STRUCTURAL CHARACTERISTICS OF LATERIZED CONCRETE AT OPTIMUM MIX PROPORTION

Abstract

The astronomical increase in prices of materials for building construction in Nigeria is causing a lot of concern, creating need for research into indigeneous materials as alternatives in building and rural infrastructures.  Research efforts are directed towards enhancing the use of locally and readily available material such as lateritic soils for the construction of low-cost but effective dwellings, farm structures and other rural infrastructures. The knowledge of characteristics and performance of laterized concrete is a prerequisite to the accurate design of structures built of this material.  Some of the structural characteristics of laterized concrete are studied at the predetermined optimum mix proportion and that used for general reinforced cement concrete work.  The results show that the values obtained for elasticity Modulus, rigidity Modulus, flexural strength, poisson’s ratio are higher at optimum mix proportion than at the conventional mix ratio in cement concrete.  Only density value is lower at the former mix ratio than the latter.