Experimental Investigation on Workability of Concrete Incorporating Various Cementitious materials and Fine Fillers with Expanplast SP100

Abstract

The construction industry is increasingly focused on sustainable concrete production through the utilization of industrial and agricultural waste materials. This study investigates the workability behavior of concrete incorporating rice husk ash (RHA), fly ash (FA), and marble powder (MP) as partial replacements of cement, along with the use of a chemical admixture, Expanplast SP100. Concrete mixes were prepared with replacement levels of 2.5%, 5%, and 7.5%, while maintaining a constant water–cement ratio of 0.5 and a concrete mix proportion of 1:2:4. The workability of fresh concrete was evaluated using the slump cone test. The results indicate that workability improved significantly up to an optimum replacement level of 5%, due to the combined effects of particle packing, pozzolanic material morphology, and superplasticizer action. A slight reduction in workability was observed at higher replacement levels due to increased fine particle content. The study concludes that the combined use of RHA, FA, and MP with SP100 is effective in producing workable and sustainable concrete.