Effect of Domestic Waste Water on the Strength of Concrete

Abstract

Efficientwater useisoneofthe most importantrequirementsofcleanerproductionandthe use of wastewater in concrete production important means to this end. However, there are no studies onthe qualityofconcrete using wastewaterand the activities inwhichwastewatercan be used. Thequalityofconcreteusingwastewaterandtoproposeguidelinesforitstreatmentfornon- potableapplications.Thetypeofwaterusedforthemixingdidnotaffecttheconcreteslump anddensity. Testswereconductedby100%replacingthetapwaterwithdomestic wastewaterin the concrete mixture. Domestic wastewater sample were collected from nalha near Sonegaon lake. The collected domestic wastewater and tap water were tastes and chemical analysis was carried out. The water samples, including a controlled portable (tap) water were analyzedfor pH, total dissolve solids (TDS), chloride, hardness, alkalinity, and sulfates. Chemical analysis results showed that although the chemical compositions of wastewater were much higher than those parameters found in tap water, the water composition was within the ASTM standard limits for all substance indicating that the wastewater produced can be used satisfactorily in M25grade of concrete mixtures. For M25 grade concrete mix the total 18nos of 150mmx150mmx150mm cubes were cast. Cube compressive strength was also determined at 7 -days, 14 -days, and 28 -days of curing. Results indicated that the strength of concrete of the mixtures prepared using wastewater was comparable with the strength of the control mixture.

Introduction

With rapid technological growth, research is focused on improving concrete strength while conserving natural resources, especially water—a vital but scarce resource. Typically, potable water is used for concrete mixing due to its purity, but increasing water scarcity and environmental concerns motivate the use of treated wastewater instead. Treated wastewater from sewage treatment plants, though containing impurities like sulfates and chlorides, can be a sustainable alternative for concrete production.

This study aims to evaluate the use of treated domestic wastewater as a replacement for potable water in concrete mixing to improve sustainability, reduce environmental impact, and maintain concrete strength. Key objectives include assessing compressive strength and chemically characterizing the wastewater.

Materials used include Grade 53 Ordinary Portland Cement, fine and coarse aggregates, and treated wastewater collected and tested for parameters like pH, dissolved solids, and hardness. Concrete specimens were prepared with a mix design targeting M25 grade concrete, cured for 7, 14, and 28 days.

Testing showed that concrete made with treated wastewater achieved compressive strength comparable to that made with potable water, indicating that treated wastewater can be a viable, eco-friendly alternative in concrete production, helping conserve potable water resources.

Conclusion

From the study and experiment it is concluded that the concrete mixed with the domestic wastewater show that following conclusions are found regarding the effect of waste water usage on the strength of concrete: • The chemical composition of the wastewater is generally higher than tap water, but within thestandard limits specified in ASTM. The high concentrations of some substances could raiseconcerns about the potential for corrosion and sulphate attack in reinforced concrete structures. • There was no significant difference in the cube compressive strength of concrete mixes using domestic wastewater after 28 days of curing. • Concrete specimen of domestic wastewater shows lower strength than portable water, but not less than 90% which is acceptable as per Indian Standard. • This research study shows that domestic wastewater can be used as mixing water in concrete as a replacement of portable water in case of scarcity of water. • Using waste water as mixing water in concrete saves portable water which is need of era.

References

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Copyright

Copyright © 2025 Sarika Modak, Vinit Kumar, Spandan Yogendra Raut, Shubham Sunil Meshram, Ankur Vasant Dongare, Rutwik Wanjari. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.