Comparison on the Properties of Various Alternative Materials for Replacing River Sand in Structural Elements

Abstract

River sand is a non-renewable source of material which we have been utilizing it in construction for years. In this paper replacement of natural river sand by various by-products and waste materials obtained from different sources have been taken for the study to compare their properties with that of the river sand. The alternative materials considered for the study were M-sand, Eco sand, Copper slag, crushed glass, quarry dust, foundry sand, biomedical waste ash. Some of the materials have been already tested and the optimum percentage of usage in concrete has been determined. But the comparison of their properties with that of the river sand with 100% replacement have been carried out for the study in order to check their potential to act as fine aggregate in concrete or construction industry. The tests performed were sieve analysis, specific gravity, moisture contentand compressive strength of cement mortar cubes.The test results obtained would help us in projecting a newer dimension in use of these materials in structural elements too. If it’s proven successful, thenwe would be able to implement it in large scale which would help us to revolutionize the construction industry by economizing the construction cost and enabling us to conserve the natural resources.