Experimental investigations on improving compressive strength of laterized concrete for partially replacing conventional concrete

Laterized concrete has seen the light of day in several countries such as Nigeria, Japan, but no one had tried the experiment in West Africa. It was then decided to test it in Mali because if it worked, it would be a very advantageous asset for this country. To achieve this, five (5) months were spent in a civil engineering laboratory trying as best to develop concrete based on laterite to assess the resistance obtained, then trying to improve this resistance obtained by adding admixture. To set up this study, it was opted for an experimental way which would be best suited in this case. Experimental investigations were carried out on laterized concrete in several forms. Apart from crushed gravel, cement, sand from the Niger River which crosses the entire Malian territory, the laterite used came from the Fonbabougou quarry, 26.2 km from the starting point (the laboratory) to the tar and 5.8 km from the tar to the quarry, a total distance of 32 km from the laboratory to the Fonbabougou quarry. Various tests were carried out on the materials such as particle size analysis, sand equivalence and Atterberg limits. Admixtures have been incorporated into certain formulations in order to improve its resistance such as SUPER SIKALITE and BV40 and to assess the reaction between these admixtures and laterite. Laterized concrete at a dosage of 350 kg/m3 reached 13.08 MPa at 28 days of maturity and at a dosage of 250 kg/m3 reached 8.27 MPa at 28 days of maturity. After the addition of the various admixtures, only BV40 created a difference in strength with 13.14 MPa obtained at 28 days of maturity for a dosage of 250 kg/m3. This value is close to the resistance of conventional concrete at a dosage of 250 kg/m3 without the addition of admixture.