Abstract:
There is a global construction boom as nations urbanize and develop via the expansion of
infrastructure. Ethiopia’s construction sector has also grown in an exemplary manner for the
past few decades. In line with that, natural resources like river sand are depleted and
become scarce in the market throughout Ethiopia.The construction sector has little
understanding of this issue, as population growth drives rapid increases in construction and
urbanization.This research was conducted to assess the use of crushed sand instead of
natural sand for concrete works of road construction around Jimma area.The comparison
focuses on quality and cost aspects. The impact of a different mix proportion of crushed
sand on the workability, compressive strength, flexural strength, and splitting tensile
strength qualities of concrete was examined using an experimental study methodology. The
results of the test indicated that the natural Worabe sand and the Dima sand had fineness
modulus of 3.00 and 3.02, respectively, which qualified them for use in concrete. However,
the fineness modulus of the crushed sand was 3.30, which means that it cannot be used as a
fine aggregate in concrete without blending. The test result from the experimental study
indicated that using more natural sand in place of crushed sand aggregate somewhat boosts
the workability of fresh concrete. The study found that using more crushed sand in place of
natural sand aggregate somewhat boosts the compressive strength of concrete. A 50%
mixture of manufactured and natural Dima sand produced concrete with a mean
compressive strength of 34.84 MPa, above C-25. As crushed sand is substituted for natural
sand in concrete, the splitting tensile strength increases until it reaches 100% replacement.
An investigation into the impact of manufactured sand on the cost-benefit analysis of the
concrete showed that mixes that substitute some or all of the natural sand with crushed
sand saw a notable change in cost. The largest percentage cost reduction between 100%
natural sand and 100% crushed sand is around 10.74%. In general, when crushed sand is
substituted partially or completely, the concrete's compressive and split tensile strength is
higher than that of river sand. Crushed sand should thus be used in the construction industry
to optimize resource use and lower unnecessary material expenditures.
