1 Sieve Analysis
Aggregate is said to be graded when it contains different sizes of particles in suitable
proportions. The main advantage of the graded aggregate is that it provides minimum voids
created by the larger particles. It also improves workability considerably. Sieve analysis
therefore enables us to determine the proportion of different particle in an aggregate sample. The
results of sieve analysis are given in terms of percentage (%) of the total aggregate passing
through each of the sieve size.
To have a visual grasp of the grading, the results can be plotted on a graph, whose
ordinates indicate percentage (%) passing and abscissa indicates sieve sizes on the logarithm
scale. The finer the grading, the greater is the water requirement resulting into poor concrete.
And the coarse grading, the greater the tendency of segregation. The most suitable grading is that
which gives minimum number of fines sufficient to give the mix necessary cohesiveness.
The procedure involved, bringing the sample to an air-dry condition before weighing and
sieving by dying to a temperature of 105-110C, and the dried sample weighed. The weighed
sample will then be placed on the sieve and sieved successively on the appropriate sieves starting
with the largest. The sieve sizes used according to according to BS EN 12620:2002+A1:2008
and arranged as:

Coarse aggregates; 20, 15, 10, 5

Fine aggregates; 2.38, 1.20, 0.6, 0.3, 0.15, 0.074,

Each sieve was shaken separately over a clean tray until not more than a trace passes. On
completion of sieving, the material cleaned from the mesh, will be weighed.

16

3.3.2 Batching Of Materials and Mixing

In every project, it is a pre-requisite that the material for use is prepared in advance to
allow the project to run as scheduled. The initial material preparation under this project will
involve the acquisition of the sample from the yard. Batching will then be done using the weight
method. A control mix ratio of 1:2:4 will be used of designated grade of M15. Various mixes
will be developed using varying fly ash and ISF slag percentages.
3.3.2.1 Mix design
Factors to be considered for mix design

The grade designation giving the characteristic strength requirement of concrete.

The type of cement influences the rate of development of compressive strength of

concrete.

Maximum nominal size of aggregates to be used in concrete may be as large as possible

within the limits prescribed by BS EN 12620:2002+A1:2008.

The cement content is to be limited from shrinkage, cracking and creep.

The workability of concrete for satisfactory placing and compaction is related to the size
and shape of section, quantity, and spacing of reinforcement and technique used for
transportation, placing, and compaction.

Mix Design Procedure

Step 1: The volume of mix, which needs to make nine cubes of size 150 mm will be calculated.
The volume of mix is sufficient to produce 9 numbers of cube and to carry out the concrete
slump test.
Step 2: The volume of mix will be multiplied with the constituent contents obtained from the
concrete mix design process to get the batch weights for the trial mix.

17

Step 3: The mixing of concrete is according to the procedures given in laboratory guidelines.
Step 4: Firstly, cement, fine and course aggregate will be mixed in a mixer for 1 minute.
Step 5: Then, water will be added and the cement, fine and course aggregates and water will be
mixed approximately for another 1 minute.
Step 6: When the mix is ready, the tests on mix are proceeding.
Mix Design Tests
1.

The slump tests will be conducted to determine the workability of fresh concrete.

2.

Concrete will be placed and compacted in three layers by a tamping rod with 25
times, in a firmly held slump cone. On the removal of the cone, the difference in
height between the uppermost part of the slumped concrete and the upturned cone
will be recorded in mm as the slump.

3.

Nine cubes are prepared in 150 mm x 150 mm each. The cubes are cured before
testing. The procedures for making and curing are as given in laboratory guidelines.
Thinly coat the interior surfaces of the assembled mould with mould oil to prevent
adhesion of concrete. Each mould filled with two layers of concrete, each layer
tamped 25 times with a 25 mm square steel rod. The top surface finished with a
trowel and the date of manufacturing will be recorded in the surface of the concrete.
The cubes will be stored undisturbed for 24 hours at a temperature of 18 to 220C and
a relative humidity of not less than 90 %. The concrete all will be covered with wet
gunny sacks. After 24 hours, the mould will be striped and the cubes will be cured
further by immersing them in water at temperature 19 to 210C until the testing date.

4.

Compressive strength tests will be conducted on the cubes at the age of 7 days. Then,
the mean compressive strengths after 28 days will be calculated.

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3.3.3 Tests on Concrete

Various tests will be conducted on the concrete blocks molded out of the different mixes
according to the mix design used. The tests will be used to prove the validity of the hypothesis
on the grounds that the tested stimuli will be measured in respect to the alternative result
expected. The results obtained will be recorded, documented, and analyzed later on in the
development of the study.
Some of the tests that will be conducted on the concrete molds will be:

Slump Test

Compaction Factor Test

Compressive Strength Test

Metal leaching tests

3.3.3.1 Slump Test

This is a suitable test for normal cohesive mixes of medium to high workability and is the
workability test that is most commonly used. A workable concrete is defined as a concrete
suitable for placing and compacting under the site conditions. The slump test will be carried on
the designed mixes. The standard slump cone with a base plate was used. A change in the value
of slump indicated changes in material water content or in the proportion of the mix, so was
useful in controlling the quality of the concrete produced. The apparatus will consist of a
truncated conical mould 100mm diameter at the top, 200mm at the bottom and 300mm high with
a steel tamping rod 16mm diameter and 600mm long with both ends hemispherical. The inside of
the mould will be cleaned and oiled before the test and the mould will be made to stand on a
smooth hard surface. The mould will be held down using the feet rested on the foot rests, will be
filled in three layers of approximately equal depth. Each layer will be tamped with 25 strokes of

19

tamping rod and the strokes being uniformly distributed over the cross-section of the layer. The
top surface will then be smoothened using the rod as the straight edge, and the surface of the
cone and base plate will be wiped clean. The cone will then be lifted vertically upright and the
slump measured.
3.3.3.2 Compaction Factor Test
The compaction factor test measures the degree of compaction resulting from the
application of a standard amount of work. The apparatus consist of a rigid frame that supports
two conical hoppers vertically aligned above each other and mounted above a cylinder. The top
hopper is slightly larger than the bottom hopper, while the cylinder is smaller in volume than
both hoppers. To perform the test, the top hopper will be filled with concrete but not compacted.
The door on the bottom of the top hopper will then be opened and the concrete allowed dropping
into the lower hopper. Once all of the concrete had fallen from the top hopper, the door on the
lower hopper will be opened to allow the concrete to fall to the bottom cylinder. A tamping rod
will be used to force especially cohesive concretes through the hoppers. The excess concrete will
be carefully struck off the top of the cylinder and the mass of the concrete in the cylinder
recorded. This mass will be compared to the mass of fully compacted concrete in the same
cylinder achieved with vibration. The compaction factor is defined as the ratio of the mass of the
concrete compacted in the compaction factor apparatus to the mass of the fully compacted
concrete. The compacting factor = mass of free-fall concrete / mass of compacted concrete.
3.3.3.3 Compressive Strength Test
The compressive strength test will be done in accordance with BS EN 12390-3:2009. By
the mix design I will obtain the total amount of cement, sand, aggregate required along with a
specified percentage (%) of slag and Fly-ash per cubic metre. I will then calculate the total

20

quantity of material required for 9 cubes per mix design. (3 cubes for 7 day testing, 3 for 28 days
testing and 1 for Metal Leaching Test and 2 for long-term tests). Moulds of 150mm by 150mm
by150mm cubes will be used, thus the total volume of the material will be calculated. The
moulds will be assembled, placed on a rigid horizontal surface and filled with concrete and then
compacted to remove the entrapped air, with no segregation. The concrete will then be placed in
layers of 50mm and then vibrated. Concrete paste, mixed with additional cement will then be
used as capping material. The idea is to increase the strength of the cap to reduce weak point
hence allowing distribution of the load. The surface will be smoothened and left for 24hrs before
dismantling the moulds and then cured by immersing in water according to BS EN 123902:2009. The specimens will then be removed from water, weighed, measured to determine the
area of the cylinder and the density of the concrete. Tests will be carried out on the concrete at
ages 7 and 28 days to determine the rate of strength gain of the concrete. Metal Leaching Test
will be done after 28 Days. Before testing the concrete, all cylinders will be inspected for defects
in the concrete to ensure consistent results and then loaded in the testing apparatus at the
concrete laboratory. At each age, two specimens will be tested to ensure accurate results will be
obtained.
The compressive strength of the concrete is determined from the following formula;
Fc = P/Ac
Where:
Fc - Is the compressive strength of the concrete;
P - Is the maximum force measured during testing; Ac is the area of the cylinder
or cube being tested.
The results will then be noted and graphs will be plotted showing the strength variation.

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3.3.3.4 Metal Leaching Tests

The metal leaching test was carried out to find the leaching of metals especially zinc after
28 days of curing the cube. The test aims at understanding the durability aspect of the cube and
its strength as a heavy amount of leaching reduces the durability of the cube in adverse
environmental situation.
The steps for testing are as follows:
1. Concrete cube will first be crushed in the compression-testing machine.
2. To crush the concrete further, aggregate impact-testing machine will be used.
3. The residue from the impact-testing machine will then be passed through a sieve of 250
micron.
4. The material passing through 250 micron sieve will be weighed to 0.6 grams in a
sensitive balance.
5. The material will then be put into the flask of the extracting unit and is heated to 60-70
degree Celsius.
6. 7.5 ml of HCl and 7.5 ml of H2SO4 will then be added to the flask resulting in white
fumes and then allowed to react for 15-20 min until black fumes emerge out.
7. Then I will add H2O2 drop by drop until brown fumes emerge out of the mix. I will keep
adding peroxide for 3-4 times.
8. The mixture will be allowed to digest and then allowed to cool after which a yellow
colour will be obtained which shows the completion of digestion.
9. I will dilute the mix to 100 ml and filter it with Whatman filter paper no. 42.

22

10. I will obtain the filtrate for further test of metal leaching on AAS (Atomic Absorption
Spectrophotometer). This will enable me to determine the metal concentration in the
filtrate.
3.4 DATA ANALYSIS
This is the stage where the data collected and recorded in the laboratory after various
tests have been conducted on the concrete molds, the data will be analyzed, tabulated, and
presented in form of graphs, flow-charts, pie charts or any other means of visual presentation. In
order to derive a conclusion from the research, data interpretation shall be conducted. Statistical
tools such as charts as well as graphs may be used to give a true representation of the parameters
being studied. According to the interpreted data, we will go back to our research objectives and
assess if they were answered and hypothesis proven or not.

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APPENDICES
APPENDIX 1
TIME SCHEDULE
SN

ACTIVITIES

Literature review

Inventory Equipment Acquisition

Laboratory Experiments

Data analysis

Desk study

Conclusion

Report writing and presentation

Correction and presentation

MONTHS
1 2 3

Key
1. January
2. February
3. March
4. April
5. May
6. June
7. July
8. August
9. September
10. October
11. November
12. December

24

10

11

12

APPENDIX 2
BUDGET ESTIMATE
SN

Activity

Estimated Cost (Ksh)

Equipment Cost

5,000

Travelling Cost

2,000

Research Expenses

5,000

Publications

1,000

Subsistence Allowance

2,000

Others

1,000

Total

16,000

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REFERENCES
1. Chaudhary, S., Misra, A., & Tripathi, B. (November 01, 2013). Strength and Abrasion
Characteristics of ISF Slag Concrete. Journal of Materials in Civil Engineering, 25, 11,
1611-1618.
2. Gianoncelli, A., Zacco, A., Struis, R. P. W. J., Borgese, L., Depero, L. E., & Bontempi, E.
(January 01, 2013). Fly Ash Pollutants, Treatment and Recycling.
3. Halstead, W. J., & Crumpton, C. F., American Association of State Highway and
Transportation Officials., United States., & National Research Council (U.S.). (1986).
Use of fly ash in concrete. Washington, D.C: Transportation Research Board, National
Research Council.
4. Hooper, R. (2002). Ferro-silicate slag from ISF zinc production as a sand replacement: A
review. (Innovations in design with emphasis on seismic, wind, and environmental
loading; quality control and innovations in materials/hot weather concreting, 811-837).
5. Monosi, S., Giretti, P., Moriconi, G., Favoni, O., & Collepardi, M. (January 01, 2001). Nonferrous slag as cementitious material and fine aggregate for concrete. 33-43.
6. Morrison, C., & Richardson, D. (December 01, 2004). Re-use of zinc smelting furnace slag in
concrete. Engineering Sustainability, 157, 4, 213-218.
7. Pepe, M. (2016). A conceptual model for designing recycled aggregate concrete for structural
applications.
8. Shashidhara, S. M. S., & Vyas, A. K. (January 01, 2010). Properties of cement concrete with
imperial smelting furnace slag as replacement of sand. Indian Concrete Journal, 84, 11,
41-49.

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9. Tripathi, B., & Chaudhary, S. (January 20, 2016). Performance based evaluation of ISF slag as
a substitute of natural sand in concrete. Journal of Cleaner Production, 112, 672-683.

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