I just stumbled upon the question “Why is sand added to concrete? On Quora and so I think there might just be several other people out there with a similar question and so I decided to bring it closer for you my reader too.
On this Post, I’ll explain the reasons why sand is always added to concrete
1. One of the important goals of mix designing is to ensure that The small holes between large coarse aggregate is filled up. Filling up these holes requires the presence of a finer aggregate and this is where sand comes in. Also Read: 6 High Paying Jobs For High School Diploma Holders In The US
Because even sand grains on their own still has different sizes, the finer particles stat to fill up holes or pores that the bigger grains of sand could not fill
2. Also, Without sand (fine aggregate), we end up with excessively large holes which must be filled up with (expensive) cement paste.
3. Sand is way cheaper than cement paste. You can say its the cheapest and most durable filler available in construction. Also Read: Things You Must Know About TSTv Decoders
So, we need more cement paste than we otherwise would. That costs serious money, and also leads to an excessive drying shrinkage figure.
4. Good sand, at least silica and some basaltic etc sands are likely to have a low permeability to water and more importantly chlorides and possibly the effects of carbonation than cement paste. Also Read: Difference Between Tender Documents And Contract Drawings
5. Sand is usually abundant and when its just in the right proportion in a mix system, its aids workability. Just imagine a mixture of granite and cement without sand. Less workability isn’t it? Lol
Well, I’ve listed 5 reasons why sand is always added to concrete on this post, you can however suggest other reasons in order to enable us build a more reliable platform for other researchers.
Hi, I'm Richard Nwachukwu! It is my job to handle the content aspect of this great organization and I'm determined to ensure you get it all right as long as you're handling a construction project in Nigeria!