Experimental Investigation on Short Term Effect of Calcined Clay on Concrete Strength
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.65150/EP-gjetr/V2E7/2026-06Keywords:
Carbon dioxide emission, mix design, oxide composition, compressive strengthAbstract
The cement and concrete industry faces amassed pressure to cut carbon dioxide emissions associated with cement production. One viable strategy is inclusion of supplemental resources to replace fractions of cement clinker. Calcined Clay (CC) has the potential to partially supplement cement and significantly reduce carbon dioxide emission. Therefore, the short term effect of CC on the strength of concrete incorporating CC is being examined. Natural clay was collected in Ekiti State, Nigeria and calcined at 750℃. Concrete was prepared by mixing sand, granite, cement, CC (varying proportions) and water manually using a developed mix design at 0.5 water binder ratio. The CC0 served as control, while other mixes were labelled CC10, CC20, CC30, CC40 and CC50. Laboratory tests conducted were determination of: oxide compositions of the CC, slump and density of wet concrete, and compressive strength of matured concrete at varying curing durations. Outcome on oxide composition shows that CC contains about 93.7 % of combined silica, alumina and ferrite. The slump ranges between 35-95 mm and decrease with increase in CC content. Wet density for all the mixes were comparable with control. Compressive strength at 28 days was comparable with control at medium replacement levels 10-20% while mixes with 40-50 % replacement recorded 54.8% and 61.3% reduction respectively compared to the control. Conclusively, CC can safely be included in concrete without compromising the strength capability of the concrete. Strides should be made towards the necessary standardization, validation that will encourage the market acceptance of CC as cement replacement.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Olulope, O. R., Ayeni, I. S., Popoola, O.O. (Author)
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