EFFECT ON PROPERTIES OF CONCRETE BY PARTIAL REPLACEMENT OF CEMENT WITH METAKAOLIN AND SUPERPLASTICIZER

Metakaolin, a pozzolanic material, has been recognized for its potential to enhance concrete properties, while superplasticizers are commonly used to improve workability and reduce water content in concrete mixtures. The experimental program involves the preparation of concrete mixtures with metakaolin replacements at different levels (by 0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% by weight of cement). A commercially available superplasticizer is added to the mixtures (by 0%, 0.5%, 1%, 1.5%, and 2% by weight of cement) to optimize workability. The properties of the resulting concrete, including slump cone test, compressive strength, flexural strength, split tensile strength are assessed. The results show that the incorporation of metakaolin in concrete leads to improved mechanical properties, with significant enhancements observed in compressive and flexural strengths. Moreover, the inclusion of a superplasticizer improves the workability of the concrete mixtures containing metakaolin, ensuring easier placement and compaction.