Effect of Waste Foundry Sand on the Different Properties of Concrete

Used-foundry sand is a by-product of ferrous and nonferrous metal casting industries. Foundries successfully recycle and reusable the sand many times in a foundry. When the sand can no longer be reused in the foundry, it is removed from the foundry and is termed waste foundry sand. In an effort to utilization waste foundry sand in large volume, research is being carried out for its possible large-scale utilization in making concrete as partially replacement of fine aggregate. This paper presents the results of an experimental investigation carried out to evaluate the different properties of concrete mixtures in which fine aggregate (regular sand) was partially replaced with waste-foundry sand (WFS). Fine aggregate was replaced with five percentages (5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, and 25%) of WFS by weight. Tests were performed for the properties of fresh concrete. Compressive strength, splitting- tensile strength, flexural strength and on-destructive test were determined at3, 7and 28 days. Test results indicated a marginal increase in the strength properties of plain concrete by the inclusion of WFS as partial replacement of fine aggregate (natural sand) and that can be effectively used in creating good quality concrete and construction materials. Key Words: Industrial waste, waste-foundry sand, Compressive strength