Beach Sand

Hmm, now I wonder what they used for the Golden Gate Bridge? I wonder how close to critical failure those foundations are?

Actually river aggregates are subround to round, not angular. This is one method to identify alluvial materials from river and stream deposits from glacial, colluvial or aeolian deposits.

NaCL is a major consideration for not using beach sand. though many facilities in areas with expansive beachs, and limited access to large rivers, use washed beach sands (just have to be well washed hopefully with a calcareous water supply). Another consideration is the minerology, is it adversely reactive with cement (sand is just smaller version of the minerals in the parent rock).

In addition to the salt content, what happens to a beach that is stripped of its sand for construction uses? It disappears. In Hawaii, the public would be in outrage. Do consider the damage you inflict when you alter an environment (potentially drastically over time).

Hi there Sparky

What a great reply. Inhenyero could not have asked for more.

The only experience I had with the Problem was when we I built an improvised boat. Ferro cement sort of thing. I used a desirable shape, created from wet sand and started with chicken wire, galvanised. A bit of improvisation and it bloody floated. Nothern Queensland come to mind doesn't it? It did the job.

Like others have mentioned, it is the durability factor that counts most although If you take sand from were it belongs your punching holes in a bucket, Oh henry oh henry.

Salt being hydrophobic would retain the water for longer and attract water in the future but in thin layers and well dryed (more baked, at least in the sun) the salt should ad to the (maybe short lived) over all stability.

I have heard that bamboo can be increased in strength by keeping it in brine and then drying it. The salt crystals integrate into the "empty" spaces.

Too lazy to google and I'll leave it with you now. Ky.

I'm not sure that I agree with your comments re hydrophobicity and retaining water! Are you sure you don't mean hydrophilicity?

Hello Cardio07

from me

You are correct because hydrophobic = water hating, and hydrophilic = water loving.

I had read that reply earlier, and not seen the incorrect word usage.

Kind Regards....

I believe he is referring to the incorrect hydrophobic reference in par 4 of post 5, not same in your posts.

Actually i think you mean hygroscopic. Since hydrophobic/hydrophilic are wetting properties, not water absorbing/retaining properties. Hygroscopic is the property of absorbing moisture and retaining water. Hygroscopic moisture is the moisture retained/absorbed by a sample at air dried conditions relative to oven dried (or you could use negative presures also).

By the way NaCl is not nearly as hygroscopic as CaO. So CaO would have the greater water attracting force and higher capacity to absorb water. NaCl is a hydrophilic compound, and many silica mineral in sand are hydrophobic (as is glass). So NaCl would help wet the surfaces and bring them into contact with the cement solution. However, the sodium interferes with the calcium and magnesium bonding with silicates and aluminosilicates, and can contribute to a reduction in precitpitate formation (as it increases the solubility of these compounds).

I don't mean anything. I was commenting on what poster #5 wrote. Take it up with him.

I'm sorry. I got it frack to bont. Sure it must read hydrophilicity. Ky

Hello ky

Watch out for the

Kind Regards....

Getting cold feet while speculating near very hot water. Good sign to get out. Shooting from the hip is just a typical trait of mine. Sometimes helpful sometimes not.

Again I believe you mean hygroscopic, not hydrophilic or hydrophobic as these are wetting terms. Hygroscopic materials absorb water and bind it strongly.

beach sand is adivisible for finishing work or not?

Hello narawade

In my opinion, after many years of experience: No.

That is because of both the reasons mentioned in my earlier Post #1.

Hope that assists you.

Kind Regards....

I think your question asked for help using beach sand as an "add mix" instead of a primary component. Am I correct? If I am I would like to know the application. If you are looking for "lighter weight" concrete I have an idea for you.

Let me know what you want to do with the concrete and I will send you case studies on the use of Zeolite as an "add mix" and your engineer of record can guide you in the blending of the sand and Zeolite. If your goal is to replace normal sands with beach sand....I hope it is for a road or side walk.

Miketheboilerguy@aol.com

Yes, I am very interested wit that Zeolite. Of all the answers, you are the nearest.

I am expecting answers concerning admix or methodology to improve the strength of concrete (using beach sand).

tnx a lot

Sorry for the delay. I have not located the reference studies that I will be sending to you. They are on an older computer. I will send them soon.

Mike

I am already aware that physical characteristic affects the strength of concrete and chemical elements present on the beach sand causes the corrosion of reinforcement bars. That is why my question is "HOW CAN WE IMPROVE THE STRENGTH OF CONCRETE USING BEACH SAND AS FINE AGGREGATES?"

There are so many concrete products that doesn't require reinforcing bars or mesh (hollow core blocks, solid blocks, paver blocks, etc), so, corrosion of steel is not a problem.

Most of your answers is good for the question "CAN WE USE THE BEACH SAND AS FINE AGGREGATES FOR CONCRETE?"

Hello again inhenyero

Best to leave that beach sand where it belongs: On the Beach.

You could add a water-miscible 2-pot industrial resin, to increase the strength of concrete which has Beach sand included, but why bother to squander something which is made from the planetary bank of petrochemicals.

If you intend making GOOD concrete products, do not use Beach Sand.

If you intend to waste materials, time, and money making a shoddy product, use Beach Sand in concrete.

Kind Regards....

hey! be cool!

there many places that aggregates is limited, being a resourceful is not bad i think. still you don't understand the question, i am asking how to improve the concrete (using beach sand) to eliminate wasting of materials, time, money and shoddy products.

there are people who wants to explore and there are also people who just sit there and wait what is the available products to use.

magnesia cements, ceramic cements can use beach sand. the salt has no effect on the properties. also, these cements bond to the rebar, rather than surround it and then leave spaces around it as they dry, so they can not wick water. rebar corrosion does not seem to be a problem.

i am not an expert on these things by any means. i am barely a beginner, so do not take my word as anything beyond a suggestion. investigate it yourself, or at least ask a professional familiar with these cements. jonathan should weigh in here.

Friends,

There are at least 4-5 types of portland cement, which is the bonding agent in concrete mixtures. At least one of them is salt-water resistant (as well as sulfate resistant and low-heat while curing). It is suggested for use in direct contact with ocean water. This may solve part of your problem. My reading on the general topic showed the biggest single cause of low strength to be too much water in the mix.

--JMM

Beach sand is not used due to presense of salt in it. The salt will corrode the reinforcement bars and the concrete will chip off.

The only way you can use "Beach Sand" is by getting it washed thoroughly and remove all traces of salt.

Good Luck

Mizun

hello again everyone. i am still recommending a magneisa cement. here is a link to a pdf from a german company. it is obvious to me from the qualities they are touting for their product that they are talking about magnesia cement.

so, just scan the qualties and claims that they make for their product. you will see that beach sand is just fine for construction with their product.

http://www.revodyne.com/cement.pdf

plus it makes a concrete that is 3 times as strong as portland cement. i have nothing to do with this company. i just stumbled upon their site while googling for "beach sand" + "portland cement".

joe

Hello inhenyero,

As you can tell,there are Many experts here.Some even understand what they are talking about even when they do not know what they are talking about.

A Google search for 'concrete' revealed this site to me a while ago...

http://www.concrete.com/

You should be able to locate someone who has researched the use of beach sand in concrete and or the problems with using beach sand in concrete.

Many,many new additives and recipes for concrete are being investigated.

Let me guess.You have a lot of beach sand available 8-).

It would be interesting to hear how you would be using your 'beach sand concrete'.

Are you involved with the resort construction in Bahrain?

Later.

J.