Indrala Enosh
Concrete production depends heavily on natural coarse aggregates, leading to rapid depletion of natural resources and environmental concerns. At the same time, the quality of mixing water and the internal microstructure of concrete strongly influence its mechanical performance. This experimental study investigates the combined influence of magnetic water and artificial coarse aggregates on the mechanical properties of M30-grade concrete. Two concrete mixes were considered: MW + NAC, using magnetic water with natural coarse aggregate, and MW + AAC, using magnetic water with artificial coarse aggregate. Both mixes were proportioned for M30 concrete with a water-cement ratio of 0.45 in accordance with IS 10262:2019. Magnetic water was prepared by exposing ordinary water to a 985-gauss permanent magnet for 24 hours. Artificial aggregates were produced from waste-derived materials (fly ash, cement, and slag) and used as a full replacement for natural coarse aggregate in the MW + AAC mix. Cubes, cylinders, and beams were cast and tested for compressive strength at 7 and 28 days and for split tensile and flexural strength at 28 days. The MW + NAC mix attained 28-day compressive, split tensile, and flexural strengths of 43.19 N/mm², 4.078 N/mm², and 4.71 N/mm², respectively, while the MW + AAC mix achieved 34.41 N/mm², 3.47 N/mm², and 3.98 N/mm². All values exceeded the characteristic requirements for M30 concrete. The results demonstrate that the MW + AAC mix, despite lower strengths than MW + NAC, provides structurally acceptable performance with the added benefit of improved sustainability through the use of artificial aggregates and magnetic water. It is concluded that magnetic-water concrete with artificial aggregates can be adopted as a viable M30 concrete for structural applications where environmental considerations are important.
DOI has been requested and is pending allotment.