Civil Engineering and Architecture Vol. 13(3A), pp. 2426 - 2439
DOI: 10.13189/cea.2025.131319
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Characteristics and Strength Performance of Cement Mortar Incorporating Calcinated Kaolin from Ogun, Oyo and Ekiti States, Nigeria

Ajamu S. O. ¹, Abdulwahab R. ^2,*, Ibiwoye E. O. ², Shawon M. C. ^1
1 Department of Civil Engineering, Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Nigeria
² Department of Civil Engineering, Kwara State University, Nigeria

ABSTRACT

In the quest of scouting alternative supplementary cementitious materials that could complement the characteristics of the conventional binder in concrete technology, metakaolin has been found to show good prospects. However, reactivity of metakaolin is greatly dependent on the source of kaolin being the parent material. This study focused on the influence of source of kaolin on its reactivity and the corresponding effects of it thermally treated form on the strength performance of cement mortar. The kaolin was obtained from Ekiti, Ogun and Oyo States, respectively. The kaolin was calcinated at a temperature of 800℃ for a duration of 180 minutes to produce metakaolin and characterized accordingly. Metakaolin was used to replace cement in order 10, 15 and 20%, respectively and setting times were evaluated accordingly. A mixed ratio of 1:3 and water-binder ratio of 0.47 as well as incorporating 0.75% superplasticizer were adopted in the production of mortar. The mortar was cast in prism moulds of 40 x 40 x 160 mm. Thereafter, samples were cured in water and both the flexural and compressive strengths were evaluated at 7, 14, 21, and 28 days, respectively. The sum of silica, alumina and ferric oxides for all the metakaolin were observed to be greater than 70%. Hence, materials exhibited pozzolanic properties. The addition of 10% MK was observed to enhance both the flexural and compressive strength. Also, Oyo based MK samples surpassed those from Ekiti and Ogun States, evidence justifying the influence of source of kaolin on its characteristic performance.

KEYWORDS
Kaolin, Metakaolin, Pozzolan, Particle Size Distribution, Compressive and Flexural Strengths, Setting Times

Cite This Paper in IEEE or APA Citation Styles
(a). IEEE Format:
[1] Ajamu S. O. , Abdulwahab R. , Ibiwoye E. O. , Shawon M. C. , "Characteristics and Strength Performance of Cement Mortar Incorporating Calcinated Kaolin from Ogun, Oyo and Ekiti States, Nigeria," Civil Engineering and Architecture, Vol. 13, No. 3A, pp. 2426 - 2439, 2025. DOI: 10.13189/cea.2025.131319.

(b). APA Format:
Ajamu S. O. , Abdulwahab R. , Ibiwoye E. O. , Shawon M. C. (2025). Characteristics and Strength Performance of Cement Mortar Incorporating Calcinated Kaolin from Ogun, Oyo and Ekiti States, Nigeria. Civil Engineering and Architecture, 13(3A), 2426 - 2439. DOI: 10.13189/cea.2025.131319.