CHAPTER 4

DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS.

This chapter will mostly deal on data computation and analysis; the obtained data will be
analyzed based on how they affect the concrete made up of palm kernel shells as partial
replacement for coarse aggregate.

Several tests were performed as follows;

 Sieve analysis test on course and fine aggregate.

 Specific gravity test on course aggregate.
 Moisture content test on fine aggregate and coarse aggregate.
 Water absorption test on fine aggregates and coarse aggregates
 Ten percent fines value test.
 Slump test on fresh concrete.
 Compressive strength test on hardened concrete.

4.1 Results for fine aggregates

4.1.1 Sieve analysis on fine aggregate.

This test was done on sand so as to obtain the fineness modulus of the sand particles. The
following masses of materials were collected and the data obtained are,-

Table 4. 1 Showing sieve analysis test results on fine aggregates

Weight of sample (g) 1669.7

Sieve (mm) 10 5 2.36 1.18 0.6 0.3 0.15 Pan
Retained (g) 0.0 0.6 301.9 673.1 364.9 167.2 94.9 67.1
Retained % 0.00 0.04 18.08 40.30 21.85 10.01 5.68 4.02
Passing % 100.00 99.96 81.89 41.59 19.74 9.73 4.05  
Cumulative retained   0.04 18.11 58.41 80.26 90.27 95.95  99.97
%
FM 3.4
 Wet sieve analysis
Percentage Passing each sieve

100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
0.01

0.1

10
Sieve Sizes mm - log scale
Figure 4. 1 showing particle size distribution curve for fine aggregates

4.1.2 Moisture content

Water absorption test is done for coarse aggregates only to determine amount of water absorbed
by aggregates during concrete mix.

These are the results obtained;

Dry mass (M1) =586.8g

Wet mass (M2) =604.2g

Water absorption = ((M2-M1)/M1)*100 = ((604.2-586.8)/586.8)*100=2.965

4.2 Results on coarse aggregates and palm kernel shells

4.2.1 Sieve analysis on course aggregate.

The following are the data obtained on the sieve analysis test for course aggregates.

Table 4. 2 Showing sieve analysis test result on course aggregates

Sample Avera
no. A B ge
Wt. of
sample Gradi
(g) 5001.90 5002.80 ng
Wt. % % Wt. % %
Sieve Retain Retain Passi Retain Retain Passi
(mm) ed ed ng ed ed ng  
              100.0
37.5 0.0  0.0 100.0 0.0  0.0  100.0 100.0
25.0 0.00 0.0 100.0 0.0 0.0 100.0 100.0
19.0 1175.8 23.5 76.5 1203.8 24.1 75.9 76.2
12.5 1902.4 38.0 38.5 1879.6 37.6 38.4 38.4
9.5 774.6 15.5 23.0 792.7 15.8 22.5 22.7
4.8 867.2 17.3 5.6 884.3 17.7 4.8 5.2
2.36 67.2 1.3 0.0   82.4 1.6 0.0 0.0
 100.0
90.0
80.0
70.0
60.0
% Passing

50.0
40.0
30.0
20.0
10.0
0.0
0.0 0.1 1.0 10.0 100.0
Sieve sizes (mm)

Figure 4. 2 showing particle size distribution curve for coarse aggregates

4.2.2 Other physical properties on coarse aggregates

4.2.2 Other physical properties tests results

The table below shows the results for mechanical characteristics of coarse aggregates and palm
kernel shells.

S/NO TEST RESULTS

COARSE AGGREGATES PALM KERNEL
SHELLS
1 Specific gravity 2.701 1.14-1.17
2 Water absorption 0.2 14-33%
3 Moisture content 1.4%
4 TFV (Dry condition) 2010 _
5 TFV (Wet condition) 202 KN _
Table 4. 3 Showing other physical properties result on course aggregates

The specific gravity of coarse aggregates obtained was within the range of 2.5 and 3.0 which is
the required range of specific gravity of coarse aggregates (Neville 2013). On the other hand
Okpala (1990) found the specific gravity of PKS was 1.14, while Teo et al. (2006), Mannan and
Ganapathy (2001), and Basri et al. (1999) recorded equal values of 1.17. Also according to
hemming et al. (2009), the light weight aggregates have specific gravity of between 0.8 to
1.7.According to Neville (2013), the higher the specific gravity the higher the strength of
aggregates, hence the coarse aggregates had higher strength than the PKS.
The water absorption of coarse aggregate was 0.2% which is very low compared to the range of
normal coarse aggregates of 0.5 – 1%. (Neville 2013). This shows the used coarse aggregates
had very low absorption capacity. PKS on the other hand has very high absorption capacity
which is between the range of 14 -33% (Okpala, 1990; Ndoke, 2006). This shows palm kernel
shells have higher absorption capacity than coarse aggregates, and its use in concrete leads to
reduction in workability due to loss of mixing water by absorption.

The moisture content for coarse aggregates was …………….. while that of palm kernel shells
was ………… this shows that the palm shells have high pore content than coarse aggregates.
Hence the use of palm kernel shells leads to production of concrete with low density than that
made up of normal coarse aggregates.

The TFV was done only for aggregates in both dry and wet condition to determine if the coarse
aggregates are good for concreting and that they would not affect our study. The TFV value
obtained were 210 KN and 202 KN for dry condition and wet condition respectively. According
to BS 812: part 111: 1990, the required TFV is 110 KN, hence the coarse aggregates had enough
strength for concreting.

4.3 Concrete mixing design results

Concrete grade C20 with target strength of 33 MPa was designed using DOE method of concrete
mix design. The mix design ration obtained was 1: 2:4.

The mix proportions used in the concrete preparation obtained from the mix designed are
tabulated in the table below.

Table 4. 4 showing mixing proportions used for various concrete mixes

4.4 Slump test on fresh concrete

Slump tests of concrete was done with the fresh concrete made of normal aggregates as control.
The results showed as you increase the amount of palm kernel shells while reducing the amount
of aggregates in the concrete mix results in decrease of concrete workability. The slump reduced
from 55 mm of the control concrete to 4.2 mm of the modified concrete 0f 30% replacement of
coarse aggregates by palm kernel shells. This agrees with the tests of moisture content where
palm kernel shells had small value of moisture content meaning it can absorb more water
compared to coarse aggregates. Also Azunna (2019), concluded that palm kernel shells have
higher water absorption than palm kernel shells where the study agrees with the results obtained
in this research showing coarse aggregates have higher water absorption capacity than palm
kernel shells. Hence increasing the palm shells in the concrete mix while reducing the coarse
aggregates results in loss of mixing water due to absorption of palm kernel shells hence showing
why the workability of concrete was reducing.
According to the results from 20% replacement to 30% replacement, the slump values were very
low meaning the workability is very low and it will require high compaction to obtain good
strength results.

The graph showing the results of workability with respect to % replacement of coarse aggregates
by palm kernel shells

60 55 Chart Title
Slump (mm )

50
40
30.6
30
22.2
20
12.6
10 8.4 6.3 4.2
0
0 5 10 15 20 25 30
Percentage of palm kernel shells (%)
Figure 4. 3 showing slump values for various concrete mixes

4.5 Compressive test of hardened concrete results

This test was performed so as to determine the strength of concrete under axially applied load.
To evaluate the effect of replacement of palm kernel shell as coarse aggregates on the
compressive strength of concrete, plain control concrete was compared with six concrete batch
mixes containing different percentage of palm kernel shells. Concrete cubes were made by
partially replacing some percent of coarse aggregates with palm kernel shells. Coarse aggregates
was replaced by 0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25%, and 30% and then cubes were cured and tested
by 7 days, 14 and 28 days.

Table 4. 5 showing 7 days and 28 days compressive strength of various mixes

Compressive strength (MPa)

Percentage 7days 28days
replacement
0% 0
 5% 19.76 28.46
10% 17.12 23.6
15% 13.60 19.79
20% 11.32 16.36
25% 10.57 12.6
30% 8.17 9.44

The results showed the compressive strength of all mixes increased steadily with respect to
curing age. At 7 days, compressive strength of concrete specimen with 5% of palm kernel shells
replacement was 19.76 MPa and that of 28 days was 25.47 MPa. The increase in strength shows
that the palm kernel shells in the concrete does not deteriorate with time.

On the hand, the compressive strength of concrete was reducing with the increase in shells
percentage replacing the coarse aggregate. 28days strength of concrete with zero replacement
(control mix) was 33 MPa while that of 30% replacement was 11.468 MPa. This may be due to
weakness of palm kernel shells as compared to normal granite coarse aggregates. Also the study
by Amarnath and Ramachandrudu (2012) showed that the compressive strength of concrete
depends on the bond between particles whereas the bond also depends largely on surface texture
of aggregates and cement paste. However the smoothness of palm kernel shells reduces the
bonding strength and the addition of cement is required so as to attain good concrete strength.
Since the amount of cement of concrete was kept the same during the tests and increase in
percentage of palm kernel shells increased the shells surface area of contact, then this explains
why the strength of concrete reduces as the percentage of palm kernel shells increases with the
decrease of natural coarse aggregates.
Figure 4. 1Showing compressive strength test results for various mixes

CHAPTER 5

CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION

5.1 Conclusion
The conclusion on this reserch is an attempt to determine how the partial replacement of coarse
aggregate with palm kernel shells affects the selected properties of oversite concrete such as
workability of concrete and compressive strength of hardened concrete.

Generally, palm kernel shells can be used as the partial replacement of coarse aggrement in
oversite concrete and can even be used for low to moderate strength application such as paving,
drainage works, floor blinding and others. however the replacement should not exceed 15% as
the required strength for oversite concrete is 20 MPa which was obtained when 15% of coarse
aggregates were replaced by palm kernel shells.

The workability of concrete made up of palm kernel shells is very low due to high absorption
capacity of palm kernel shells where as the mixing water is highly absorbed by these shells.

5.2 Recommendations

From the results obtained palm kernel shells are recommended to be used in oversite concrete as
it would reduce the problem of environmental pollution and natural resources depletion. The
recommended possible use should not be exceed 15% for oversite concrete.

The use of higher slump design values is recommended so as to obtain good workability when
using palm kernel shells in concrete. Also introduction of addittives to improves workability of
the concrete can be applied for better use of the concrete.

Also the use of other mix ratios and testing of other concrete propertise is recommended for
further research and findings.