• Mishra Ratnsheel Nandkumar
• R. M. Swamy
• Dr. Y.S. Patil
• Dr.M.S. Kuttimarks
• Jyoti Shivaji Aher

India's rapid population growth and infrastructure expansion have significantly increased the demand for construction materials, especially cement. However, cement production poses considerable environmental challenges, including the emission of harmful greenhouse gases. To tackle these challenges and sustainably address the rising demand, there is growing interest in using mineral admixtures as supplementary cementing materials (SCMs) in concrete. This report examines the application of Silica fume as an SCM in concrete. The research methodology includes detailed mix design, concrete sample casting, curing, and a series of tests to assess the performance of concrete with Silica fume. These tests consist of cube compressive strength tests at various curing stages, split tensile strength tests, Slump cone tests, and Flexural tests. A review of existing literature indicates that incorporating Silica fume can improve the strength and durability of concrete while lowering its environmental impact. Studies show that adding Silica fume enhances compressive strength, tensile strength, and durability. Concrete mixes of M40 grade were created with different percentages of Silica fume (0%, 2.5%, 5%, 7.5%, 10%, 12.5%, and 15%) replacing cement. The mixes were tested for compressive strength, split tensile strength, flexural strength, and slump. Results indicate that workability decreases as the percentage of Silica fume increases. The slump value dropped from 95 mm for standard OPC cement to 34 mm for the mix with 15% Silica fume. Strength improves with up to 12.5% Silica fume but starts to decline at 15% at 3, 7, and 28 days. A 12.5% replacement of cement with Silica fume increased split tensile strength to 4.24 N/mm² compared to 100% cement concrete, but further increases in Silica fume content reduced it to 4.08 N/mm². Similarly, flexural strength increased to 5.67 N/mm² with a 12.5% Silica fume replacement but decreased to 5.21 N/mm² with higher proportions. The anticipated outcomes of this study include demonstrating early strength development, enhanced overall strength, and reduced environmental impact through the use of Silica fume as an SCM in concrete. The results could lead to the creation of more sustainable concrete mixtures with optimized performance, encouraging eco-friendly construction practices and decreasing dependence on traditional cement materials.

Silica fume; Supplementary cementing materials (SCMs); Sustainable concrete; Cement replacement; Carbon footprint reduction; Mineral admixture.

"Study on concrete by replacement of silica fume", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.11, Issue 9, page no.c831-c842, September-2024, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2409292.pdf

"Study on concrete by replacement of silica fume", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.11, Issue 9, page no. ppc831-c842, September-2024, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2409292.pdf