Light Weight Concrete Using Coconut Shell

Anbazhagan.A ,Gopinath. L, 12UG student, 3Assistant Professor,

Department of Civil ,

IFET College of Engineering,

Villupuram, Tamilnadu, India.

ABSTRACT

The high cost of materials for any conventional building is a major factor that affects the

housing delivery worldwide. This has necessitated research for alternative cost effective

materials in construction with the innovation . The paper aims at analysing characteristic

compressive and tensile strength of coconut shells of concrete produced. By introducing

coconut shells as a addition in conventional concrete in M30 grade concrete. The cube and

cylinder are casted, tested then physical and mechanical properties are determined. In this

studies, three different concrete mixes with different three mixes of with coconut shell in 20

mm aggregate, with 8mm aggregates and without coconut shell. Nine samples specimen will

be prepare for each concrete mixes. The parameters will be tested are compressive strength,

tensile strength.

Keywords:- introducing, addition, coconut shells.

1.Introduction

Infrastructure development across the

world created demand for construction

materials. Concrete is the premier civil

engineering construction material.

Concrete manufacturing involve

consumption of ingredients, aggregates,

water and admixture. Among all the

ingredients, aggregates form the major part.

Use of natural aggregate in such a rate leads

to a question about the preservation of

natural aggregates sources. In addition,

operations associated with aggregate

extraction and processing are the principal

causes of environmental concerns. In light

of this, in the contemporary civil

engineering construction, using alternative

materials in place of natural aggregate in

concrete production makes concrete as

sustainable and environmentally friendly

construction material. Different alternative

waste materials and industrial by products

such as fly ash, bottom ash, recycled

aggregates, foundry sand, china clay sand,

crumb rubber, glass were replaced with

natural aggregate and investigated

properties of the concretes. Apart from

above mentioned waste materials and

industrial by products, few studies

identified that coconut shells, the

agricultural by product can also be used as

aggregate in concrete.

India is the third largest, having cultivation

on an area of about 1.78 million hectares for

coconut production. Annual production is

about 7562 million nuts with an average of

4248 nuts per hectare. The coconut industry

in India accounts for over a quarter of the

world's total coconut oil output and is set to

grow further with the global increase in

demand. However, it is also the main

contributor to the nation's pollution

problem as a solid waste in the form of

shells, which involves an annual production

of approximately 3.18 million tones. It also

presents serious disposal problems for local

environment, is an abundantly available

agricultural waste from local coconut

industries. In developing countries, where

abundant coconut shell waste is discharged,

these wastes can be used as potential

material or replacement material in the

construction industry. This will have the

double advantage of reduction in the cost of

construction material and also as a means of

disposal of wastes.

2. Selection of materials and tests:

1.Cement

2.Fine aggregate

3.Coarse aggregate

4. Coconut shell

Coconut shell

Coconut shell crushing value by

Compression testing machine 1.53%

Coconut shell aggregate impact by test

Impact testing machine 6.08%

Specific gravity by Wire Basket 1.5

3.Methodology

Proportioning of coconut shells in a big and

small configuration.

3.1 Mixing and casting

The solid ingredient of fine aggregate,

course aggregate, fly ash and egg shell

powder are dried and mixed for about 3

minutes and continued with solution such

as sodium hydroxide and sodium silicate

and also water for another 4 minutes. Then

placed to the mould which well prepared by

oil coat. Concrete is placed by three

compacted layer and allowed to place on

vibrator to dry out excess water and make

equal distribution of aggregates. After 24

hours specimen is allowed for curing

process.

3.2 Curing Curing was provided to strength

the concrete before it subjected to carrying

a loading condition. Due to absence of

cement material, heat of hydration is

negligible. Hence it doesn’t required water

curing. Curing is provided at room

temperature.

4. Result After proper curing of specimen,

they are allowed to test its strength to be

achieved on concrete. Three type of testing

to be carried using CTM and UTM is given

by

Compression test

Flexural test

Split tensile test

Conclusion

The result obtained from this test provides

clear conclusion about the combination of

concrete mix.

Coconut shell is suitable for the addition in

conventional concrete to reduce the density

of concrete which is usefull to reduce

weight of concrete and achieve light weight

concrete.

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