Utilizing Local Natural Pozzolan as Partial Replacement of Cementitious materials and Sand in Cement Mortar Cubes

Abstract

The concrete is considered a versatile construction material. The concrete comprises of fine aggregate, coarse aggregate and cement paste (cement and water). The cement paste is the binding material for aggregates in concrete. Local natural pozzolan (LNP) is found in Almadinah Almunawara, KSA. LNP can be used as partial substitution for cement and fine aggregates in lightweight concrete. This paper presents an investigation of the effect of partial replacement of cement with LNP powder in cement mortar cubes to reduce the harmful environmental impact of carbon dioxide emission resulting from cement manufacturing and the effect of partial replacement of fine aggregate in cement mortar cubes with LNP on the mechanical properties of mortar cubes. It was recommended by Saudi Building Code to add pozzolan with cement of special type in the production of concrete exposed to severe sulfate. A fifty-four cement mortar cubes of 50 mm were made (six cubes as control specimens, twenty-four cubes with cement replacement by weight with local natural pozzolan powder at replacement levels of 10, 20, 30 and 40%, and twenty-four cubes with sand replacement by volume with local natural pozzolan at replacement levels of 10, 20, 30 and 40%). The cement mortar cubes were tested at 28 and 180 days. The replacement of sand by volume with local natural pozzolan showed a notable effect on the mechanical properties of cement mortars when compared with the replacement of cement by weight with local natural pozzolan powder.