ABSTRACT

A Study was conducted on the effect of treatment of ordinary Portland cement (OPC) with Nickel II Sulphate Ilexahydrate on Splitting Tensile Strength of Normal Concrete. Concrete can also be called a common material which is used in the construction industry on a daily basis, its use spans from the most menial work or element to mega building and structures. The aim of this research is to investigate the effects of pretreatment of OPC with Nickel II Sulphate hexahydrate (NiSO-i(112O)6) chemical activator on the performance ofconcrete. Study the optimum percentage ofNickel(II)Sulphate Hexahydrate [NiSC>4(H2O)6], that is, OPC with 1, 3, 6, 9 and 12% NiSO4 dosage that can give normal consistency ofwater to cement ratio for the concrete, and to know the effect of different proportions of treatment of cement by Nickel(II)Sulphate Hexahydrate [NiSO4(H2O)fi] chemical activator on the concrete workability by measuring the slump values for the fresh concrete, proportions oftreatment of cement by Nickel(II)Sulphate Ilexahydrate [NiSO4(H2O)6] on the splitting tensile strength properties at normal environmental temperature at 7lh and 28th day of concrete ages. The properties of materials used is cement, sand, Gravel, water, chemical activator [NiSO4(H2O)6], and a mix design for normal concrete and replacing the total cement content by different percentages as mentioned earlier for the mix design, the beneficial effect ofNickel II Sulphate I lexahydrate is observed. The splitting tensile strength at the age of 28 days ofNickel II Sulphate Ilexahydrate concrete continuously increased with respect to conventional concrete and reached a maximum value of 3% replacement level for the normal grade of concrete. Among the modified concrete, Split Tensile Strength with 1% Nickel II Sulphate from 7lh day to 28lh day of curing showed the highest increase rate. It was discovered that Nickel II Sulphate has good impact in improving the Split Tensile Strength.