DEPARTMENT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING

The increasing demand for sustainable construction materials has prompted the
exploration of alternative resources to conventional aggregates. This study investigated
the effect of using periwinkle shells as a partial replacement for coarse aggregate in
concrete, combined with chemical admixture.
The study utilized the following materials: cement, fine aggregate(sand), coarse
aggregate (granite), water, and periwinkle shells. The method involved preparing
concrete mixes with varying proportions (0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, and 40%) of granite
replaced by periwinkle shells. Standard laboratory tests were carried out, these include:
The physical properties of cement (consistency, initial and final setting time), aggregate
(fineness modulus, silt content, moisture content, specific gravity, aggregate crushing
value, and aggregate impact value test) and mechanical properties of the concrete
produced (compressive strength, split tensile strength, flexural strength) at 7, 14 and 28
days curing period. Slump test and water absorption tests, were also assessed to evaluate
the suitability of periwinkle shells as coarse aggregate substitutes.
The results showed that compressive strength decreased with increasing replacement but
remained satisfactory at lower levels. At 28 days, the control mix achieved 20.85 N/mm²,
while 10% replacement recorded 19.56 N/mm², representing a 6% reduction but still
retaining over 90% of the control strength. Similarly, split tensile strength reduced from 3.87 N/mm² (control) to 3.60 N/mm² (10%), and flexural strength decreased from 5.96 N/mm² to 4.13 N/mm² at 28 days. Water absorption increased slightly from 2.68% .(control) to 3.04% at 10% replacement, remaining within acceptable durability limits. Based on these findings, the optimum replacement level is 10%, as it offers improved sustainability while maintaining structural adequacy and durability for practical applications.

This study investigated the effect of ceramic waste powder (CWP) as a partial replacement of cement on the mechanical performance and durability of concrete, with the aim of promoting sustainable and environmentally friendly construction practices. The experimental work was carried out between August and September 2025 at the Civil Engineering Laboratory, University of Benin. Ceramic waste was crushed and ground to pass a 75 µm sieve, and concrete mixes with 0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, and 20% CWP were produced at a 1:2:4 mix ratio and a constant water–cement ratio of 0.55. Compressive strength was tested at 7, 14, and 28 days, while durability was assessed using water absorption and sorptivity.

The pressure exerted on a water distribution system due to population increase and aging of
the system yields to routine assessment of its functionality. EPANET 2.2 software was used
comparatively in evaluating/analyzing the serviceability of the water distribution system in
University of Benin, Ugbowo campus. A steady state analysis was also carried out to determine hydraulic parameters such as pressure, velocity, headloss and flow. The results from the design simulation shows that the pressure gotten at all nodes was suitable for the design and the pressure results indicated a high head within the system which resulted to (90%) of the nodes operating above the adopted system pressure of 10m while the remaining 10% of the pressure was operating below the pressure of 10m.

Ignoring to investigate ground water quality and predict groundwater flow can have serious consequences for sustainable environmental practices and water resource management. The aim of this applied study was to model and simulate the ground water flow at the Benin city second cemetery area using the MODEL-MUSE software. In this study, The Model-muse software was used in 10 years (1995-2006) transient
groundwater monitoring at the second cemetery area. Digital elevation models, shapefiles, yearly recharge and pumping rates data of the
study area were incooperated into modelmuse to model the transient flow pattern from 19952006 stress period.

This study was aimed at conducting a comparative analysis of the performance of biochar and activated carbon as filter media for greywater remediation and also evaluating key parameters including adsorption capacity, removal efficiency for specific contaminants, and environmental impacts through laboratory experiments, the study also assessed the effectiveness of both materials in removing common greywater contaminants such as organic compounds, nutrients and heavy metals. Biochar was prepared from plantain peels that was pyrolized at 600°C and activated with zinc chloride, while Activated carbon was produced through the pyrolysis of wood and activated through the use of zinc chloride as the activation reagent. The properties of the produced was characterized through the use of FTIR and SEMEDS characterization methods. The greywater sample was passed through both filter media and the adsorption efficiency of both filter media was measured by evaluating the reduction in contaminants such as organic matter, nutrients, and suspended solids before and after treatment. Biochar reduced pH by 26.7%, while activated carbon lowered it by 21%. Activated carbon was more effective, reducing turbidity by 56.5%, suspended solids by 45.5%, and heavy metals (iron 82.7%, lead 81.5%, cadmium 90.7%). Both reduced conductivity and total dissolved solids by 57–60%. Biochar increased alkalinity and hardness, while activated carbon lowered them by 57%. Biochar removed more chloride and performed similarly well for magnesium. In conclusion, activated carbon emerged as the more effective filtration medium for treating greywate

This research work was carried out to understand the impact of climate on asphalt pavement. Climate, changes due to the activities of the human kind as technology advances it leads to the emission of greenhouse gas into the atmosphere, thereby in the long term altering with the climate. It is paramount to always factor in the future climate projection when designing pavement due to the impact climate parameters such as temperature and precipitation have on the performance of the pavement. The methods used for the determination of the performance of the pavement due to the climate is the pavement temperature model and the rutting depth of the pavement over time. The pavement temperature is determined using the historic temperature data and future projected temperature data of the study area. The data used for the determination of the historic pavement temperature of the road was that of January 2025 using the Viljoen pavement temperature. The future projection of the pavement temperature for the year 2021 to the year 2040 is that gotten from the CMIP6 temperature model used by the world bank for world climate research program. The rutting depth throughout the design life of the pavement is gotten from the MEPDG workbook. The result of the maximum pavement temperature gave a standard deviation of ±1.6 ̊C with the coefficient of variation equal to 2.86% with the minimum pavement temperature giving a standard deviation of ±1.89 ̊C with the coefficient of variation equal to 7.34%.The rutting depth of the pavement in study location was predicted to reach the depth of 11.53mm by the end of the design life.

This study evaluated the impact of cement grout as a stabilizing agent for the improvement of the bearing capacity of sandy soil by grouting and the use of Geographic Information system (GIS) to provide the necessary geographical information. This study was achieved by conducting the collection of soil sample in Iguoshodin community at a depth of 1.5m and the samples were taken to the University of Benin soil laboratory centre to conduct the necessary laboratory tests. These tests were natural moisture content test, specific gravity test, sieve analysis test, cone penetrometer test and standard proctor compaction test, all in accordance with the British Standard BS 1377: Part 2: 1990. The Geographic Information System (GIS) was used to carry out queries of the attributes of the soil samples in reference to the available soil standards. As a result, the time it takes to obtain the data is greatly reduced because it is constantly available

Municipal solid waste has become more challenging to manage as the population and the use for land increases, the estimation of the energy value of waste is essential to the409kj management of the solid municipal waste and the production of wealth to the community. the aim is to estimate the amount of energy by the waste produced the designated study area can produce using Dulong’s formula, In the study, the energy valued waste was collected from the faculty of engineering of the University of Benin, Benin city, Edo state. Different waste components, such as food, plastic, papers, agricultural and wood waste were collected and there elemental components such as carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, sulphur, potassium and nitrogen were analysed to get the dry weight, wet weight, Percentage of mass base, moisture content, chemical compositions, molar mass, chemical formula and the energy content The Estimating of energy content from municipal waste was performed successfully, all objectives were accomplished, the examination of the composition of municipal waste was performed and we discovered the percentage dry mass basis of each component, the percentage mass of each of the component of solids where determined, the overall moisture content was also determined from the sample collected and the energy value was calculated to be 897.409kj, the sustainability was checked and it was discovered that it could generate about 4.01% of energy needed for the University which is a great way of converting waste to wealth.

All over Nigeria as well as to the overseas the fuel oils as well as crude oils are transported through distribution pipes, tankers cargo ships. Although the processes are well laid out to avoid leakages of pipes, accidents of service tankers these events still happens on a regular bases especially in the niger delta region of the country where pipe vandalism due to oil bunkery is on the rise. All these processes leads to the leakages of fuel oils e.g kerosene which eventually settles on coastal waters. The leaked oil products would result in contaminating the water which are used in the concrete mortar and the sandcrete industry which are the cement dependent industry. In this study, the effect of water contaminated with kerosene on the compressive strength of conventional normal ordinary Portland cement has been evaluated in various exposure conditions

This study evaluated the compressive strength of coconut shell concrete for concrete construction by partially replacing coarse aggregate with crushed coconut shells at varying levels (0%, 5%, 10%, and 15%). The primary aim was to determine the optimum replacement percentage that delivers satisfactory mechanical performance including compressive strength, split tensile strength, and flexural strength while promoting sustainability and reducing concrete weight. This investigation is driven by the need to recycle agricultural waste and improve the environmental footprint of conventional concrete in harsh service conditions. A series of experiments were conducted on concrete mixes with replacement levels of 0%, 5%, 10%, and 15% by weight, prepared with a constant water-to-cement ratio of 0.48. Fresh concrete workability was assessed using slump tests, which indicated a reduction in
slump as the percentage of coconut shell replacement increased. Hardened concrete specimens were cast in cube form and cured for 7, 14, and 28 days. Compressive strength tests were then carried out using a universal compression testing machine with a 2000 kN capacity. The failure load of each cube was recorded, and compressive strength was calculated using the formula: Strength = (Maximum Load)/(Cross-sectional Area). The results show that the control mix (0% replacement) achieved average compressive strengths of 21.09 N/mm² at 7 days, 23.90 N/mm² at 14 days, and 30.51 N/mm² at 28 days. Although increasing coconut shell content resulted in higher water absorption and a slight reduction in workability, the mix with 5% replacement maintained compressive strength values closest to the control, while meeting the target design characteristic strength (approximately 20 N/mm²). These findings indicate that a 5% replacement level provides the optimal balance between sustainability and mechanical performance, making coconut shell concrete a viable alternative for concrete applications.