Evaluation of physical and chemical properties of South African waste foundry sand (WFS) for concrete use

The foundry industry in South Africa forms one of the greatest industries in the manufacturing sector. It produces waste foundry sand (WFS) that ends up in landfill sites. Around 80% of the WFS could be utilized as a substitute for sand in concrete. The utilization of WFS will benefit the industry, as raw materials (natural sand alternative) and energy are conserved, while costs of disposal are lowered. Soil pollution, as well as water and air resources, will be minimized and the foundries' competitiveness will be improved. In this study, the physical and chemical properties of five WFSs (two clays and three chemically bonded molding sands) from Gauteng, South Africa were analyzed. The samples were investigated with a view to determine their conformity with applicable engineering criteria when used as a replacement, to various extents, of the fine aggregate. The main properties investigated included physical properties (particle gradation, moisture content, un-compacted bulk density, specific gravity, loss on ignition, clay content, and fineness modulus) and the chemical properties (X-ray fluorescence (XRF), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy/energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDS), pH). The sands generally did not meet the standards pertaining to grading requirements. However, the chemical test results showed the composition of these sands to be comparable with results from other investigations and suitable for use as a natural sand replacement in concrete.