ABSTRACT
Fine aggregate occupies considerable volume in concrete. Conventionally, natural sand is used as the fine aggregate in concrete. The scarcity of good quality natural sand and strict government laws on its mining have made it necessary to look for an alternative for the fine aggregate to be used in the concrete. Crushed sand is one of the most considerable alternative of natural sand nowadays for its use in the concrete. Natural sand is replaced by the crushed sand in proportion of 50%, 75% and 100% volume of the fine aggregate for M25 concrete grade in the present investigation. Mechanical properties like compressive strength, flexure strength, split tensile strength, bond strength and modulus of elasticity for four concrete mixes are investigated. It is observed that 50% replacement of natural sand by the crushed sand in the concrete mixes helped to improve the mechanical properties. The reason behind maximum improvement in properties at 50% replacement of natural sand by the crushed sand may be considered as the presence of lesser voids in the concrete due to better particle packing.
