A STUDY OF D U N E S A N D C O N C R E T E F O R

AERONAUTICAL RUNWAYS

R Kettab
A Ghrieb A Bali
Ecole National Polytechnique Algiers
Algeria

ABSTRACT. The sand concrete is considered as one of the new materials used in civil
engineering field that valorizes sand natural resources. Our study aims to find out a formula
for dune sand concrete in order to use it in the runways construction. We suggested a
methodology to search the optimal formula, based on the criterion of strength, workability
and compactness. We used two samples of dune sand from different sources, then we added
calcareous filler and slag in order to improve the mechanical performances and an adequate
workability for the placement of runways concrete. Finally, an optimal formulation was
proposed, and additional tests were performed for obtaining the essential characteristics of
sand concrete.

Keywords: Sand concrete, Dune sand, Calcareous filler, Slag, Formulation, Runways.

R Kettab is a doctor lecturer in Civil Engineering at Ecole Nationale Polytechnique of

Algiers. Researcher teacher in local materials and their valorization

A Ghrieb is a masters student at the Ecole Nationale Polytechnique of Algiers.

A Bali is professor in the Civil Engineering department and Head of materials laboratory at
Ecole Nationale Polytechnique of Algiers.

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 492 Kettab, Ghrieb, Bali

INTRODUCTION

The sand concrete is distinguished from a traditional concrete by a large sand content, the
absence or the slight content of fine gravels and the incorporation of additives. The sand
concrete is thus a fine concrete, made up of a mixture of sand, cement, additives and water.
With regard to this basic composition and to meet the needs for certain uses, other specific
additives (fillers, fibres, dyes... etc.) can be used [1].

C H A R A C T E R I S T I C S O F T H E MIXING E L E M E N T S

Sand

It is a sand of dunes of the area of Hassi Berkine, characterized by its smoothness (M

F=0.72) and its homometry [2]. Figure 1 represents the grading curve of the sand of Hassi
Berkine:

0,01 0,1 1 10
G R A I N SIZE (mm)

Figure 1 Grading curve of the sand of Hassi Berkine

3
This sand is characterized by an apparent bulk density of 1523 kg/m , an absolute density of
3
2640 kg/m and a porosity of 42 %. The test of the sand's equivalent and the value of
Methylene blue showed that the sand is very clean (SE at sight 93.85 =, SE with piston =
75.65, value of Blue = 0.05).

The chemical analysis was carried out in order to determine organic matter contents,
sulphates, sulphides and chlorides, contained in the materials. These elements can affect the
results, beyond the acceptable limits.

The essential elements of the Chemical composition of sand are:

Silica (Si0 ) 98.31%, sulphates (S0 ) 0% and the Chlorides 0.29%.

2 4

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 Dune Sand Concrete 493

The chemical composition shows that the sand is made up primarily of silica (Si0 ) The 2

essential harmful elements (sulphates and chlorides) are practically non-existent, and do not
exceed the acceptable limits recommended by the standards (NFP 18-582 and NFP 18-583).

Fillers

It is the whole of the grains whose maximum size does not exceed 80 urn. Their presence in
certain concretes is essential to correct the index of voids within the sand, to improve the
cohesion, and to reduce cement content. In our work, we used two types of fines of addition,
different by their nature and granulometry, they are the calcareous filler and the ground slag

Calcareous filler

The filler is of calcareous nature composed mainly of calcite (93.22 % of CaC0 ), it is 3

3
obtained by crushing a gravel of class (8/15), its absolute density is 2700 Kg/m . Figure 2
presents the sedimentometric curve of the calcareous filler used:

The chemical analyses show the non existence of noxious elements (0.29 % of NaCl and
0%ofSO ). 4

Ground slag

The slag was obtained by the direct crushing of grained slag; its absolute density is
3
2700 Kg/m . Figure 3 presents the sedimentometric curve of ground slag used.

Concerning, the chemical composition of the slag, no noxious elements have been formed:
(0.17 % of NaCl and 0 % of SO 4 ).

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 494 Kettab, Ghrieb, Bali

j -
100

80 1

60 t

1 1
40

3
s
)
D
U 1 10 100 1000
E Q U I V A L E N T DIAMETER (li)
Figure 3 Sedimentometric curve of the ground slag

Cement
Only one cement type has been used in this work. It is commercial named CPJ 45 and is used
3
in major building sites in Algeria. Its density absolute is 3100 Kg/m

Additive

It is a product which improves the plasticity of a freshly-mixed concrete and its stability
(reduction of the risk of segregation), and consequently its workability. The plasticizer used
for our tests is a MEDAPLAST SP type made by the Granitex-NP company (NP: New
products) of Algiers.

FORMULATION OF THE DUNE SAND CONCRETE

The formulation of a concrete consists of choosing components and proportioning them in

order to obtain specific properties answering technical and economic criteria [3]. The steps
consist of seeking a composition of sand concrete having as principal characteristics: a
maximum mechanical strength at 28 days and a high workability at 15 seconds with the
mortar maniabilimeter LCPC, it is the adequate consistency for placing the concrete for
aeronautical roadways [4]. To achieve this goal, we proceeded in two stages of formulation
[2]:

• Formulation without fines (basic formulation): At this stage of formulation, we seek to

determine a formula of one cubic meter of concrete, composed of cement, water, sand
and additives, having a suitable workability.
• Formulation with fines: At this second stage, we introduced into the formula fines, with
different proportions and in their usual beach of employment.

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 Dune Sand Concrete 495

The basic compositions with the sand of Hassi Berkine are: Cement 350 (Kg/m ); W/C=0.80,
3
0.85, 0.90 and additive 4.13(Kg/m ).

The compositions with the sand of Hassi Berkine and calcareous filler are: W/C=0.70, 0.75,
3 3 3
0.80, 0.85 ; Filler 200, 250, 300( Kg/m ); Cement 350 (Kg/m ); and additive 4.13(Kg/m ).

The compositions with the sand of Hassi Berkine and slag are: W/C=0.85, 0.90, 0.80, 0.95,
3 3 3
1.00 ; Slag 200, 250, 300( Kg/m ); Cement 350 (Kg/m ); and additive 4.13(Kg/m ).

B E H A V I O U R OF S A N D C O N C R E T E

Choice of the optimal formulation

The specimens tested are 40x40x80 mm prismatic bars. The formulation without fines (basic
formulation) gave the results shown in table 1:

Table 1 Results obtained with the basic formulation.

COMPRESSIVE COMPRESSIVE
TIME OF
W/C STRENGTH AT 7 STRENGTH AT 28
FLOW
DAYS DAYS
0.80 >120 5.86 8.84
0.85 23 6.73 10.25
0.90 13 5.93 8.85

The various results obtained with the second stage of formulation are presented in the form of
graphs: Figures 4 to 9.
— 2 0 0 K g / m ' ~ » - 2 5 0 K g /m» 200Kg/m 3
250Kg/m*

W /C RATIO

Figure 4 Influence of W/C on Figure 5 Influence of W/C on

compressive strength (Formulation with compressive strength (Formulation with
calcareous filler) slag)

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 496 Kettab, Ghrieb, Bali

-w/c =0 75 • w/c =0 80 - w /c=0 70 • - w /c=0 80

—A— w/c = 0 85 • w / c = 0 75 w /c=0.85

200 250 300

57,1 71,4 85,7
3
FILLER CONTENT (Kg/m )
F/C (% by weight)

Figure 6 Influence of calcareous filler Figure 7 Influence of calcareous filler

content on compressive strength content on the time of flow

k W/C=0.95 -w/c=0 85
- w/c= 0.85 —•— w/c=0.90 -w/c= 0 90
100 i
-—V

«. 80
UJ
5 60
F
40
o_J
20
0
200 250 300 57,1 71,4 85,7

3
S/C (% by weight)
SLAG CONTENT (kg /m )

Figure 8 Influence of slag content on Figure 9 Influence of slag content on

compressive strength the time of flow

The analysis of the curves shows that:

• -at a fixed fine content, strength depends on W/C ratio: (Figures 4 and 5).
• at a constant W/C, strength depends on fine content: (Figure 6 and 7).
• at a constant W/C, the time of flow also depends on fine content: the concrete becomes
more workable with the addition of calcareous fillers, while the use of slag leads to the
opposite result (slag is an element with active angular grains, , then it requires a larger
quantity of water than the calcareous filler [5]): (Figures 8 and 9).

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 Dune Sand Concrete 497

Characteristics of the optimal formulation obtained with the calcareous filler

Stress-strain curves
The stress-strain curves of the optimal formulation are plotted on Figure 10.

1 — ' — 1
A Longitudinal 1

/\ \
(0
Q. —Transversal

(/)
CO
/ \
' \
RE

0 0.01

STRAIN

Figure 1 0 Stress strain curves

Young's modulus and Poisson's factor

Theses characteristics have been obtained trough the fatigue test where a cyclic load has been
applied to the prismatic ( 4 * 4 * 8 ) cm test specimen.

The formulated dune sand concrete has a modulus of elasticity E of 2 1 0 0 0 MPa. This value is
weaker than that of an ordinary concrete, which is generally close to 3 0 0 0 0 MPa [6].

With the same former test we determined the Poisson's ratio of our sand concrete. It has a
value v of 0.4.

CONCLUSIONS

• The strengths obtained are satisfactory, despite the bad aggregate gradation of sand, its
=
fineness (M F 0.72), its quality (homometric sand), the use of the usual cement content
3
( 3 5 0 Kg/m ) and high W/C ratio (> 0.75).

• The compressive strength at 2 8 days was greater than 1 5 MPa and the splitting tensile
strength reached a value of 1.3 MPa.

• We notice that this sand concrete presents a lower tensile strength than that required for
the construction of aeronautical roadways which should be greater than 3.3 MPa [7].

• However this new material can be used as a sub-base. To achieve this, some
characteristics of the material have to be studied such as shrinkage, creep, fatigue,
abrasion.... The use of sand concrete as a substitution to traditional concrete or lean
concretes can constitute an interesting alternative from the economical point of view. It
will be the case in a situation of a lack of fines gravels.

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 498 Kettab, Ghrieb, Bali

REFERENCES:

1. CHAUVIN, J.J., GRIMALDI, G., Les betons de sable, Bulletin de liaison des laboratoires
des ponts et chaussees, N° 57. Ref 3336, sep-oct.1988.

2. KETTAB, R., GHRIEB, A. Contribution a l'etude d'un beton de sable de dunes. Ecole
Nationale Polytechnique Alger, these de Magister Fevrier 2003.

3. CHANVILLARD, G., BASUYAUX, O., Une methode de formulation des betons de

sable a maniabilite et resistance fixees, Bulletin de liaison des laboratoires des ponts et
chaussees, N° 205, ref 4047, France, sep-oct.1996.

4. JEUFFROY, G., SAUTEREY, R., Chaussees en beton de ciment, presse de l'ecole

nationale des ponts et chaussees. Paris, France, 1987.

5. SABLOCRETE, Betons de sable, Presses de V ecole nationale des ponts et chaussees,

Paris, France, 1994.

6. GORISSE, F., Etudes des micro betons pour modele de structures, annales de Tinstitut
technique du batiment et des travaux publiques N° 291, France, dec. 1972.

7. LCPC, SETRA, Chaussees en beton (guide technique), Presses du laboratoire des ponts et
chaussees, Paris, FRANCE, 1997.

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