Durability assessment of concrete incorporating limestone sand with different fines content

This study investigates the effect of fines content below 63 μm in crushed sand (CS) obtained from limestone quarry on mechanical and durability performance of concrete. Two different w/c ratios respectively 0,38 (L series) and 0,58 (H series) were used in concrete mix design. Slag cement content were kept constant as 380 kg/m3 for L series and 280 kg/m3 for H series. To determine the mechanical behavior of conrete compressive strength test was performed. Besides mechanical test to explain the fines content effect on durability performance of concrete, chloride ion permeability, water penetration depth and capillary water absorption tests were performed. The abrasion resistance of concretes was also investigated. Non-destructive tests (NDT) such as Wenner probe electrical resistivity and ultrasounic pulse of velocity were performed to support durability tests. The results show that for L series concretes, the increment of fines content from 0% to 15% did not have clear effect on compressive strength. On the other hand for the H series, compressive strength increased with the addition of limestone fines (LSF). No significant change was observed in abrasion resistance. Furthermore, the rapid chloride migration (RCM) resistance decreased by the increment of LSF. Similar results were observed for the water permeability and capillary water absorption tests. NDT tests also supported durability test results. It can be concluded that the durable concretes can be produced from CS with around 10% LSF.