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Enhancing the flexural Strength of High-strength Concrete by incorporating Micro-silica and Quarry Dust
Subject area: Science,Engineering and Technology · Area of research: Civil Engineering
Abstract
This study investigates the flexural strength, or modulus of rupture, of concrete mixtures incorporating supplementary replacement materials across varying water-to-binder (W/B) ratios at 28 days. Experimental results obtained from 100 mm x 100 mm x 500 mm prisms were evaluated against predicted values using Eurocode 2 and ACI 318-11 code relationships. The findings demonstrate that lower W/B ratios yield a denser, less porous concrete matrix, which significantly increases flexural strength. Moderate substitution with replacement materials optimizes the modulus of rupture through improved particle packing, filler effects, and pozzolanic activity that strengthens the interfacial transition zone. However, exceeding the optimal replacement limit decreases overall strength due to the dilution of essential cementitious content and incomplete hydration. An evaluation of internal consistency revealed that 19 out of 20 evaluated mixtures exhibited a precise 20% variance between directly measured and Eurocode-derived equivalent compressive strengths, confirming strong cross-property reliability. The notable exception occurred in a mixture with 10% replacement and a 0.20 W/B ratio; while it achieved the peak compressive strength of 73.4 MPa, it displayed a disproportionately lower flexural strength gain, indicating a divergence between compressive and flexural behaviors at optimal peak performance.
Keywords
flexural strength; modulus of rupture; water-binder ratio; Eurocodes; compressive strength
References
[1] Al-Kharabsheh BN, Arbili MM, Majdi A, Ahmad J, Deifalla AF, Hakamy A, et al (2022). Feasibility study on concrete made with substitution of quarry dust: A review. Sustainability, 14(22), 15304. https://doi.org/10.3390/su142215304
[2] Dehwah HAF (2012). Mechanical properties of self-compacting concrete incorporating quarry dust powder, silica fume or fly ash. Construction and Building Materials, 26(1), 547–551. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2011.06.056
[3] Güneyisi E, Gesoğlu M, Özbay E (2011). Influence of supplementary cementitious materials on engineering properties of high strength concrete. Construction and Building Materials, 25(5), 2639–2648. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2010.12.013
[4] Meisuh BK, Kankam CK, Buabin TK (2018). Effect of quarry rock dust on the flexural strength of concrete. Case Studies in Construction Materials, 8, 16–22. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cscm.2017.12.002
[5] Siddique R (2011). Utilization of silica fume in concrete: Review of hardened properties. Resources, Conservation and Recycling, 55(11), 923–932. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.resconrec.2011.06.012
[6] Singh A, Singh N (2024). Mechanical properties of silica fume based concrete: A review. Materials Today: Proceedings. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.matpr.2024.05.037
How to cite this paper
@article{1723789,
author = {Alamieyeseigha, G. S., ThankGod, O, Ngekpe B. E., Otto, C. G.},
title = {Enhancing the flexural Strength of High-strength Concrete by incorporating Micro-silica and Quarry Dust},
journal = {Iconic Research And Engineering Journals},
year = {2026},
volume = {10},
number = {4},
pages = {1224-1236},
issn = {2456-8880},
url = {https://www.irejournals.com/formatedpaper/1723789.pdf},
abstract = {This study investigates the flexural strength, or modulus of rupture, of concrete mixtures incorporating supplementary replacement materials across varying water-to-binder (W/B) ratios at 28 days. Experimental results obtained from 100 mm x 100 mm x 500 mm prisms were evaluated against predicted values using Eurocode 2 and ACI 318-11 code relationships. The findings demonstrate that lower W/B ratios yield a denser, less porous concrete matrix, which significantly increases flexural strength. Moderate substitution with replacement materials optimizes the modulus of rupture through improved particle packing, filler effects, and pozzolanic activity that strengthens the interfacial transition zone. However, exceeding the optimal replacement limit decreases overall strength due to the dilution of essential cementitious content and incomplete hydration. An evaluation of internal consistency revealed that 19 out of 20 evaluated mixtures exhibited a precise 20% variance between directly measured and Eurocode-derived equivalent compressive strengths, confirming strong cross-property reliability. The notable exception occurred in a mixture with 10% replacement and a 0.20 W/B ratio; while it achieved the peak compressive strength of 73.4 MPa, it displayed a disproportionately lower flexural strength gain, indicating a divergence between compressive and flexural behaviors at optimal peak performance.},
keywords = {flexural strength; modulus of rupture; water-binder ratio; Eurocodes; compressive strength},
month = {October},
}