Waste Shell Cement Composites

Seashells waste is a growing economic and environmental hazard. The purpose of this project was to use seashells in concrete and determine how the concrete would perform compared to a standard mix. The testing consisted of eight mix designs that contained either conch or oyster shells. The shells were used as a substitute for 10% or 25% sand, and 5% cement powder pending the mix design. Four of the mixes used shells that were vinegar treated to determine if that affected the strength of the concrete. These mixes were all compared to the control and each other through a series of tests. The tests conducted were the 3-point bend test, compressive test, split tensile test, and shrinkage test. The samples were also examined using electron microscopy and x-ray diffraction