ENHANCING MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF M45 CONCRETE USING NANO TITANIUM DIOXIDE (TIO₂): AN EXPERIMENTAL INVESTIGATION

The incorporation of nanomaterials in cementitious composites offers a promising approach to improving concrete's mechanical performance.This study evaluates the effect of nano titanium dioxide (TiO) as a partial replacement for cement in M45 grade concrete.Five mixes were prepared with 0%, 1%, 2%, 3%, and 4% nano TiO by weight of cement, maintaining a constant w/c ratio of 0.38.Mechanical properties such as density, water absorption, compressive strength, split tensile strength, and flexural strength were investigated.Results showed that 2% TiO yielded optimum performance, with compressive strength increasing by 18.85% at 7 days and 3.24% at 28 days, compared to control.Split tensile and flexural strengths improved by 5.38% and 1.93%, respectively.Nano TiO reduced water absorption by up to 33.84%, confirming pore refinement.Improvements are attributed to filler and nucleation effects, which densify the microstructure.Excess TiO (>2%) caused agglomeration, limiting further gains.The findings highlight TiO's potential as an effective additive for high-performance concrete.