Suitabilty of Palm Kernel Shell As Coarse Aggregate In Lightweight Concrete Production

Abstract

Palm kernel shell(PKS) is an agricultural waste which is environmental friendly. This research was focused on the assessment of characteristic strength of palm kernel shell concrete, with the view to be used as lightweight aggregate. This research is carried out to help in reducing construction cost in areas where lightweight concrete canbe considered. Various tests were carried out  in order to ascertain its use as lightweight aggregate. The aim was achieved by casting the beam and cubes with total replacement of granite with PKS and also casting an equivalent control to give a basis for comparison and a water cement ratio of 0.65 at a mix ratio of 1:2:4. A total of 24 beams and cubes each were cast  respectively . They were cured for 7, 14, 21 and 28days. Crushing of 3 each for the Palm Kernel Shell Concrete (PKSC) and Normal Weight Concrete (NWC) for each curing day upto the age of 28 days was carried out. The results of crushing values are as follows for 7, 14, 21 and 28 days; 14.47N/mm², 18.49N/mm², 20.33N/mm² , 23.00N/mm² and 7.40N/mm², 9.20N/mm²; 11.30N/mm² , 13.10 N/mm², for NWC and PKSC respectively. The value for the flexural strength is as follow; 1.87, 0.91, 1.36, 1.81 and 0.34, 0.34, 0.40, 0.34 for NWC and PKSC respectively. The results showed that the compressive and flexural strength improved with age of curing, though the compressive and flexural strength of PKSC is low as compared to that of the NWC. It was concluded that the compressive and flexural strength of NWC is higher than that of PKSC. Therefore PKSC canbe used as lightweight concrete which should be designed with the corresponding design for NWC. It can therefore be concluded that palm kernel shell is a lightweight aggregate and can be used to produce lightweight concrete.

Keywords: Palm kernel shell, lightweight aggregate, compressive strength, flexural strength