Submit your papersSubmit Now
For Enquiries: [email protected]
IIARD LogoIIARD

Comparative Assessment of Crushed Seashell and Granite Aggregates on The Compressive Strength and Density of Concrete

Arogo, Eyaramuonan Charles

Abstract

Concrete performance is strongly influenced by the type and quality of coarse aggregates, which govern key properties such as compressive strength, density, and durability. Conventional crushed granite aggregates provide reliable mechanical performance but are associated with environmental degradation and increasing material costs, particularly in coastal regions where alternative resources are abundant. Waste seashells, generated in large quantities from marine and seafood activities, present a potential sustainable aggregate substitute; however, direct comparative evidence between seashell and granite aggregate concretes remains limited. This study experimentally investigates the effects of crushed seashell and crushed granite aggregates on the compressive strength and density of concrete using a standardized 1:2:4 mix ratio and a constant water–cement ratio of 0.5. Concrete specimens were produced with varying levels of granite replacement by seashell aggregates and tested at curing ages of 7, 14, and 28 days. The results show that compressive strength increased with curing age for all mixtures, while increasing seashell content led to a gradual reduction in strength and density. The control mix containing 100% granite achieved the highest 28-day compressive strength of 18.11 MPa. A 20% replacement level attained a 28-day strength of 14.48 MPa, indicating acceptable performance for low- to medium-strength applications. Although higher replacement levels exhibited reduced early-age strength, concrete with 100% seashell aggregate showed notable late-age strength development, reaching 14.65 MPa at 28 days. Density decreased from 2561 kg/m3 for granite concrete to 2401 kg/m3 for full seashell replacement, accompanied by increased water absorption. These findings demonstrate that crushed seashell aggregates can serve as a viable and sustainable partial replacement for conventional granite aggregates, particularly in non-structural and lightweight concrete applications

Keywords

Concretecrushed seashellOrdinary Portland Cementcompressive strength

References

Al Saffar, D. M., Al Saad, A. J. K., & Tayeh, B. A. (2019). Effect of internal curing on behavior of high performance concrete: An overview. Case Studies in Construction Materials, 10, e00229. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cscm.2019.e00229 Avudaiappan, S., Arrue Munoz, R. F., Murali, G., Chávez-Delgado, M., Ramirez-Madrid, A., Manidurai, P., Saavedra Flores, E., & Maureira-Carsalade, N. (2026). Resource recovery for sustainable construction: Strength and microstructure characteristics of municipal solid waste incineration ash as a green alternative to cement in cementitious composites. Case Studies in Construction Materials, 24, e05675. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cscm.2025.e05675 Bamigboye, G., Enabulele, D., Odetoyan, A. O., Kareem, M. A., Nworgu, A., & Bassey, D. (2021). Mechanical and durability assessment of concrete containing seashells: A review. Cogent Engineering, 8(1), Article 1883830. https://doi.org/10.1080/23311916.2021.1883830 Do, T. M., & Kim, Y. S. (2016). Engineering properties of controlled low strength material incorporating red mud. Geo-Engineering, 7, Article 7. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40703-016-0022-y Eziefula, U. G., Ezeh, J. C., & Eziefula, B. I. (2018). Properties of seashell aggregate concrete: A review.Construction and Building Materials, 192, 287–300. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2018.10.096 Gyurkó, Z., Szijártó, A., & Nemes, R. (2019). Cellular concrete waste as an economical alternative to traditional supplementary cementitious materials. Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry, 138, 947–961. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10973-019-08303-8 Hamada, H. M., Al-Attar, A., Askar, M. K., Beddu, S., Majdi, A., & Humada, A. M. (2025). Recycled seashells as sustainable aggregates in concrete: Advancing waste management and enhancing performance: A comprehensive review. Journal of Building Engineering, 110, 113067. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jobe.2025.113067 Hamasalh, B. J., Taha, B. O., & Madhat, G. J. (2020). Fresh properties of lightweight concrete and lightweight self-compacting concrete produced with pumice aggregate. Eurasian Journal of Science and Engineering, 6(2), 11–20. https://doi.org/10.23918/eajse.v6i2p11 Hossain, K. M. A. (2004). Properties of volcanic pumice based cement and lightweight concrete. Cement and Concrete Research, 34(2), 283–291. Kaushik, P., Ul Hassan, O., & Mehmood, G. (2024). Graphene-modified concrete: Understanding mechanical behaviour with varied coarse aggregates (Posted content). Research Square Platform LLC. https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-4461007/v1 Neville, A. M. (2011). Properties of concrete (5th ed.). Pearson Education Limited. Nilimaa, J. (2023). Smart materials and technologies for sustainable concrete construction. Developments in the Built Environment, 15, 100177. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dibe.2023.100177 Pertiwi, D., Theresia, M. C. A., & Komara, I. (2021). The impact of different coarse aggregate sizes on the strength and performance of concrete using locally available materials. Natural Volatiles & Essential Oils, 8(5), 10332–10340. Poon, C. S., Shui, Z. H., & Lam, L. (2004). Effect of microstructure of ITZ on compressive strength of concrete prepared with recycled aggregates. Construction and Building Materials, 18(6), 461–468. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conbuildmat.2004.03.005 Vaidya, O. V., Malviya, K., & Bhirud, Y. L. (2022). The strength characteristics of concrete using recycled concrete aggregates. Research in Engineering Structures and Materials, 8(4), 853–860. Yang, E. I., Kim, M. Y., Park, H. G., & Yi, S. T. (2010). Effect of partial replacement of sand with dry oyster shell on the long-term performance of concrete. Construction and Building Materials, 24(5), 758–765. Zaimy, N., & Abdul Ghani, A. H. (2023). A review on sea shells waste as partial replacement of fine aggregate in concrete. Recent Trends in Civil Engineering and Built Environment, 4(1), 021–032. https://publisher.uthm.edu.my/periodicals/index.php/rtcebe/article/view/2966 Zhou, J., Dong, Y., Qiu, T., Lv, J., Guo, P., & Liu, X. (2025). The microstructure and modification of the interfacial transition zone in lightweight aggregate concrete: A review. Buildings, 15(15), 2784. https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings15152784 Zhu, Y., Li, Q., Xu, P., Wang, X., & Kou, S. (2019). Properties of concrete prepared with recycled aggregates treated by bio-deposition adding oxygen release compound. Materials, 12(13), 2147. https://doi.org/10.3390/ma12132147

More Articles from INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENGINEERING AND MODERN TECHNOLOGY