Investigation of Geology and Hydro-geophysical Features Using Electromagnetic and Vertical Sounding Methods for Abu Zabad Area, Western Kordofan State, Sudan

The geology and hydro-geophysical features can aid in identifying borehole location. The study aims to investigate groundwater aquifers and best location of boreholes in the crystalline basement area of Abu Zabad near El Obeid Southwest, Sudan. The study area is underlain by two aquifers formations from Precambrian age. The oldest units of basement complex of area under investigation consist of metamorphic rocks including gneiss, schist, and quartzite.The geophysical methods electromagnetic (EM) and vertical electrical sounding (VES) surveys showed that best aquifers yield for construction of boreholes are in weathering and fractures formation. The EM results revealed that structural features are significant for groundwater potential and interpretation of the VES data also revealed four geo-electric layers, but generally two distinct lithologic layers, which include Superficial deposit and bedrock-basement respectively. The curves generated from the data revealed H curve and HK curve, and thickness of these layers varies from 15 m to 50 m in the area. The aquifer thickness range from 20 m to 30 m. The study concludes that these techniques are suitable for identifying borehole location in the basement rock in Abu Zabad Area Sudan

Mechanical, Durability, and Microstructural Evaluation of Coal Ash Incorporated Recycled Aggregate Concrete: An Application of Waste Effluents for Sustainable Construction

This study has endeavored to produce eco-friendly coal ash-incorporated recycled aggregate concrete (FRAC) by utilizing wastewater effluents for environmental sustainability. The mechanical and durability efficiency of the FRAC manufactured were explored using different kinds of effluent by performing a series of tests at various ages. The considered kinds of effluent for the mixing of FRAC were collected from a service station, as well as fertilizer, textile, leather, and sugar factories. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was utilized to judge the microstructural behavior of the constructed concrete compositions. The outcomes revealed that using textile factory effluent in the manufacturing of FRAC depicted peak compressive and split tensile strength improvements of 24% and 16% compared to that of the FRAC manufactured using potable water. The application of leather factory effluent for the manufacturing of FRAC portrayed the highest water absorption (13% better than the control mix). The application of fertilizer effluent in the manufacture of FRAC presented the greatest mass loss (19% enhanced than the control mix) due to H2SO4 solution intrusion and the ultimate chloride ion migration (16 mm at twenty-eight days of testing). The summation of coal ash improved the mechanical behavior of the concrete and also caused a reduction in its durability loss of. The SEM analysis depicted that the textile factory effluent presented the most densified microstructure with the development of ettringite needles and CSH gel having refined the ITZ

A critical review on mechanical, durability, and microstructural properties of industrial by-product-based geopolymer composites

For the sustainability of the construction industry, geopolymers (GPMs) play an important role compared with Portland cement due to their improved mechanical properties, enhanced durability, and outstanding performance in alkali and acidic conditions. Most of the previous review investigations explored the general behavior of GPM developed with kaolin, silica fume (SF), rice husk ash, ground granulated blast furnace slag, fly ash, etc., but a comprehensive review study on the industrial by-products, including granite waste powder (GWP) and bauxite residue (BR), is required to investigate their suitability in the construction industry. The current investigation aims to present a detailed review of the fresh, mechanical, durability, and microstructural behavior of the GPM paste produced using BR and GWP from the literature. The effect of different ingredients and testing conditions are evaluated for the fresh, mechanical, durability, thermal, and microstructural performance of the GPM paste. The results indicate that the pure BR having a lower ratio of SiO2/Al2O3 reacts poorly; therefore, it should be blended with other aluminosilicates comprising a higher ratio of SiO2/Al2O3 for better geopolymerization. Pre-activation of BR including 3 h calcination at 800°C, 1 h thermal pretreatment of alkali with solid activators at 800°C, mechanical co-grinding, and pulverization presented improved strength and microstructural properties of GPM. When mixing GWP in large quantities, heat curing is preferred for 8 h at 60–80°C for better behavior of GPM. Incorporating the nanomaterials into GWP-based GPM showed a significant impact on initial compressive and tensile strengths. Further studies on the synergistic use of GWP with aluminosilicate products and BR with silica-rich pozzolanic ingredients for GPM are required. Improved physiochemical features of BR-GPM and GWP-GPM are the potential research areas that can be addressed by incorporating raw materials for enhancing the internal matrix, such as nanoparticles, bio-additives, micro-fibers, etc., that have been observed to be effective for the GPM pastes