Mechanical Properties of Concrete Incorporating Calcined Ebonyi Shale (CES) at Elevated Temperature

Abstract

The increasing rate of fire disaster especially in the developing countries has renewed the demand for utilization of more economically sustainable materials for built environment. In this paper, the effect of calcined Ebonyi shale (CES) incorporated as partial replacement (15%) of cement on the thermo-mechanical properties of high strength concrete were investigated. The preparation of the CES was carried out by calcining the Ebonyi shale at a temperature of 900 °C. Both raw Ebonyi shale (RES) and calcined Ebonyi shale (CES) were analyzed using scanning electron microscope (SEM) and X-ray fluorescence (XRF). After curing time of 28days, several samples were exposed to varying temperatures. A comparison of the results showed that incorporation of CES enhanced high strength properties of concrete at elevated temperature. Consequently, economical and eco-friendly mixes that reduces CO2 emissions of the overall cement production of clinker were achieved.