Performance Study of Steel Fibre Reinforced Artificial Sand Concrete

In India, conventional concrete is produced by using natural sand from river bed as fine aggregate. Dwindling sand resources poses the environmental problem and hence government restrictions on sand quarrying resulted in scarcity and significant increase in ist cost. This paper presents the performance study of artificial sand as fine aggregate for concrete by comparing ist basic mechanical properties with that of conventional concrete. Three matrices with compressive strength 20, 30 and 40 Mpa were designed and reinforced with crimpled steel fibers at dosage rate of volume fraction 0, 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 percent. Sufficient numbers of specimens were prepared, cured and tested for compressive strength, flexural strength and split tensile strength at 7 and 28 days curing. The experimental results encourage the full replacement of natural sand by artificial sand. The promotional use of artificial sand will conserve the natural resources for the sustainable development of the concrete in construction industry.