The Use of Gum Arabic In Concrete Mixes

Abstract

In this research, Gum Arabic, extracted from (Hashab) trees (in western Sudan ) the purest kind of gum, is used in concrete mixes after crushing to be in a form of powder which was dissolved in water to get the liquid of this additive. In this study, Gum Arabic powder and liquid was added to concrete mixes at ratios 0.1%, 0.2%, 0.4%, 0.6%, 0.8%, 1.0 % and 1.2 % of cement content. Fifteen concrete mixes were prepared: One as a control mix, seven with Gum Arabic powder, and seven with Gum Arabic liquid, and three with Gum Arabic liquid with modified water cement ratios added. The study showed that the addition of Gum Arabic to the concrete mixes has a clear effect when equal to 0.4% of cement content. The compressive strength was measured at ages of 7, 21, and 28 days and it was found that it decreases slightly with increase in the proportion of Gum Arabic in concrete mixes. The study shows that good results of compressive strength concrete and workability of concrete were obtained when using the gum Arabic liquid. The concrete mixes prepared using modified gum Arabic in its liquid state by reducing (w/c) and adding gum Arabic as a percentage of cement content showed a clear change in the properties of concrete. These ratios resulted in high compressive strength concrete with good workability.