High-performance concrete made with dune sand Available to Purchase

When concrete is placed in harsh conditions where aggressive chemicals are present, high-performance concrete that provides the highest levels of durability and technical performance is required. At the same time, locally available construction materials must be used so that the cost of concrete production is minimised. Deserts, which generally receive less than 250 mm of precipitation each year, take up about a third of the Earth's land surface. Dune sand is available in abundance in deserts. This article presents a case study of the use of dune sand to produce high-performance concrete and illustrates that large-scale usage of dune sand in real projects – where there is a degree of variability and changes in construction materials, personnel and weather over a duration of two to three years – is feasible and can result in significant cost savings. This paper reports on the lessons learned from a construction project for a 2 km tunnel in the Middle East with an intended working life of 75 years, for which very stringent requirements for high-performance concrete were stipulated in the technical specifications owing to the adverse environmental conditions. The concrete fully met the requirements even though dune sand, as partial replacement of manufactured sand, was used as fine aggregate.