The College of Engineering at the University of Baghdad held the public defense of the master’s thesis presented by the student (Mohammed Salih Motathud Mohammed Salih), from the Department of Civil Engineering, entitled:
“The Effect of Iraqi Sand Types on the Properties of Foamed Concrete”, on Monday, 25/8/2025, at (Prof. Dr. Ihsan Yahya Hussein Hall), under the supervision of (Dr. Mohammed Zuhear Abdulameer Al-Mulali).
The thesis aimed to achieve two main objectives:
First- to identify the most suitable types of sand available in Iraq for the production of foamed concrete with enhanced properties.
Second- to evaluate the impact of these sand types on key performance indicators such as compressive strength, tensile strength, and other relevant properties through comprehensive laboratory testing and analysis.
The study included several key points:
- Laboratory study on the types of fine aggregate (sand) that were selected and conduct a comparison between them.
- Experimental investigation of foamed concrete with a target density of 900 kg/m³, using each selected sand type, in order to evaluate the resulting physical and mechanical properties.
- Describe and evaluate the final results in detail and provide discussion on them.
Based on the findings, the thesis proposed several recommendations, including:
- Use other types of sand available in other Iraqi governorates.
- Conduct a comparative study between Iraqi river and marine sand.
- Conducting a study to determine the effect of both natural and artificial sand on the properties of foamed concrete.
- Use additives that improve the mechanical properties and durability of foamed concrete as an alternative to cement (such as silica, fly ash, etc.).
- Use additives that reduce mixing water and improve workability, such as superplasticizers and others.
Following the scientific discussion by the examination committee, and after evaluating the thesis and the student’s defense, the researcher was awarded the master’s degree in Structural Materials Engineering.
