EFFECT OF WATER QUALITY ON THE COMPRESSIVE STRENGTH OF CONCRETE (A case study of well, stream and tap water in Kaduna State)

Abstract

Water forms the basic constituents in concrete work. It is the principal hydrating agent that initiates the chemical reaction; other constituent materials are cement, fine and coarse aggregates. Water is the most important and least expensive ingredient of concrete as it actively participates in the chemical reaction with the content. A part of mixing water is utilized in the hydration of cement to form the binding matrix in which the inert aggregate are held in suspension until the matrix has hardening. The remaining water serves as a lubricant between the fine and coarse aggregate and makes concrete workable. The quality of water used in mixing concrete plays an important role in the resulting compressive strength of the concrete. The water used for the mixing and curing of concrete should be free from injurious amounts of deleterious materials. Hence the need to investigate the effect of water quality on the compressive strength of concrete is of paramount importance. A visit to most construction sites in Northern Nigeria shows that the common sources of water used are well, stream/river and treated water from the public system which is seldomly available due to epileptic supply. A close examination of these water ....