Published Paper Details:

In the present study, an attempt has been made to assess the suitability of kaolinite clay collected from hyderabad, India, as pozzolana in making concrete. The characteristics of OPC, FA, CA, and water were studied to assess their suitability to use in concrete. Mineralogical and physical properties natural kaolin clay collected from Cretaceous (CCK & CCT) and Tertiary system (TCN) were analyzed to find out their acceptability as pozzolona to use in concrete. Later, natural kaolin was calcinated at 400oC, 600oC and 800oC temperature over a period of 4 and 6 hour duration to find out optimum calcination temperature and calcination duration to convert natural kaolin into meta-kaolin. Subsequently, an effort has been made to determine the influence of meta-kaolin on characteristics of MK-OPC blended cement such as consistency, setting time and compressive strength. Further, MK concrete mixes were designed using guidelines prescribed by IS: 10262-2009. Subsequently effect of MK on workability of fresh concrete and also properties of hardened concrete such as compressive, flexural and split tensile strength of concrete were analyzed. Later, CCK15MK concrete mixes were made assess its influence on structural performance of reinforced concrete and also durability in terms of acid resistance, sulfate resistance, chloride resistance, etc. Finally microstructure analysis using x-ray diffraction, Scanning Electron Microscopy with Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy was carried out on CCK15, CCT15, and TCN15 mixes to find the influence of meta-kaolin on performance of concrete.