Compressive strength and durability of Metakaolin blended concrete exposed to acid and sulphate attack

Abstract Sustainable development of the cement and concrete industry requires the utilization of industrial and agricultural waste components. At present, for a variety of reasons, the concrete construction industry is not sustainable. In general, high strength concrete made with ordinary cement is not durable and does not have good resistance to acids except for some weak acids if the exposure is occasional. Metakaolin is a supplementary cementitious material used as an admixture to produce high strength and high-performance concrete. The objective of this study is to arrive at Optimal quality of metakaolin that can partially replace the cement for M20, M30, M40, M50, M60, M70, M80 grades of concrete to get better strength and durability. The mix proportions of OPC concrete are obtained for M20, M30, M40, M50, M60, M70, M80 as per IS 10262 2009 [1]. Mix proportions with partial replacements of cement by 0%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, 30% of Metakaolin with concrete were determined. Concrete specimens for compressive strength (150 mm x 150 mm x 150 mm cubes) are cast and Durability studies are conducted for all grades with partial replacement of cement by Metakaolin for 1% and 0.5% concentrations of HCl and H2SO4. From the results, it was concluded that the compressive strength of concrete is maximum at 15% replacement of cement by Metakaolin. The compressive strength of concrete showed better result at 15% replacement of Metakaolin for 0.5% and 1% HCl and H2SO4 at the age of 28days of strength. The effect of HCl on strength of the Metakaolin concrete is lower than the effect of H2SO4.