Effects of Water Reducing Admixtures in Lightweight Coconut Shells Concrete

Abstract

The study investigates the effect of water-reducing admixtures in lightweight coconut shells concrete, the water used in production of concrete cubes were mixed with complast SP432MS admixture in the order of 0%, 2%, 4%, 6%, 8%, 10% replacement, the water-cement ratio and mix ratio adopted was 0.5 and 1:2:4 respectively. The specimen of 150×150×150mm3 cube size were used and cured for hydration period of 7,14,21 and 28 days respectively. The result revealed that the compressive strength obtained at 28days curing of coconut shell concrete without admixture (control) was12.25N/mm2, while for the concrete with admixture were in the range of 14.44N/mm2,15.73N/mm2,18.12N/mm2,14.60N/mm2,8.0N/mm2. The study arrived at an optimum replacement level of 6%.