THE EFFECT OF SEA WATER ON THE COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH OF GRADE 30 CONCRETE USING SOME CEMENT BRAND

ABSTRACT

It is commonly recognized that adding seawater to concrete during mixing does not significantly affect the material's strength or other characteristics, but in specific circumstances, it can cause the reinforcement to corrode. This study aims to examine how the strength of concrete is affected by using saltwater as a curing medium. Following the weight-based batching of the concrete's ingredients, a 1:2:4 concrete mix was created using drinkable water, and many concrete cubes were cast. The study examined the impact of utilizing seawater throughout the mixing and curing process on the increase in strength of grade 30 concrete, utilizing specific cement brands. Compressive strength tests were performed on 96 concrete cubes. According to the study, utilizing seawater for mixing and curing concrete that has been mixed with different brands of cement has an impact on the concrete's compressive strength. When comparing identical concrete specimens formed and cured using fresh water at 28 days to those made using sea water, it was found that the strength of the seawater-made concrete increased by around 10%. This phenomenon was also seen in the concrete cast using both BUA and Dangote cement. As a result, it is advised that using seawater for the casting and curing of concrete should not be disregarded. But when it comes to reinforced concrete, it's advised to use corrosion inhibitors and stainless steels, when possible, to keep the reinforcement from corrodin.