Experimental investigation on treated foundry sand by partial replacement of fine aggregate in concrete

Abstract

Concrete is the most widely used construction material in the newlineglobally, with an annual production of around ten billion tonnes. Its newlineconsumption is second only to water. Concrete is a highly adaptable newlinematerial made from a mixture of cement, fine and coarse aggregates, and newlinewater. Aggregates make up 70% to 80% of the total volume of concrete, newlinewith fine aggregates accounting for 20% to 30% of that volume. For many newlineyears, river sand has been the primary fine aggregate used in concrete. newlineHowever, factors such as natural calamities, overexploitation, and pollution newlinefrom industrial waste have led to the depletion of rivers. Due to these newlineconcerns, there is ongoing research to find alternatives to river sand in order newlineto reduce environmental stress. Meanwhile, the rising costs of construction newlinematerials and the improper disposal of waste materials, which harm the newlineenvironment, further underline the need to find sustainable alternatives. newlineThe use of industrial waste in concrete production is increasingly newlinebeing promoted to reduce the depletion of natural resources. The foundry newlineindustry, which produces metal castings, generates large amounts of by newlineproducts, one of which is foundry sand. This high-quality silica sand is newlinereused many times by foundries, but after multiple uses, it must be newlinedisposed. The discarded sand, known as Waste Foundry Sand (WFS), newlinerepresents a significant waste stream, especially in India, which is the third newlinelargest casting producer globally after China and the United States. newlineApproximately 15% of the sand used by foundries ends up as waste, newlineamounting to millions of tonnes. In many cases, this waste is dumped in newlinevacant areas, contributing to pollution and environmental degradation. newlineWhile WFS has physical properties similar to natural sand, much of the newlineresearch has focused on using non-ferrous WFS in concrete newline