Compressive Strength of Concrete F'c=210 Kg/Cm2 with the Addition of 10% and 15% of Aloe Vera Gel

Abstract

The objective of this research was to determine the variation in the compressive strength of concrete with f'c = 210 kg/cm² when adding aloe vera gel in proportions of 10% and 15% with respect to the mixing water. An experimental design was used with 45 test tubes distributed in three groups, the first group corresponds to the standard sample, the second group to the samples with the addition of 10% and the third group to the samples with the addition of 15%, evaluated after 7 , 14 and 28 days of curing. The aggregates used were obtained from the Bazán quarry, which complied with current technical regulations. The design of the mixtures was carried out using the ACI 211 method. Our study has a quantitative approach and is experimental, the results obtained were a compressive strength of concrete without addition of 241.41 kg/cm² at 28 days, while with 10% aloe vera gel increased to 296.61 kg/cm² (22.89% more) and with 15% it reached 268.88 kg/cm² (11.38% more). According to the results, the hypothesis proposed for the 10% addition is partially approved, since the expected 20% increase was exceeded, while for the 15% this value was not reached. It was concluded that 10% addition is the optimal percentage to maximize compressive strength, combining effectiveness and economic viability, thus supporting the use of aloe vera as a promising natural additive to improve concrete properties in a sustainable manner.