EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION ON THE USE OF LATERITE SAND FRACTION AS A PARTIAL REPLACEMENT FOR FINE AGGREGATE IN CONCRETE

Laterite soil is plentiful in the tropical and coastal areas of India.Due to the increasing price and limited availability of river sand, there is a growing demand to find locally sourced alternatives for use as fine aggregate (FA) in concrete.This research investigates the possibility of substituting river sand with the sand portion of laterite soil, processed to comply with IS 383 (1970) grading standards.A total of 54 concrete cubes (150 150 150 mm) were prepared with different levels of laterite replacement, cured for 3, 7, and 28 days, and evaluated for compressive strength, density, and workability.Findings reveal that partial replacement (up to 40% laterite) yields compressive strengths similar to traditional concrete, whereas full replacement lowers strength due to increased voids.Additionally, cost analysis demonstrates that using laterite reduces overall production expenses, making it a practical option for nonstructural and, in some cases, structural uses.