Waste Foundry Sand (WFS) is the disposal that has been of great concern to the environment and this is as a result of high volumes generated in the process of metal casting. The building sector is developing eco-friendly alternatives to the natural aggregates in order to minimize environmental degradation and save natural resources. In this paper, the application of WFS as a partial substitute of fine aggregate in the concrete is explored and its impact on the major mechanical properties such as compressive strength, split tensile strength, and flexural properties of reinforced concrete beams assessed. Concrete samples were prepared using foundry sand as a substitute of fine aggregate at 0%, 5% 10% 15 and 20 weight proportions and cured at 7, 14 and 28 days. The achievements of the experiment indicated that the compressive and tensile strengths improved significantly by up to 6.8 and 7 % respectively at 5-10 % replacement levels and higher replacement percentages (15 and 20 %) showed strength decline. Flexural tests revealed that 5% replacement mix was most effective with 20 % increment in load bearing capacity accompanied by enhanced crack resistance. These results show that WFS can be effectively applied as a natural fine aggregates substituent in concrete production, especially in the replacement levels of up to 10% and can be part of more environmentally-friendly construction.
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