Resistance of concrete based on treated mud to sea water attack

Abstract

All the dams in the world are exposed to the phenomenon of sedimentation, but with velocities that differ from one region to another. This phenomenon has been widely reported in Algeria. Dredging is a vital activity in the operation of dams, but the amount of sediment discharged by dredging operations downstream of the structure can lead to long-term pollution of the rural environment. This study focuses on the valorization of the vases resulting from these dredging operations at the dams as the case of Chorfa dam (western Algerian). The objective is to propose economically competitive formulations that are easy to implement and which allow these materials to be used in the manufacture of ordinary concretes by partial substitution of cement (10, 20 and 30%). The sludge is treated by calcination at 750°C to make it active. Seawater attack tests were conducted on the concretes to determine their durability. The results obtained confirmed the possibility of developing concretes incorporating the calcinated sludge at dosages of up to 30% without compromising the quality of these concretes in terms of behavior against seawater aggressions meeting the economic, ecological and technological objectives.

Keywords

• sludge
• calcination
• durability
• sea water attacks.