International Journal of Technology and Engineering Studies volume 4 issue 6 pp. 233-242 doi: https://dx.doi.org/10.20469/ijtes.4.10005-6 Effect of Silica Fume and Polymers on Absorption and Some Mechanical Properties of Concrete Contains Waste Aggregates Layth A. Alasadi * Department of Civil Engineering, University of Kufa, Al-Najaf, Iraq Afrah A. Alkraidi Department of Civil Engineering, University of Kufa, Al-Najaf, Iraq Qusay A. Alatiyah Department of Civil Engineering, University of Kufa, Al-Najaf, Iraq Abstract: This research aims to study silica fume and liquid polymers (Styrene Butadiene Rubber (SBR)) on absorption and some mechanical properties of concrete like compressive strength, tensile strength, and flexural strength of concrete containing waste aggregates. The aim for using silica fume powder is to increase the strength of concrete by reaction of this material with silicates hydroxide that liberates from the hydration of cement. This reaction gives additional cement gel that fills the pores inside cement paste and gives higher strength, less absorption concrete, and more durable concrete. Using the waste aggregates in this study has two benefits: the decrease in concrete cost. Secondly, it is higher mechanical properties by using glass aggregates because of its properties that have zero absorption compared with normal aggregates and higher strength of glass that give concrete additional strength and durability. The effect of silica fume only on concrete was given a 61% increment in compressive strength. However, with polymers together give about 72% increment, flexural strength increased from 3.8 MPa for reference mixes to 10.5 MPa for silica fume mixes and 12.3 MPa for polymer-silica mixes. The absorption decreases from 6.01% to 2.85% for silica mixes and to 1.5% for polymer-silica mixes. SBR can give additional bonds between cement particles or gel with external silica of aggregates and decrease voids inside concrete. So, the use of both silica fume and polymers can give extra bond and strength and fewer voids concrete, and these are the main aims of using both materials in this study. Hence, these findings could be beneficial for manufacturers and builders. Keywords: Silica fume, polymers, compressive strength, tensile strength flexural strength, absorption, SBR, waste aggregates Received: 06 September 2018; Accepted: 12 November 2018; Published: 28 December 2018 I. INTRODUCTION Concrete properties can be improved by using ad- mixtures, there are a lot of admixtures that can improve concrete properties, the reason of using admixtures in concrete can be attributed by the negative properties of or- dinary concrete such as low tensile and flexural strength, low impact strength, low or less durability because of concrete nature that have voids and cavities and high permeability that can reduce strength and durability. Ad- mixtures have a wide varieties such as liquid polymers and solid or powder polymers can improve mechanical properties and impact strength and also durability, also super-plasticizers are very important liquid chemicals can reduce water/cement ratio and highly increase strength of concrete. silica fume is a type of admixtures can provide or give higher mechanical properties than ordinary con- crete, and also some admixtures like polymers increase mechanical properties and decrease the permeability of * Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Layth A. Alasadi, Department of Civil Engineering, University of Kufa, Al-Najaf, Iraq. E-mail: tausif.ce@must.edu.pk c  2018 The Author(s). Published by KKG Publications. This is an Open Access article distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution- NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License..