Abstract

Concrete production requires a significant amount of natural resources, with aggregates comprising between 55% and 80% of the total volume. However, the over-exploitation of natural aggregates has led to the exploration of alternative materials for use in concrete production. In this study, crushed hazelnut shells were investigated as a partial replacement for fine aggregate, addressing the problem of natural resource depletion and offering a second use for this important agricultural waste product available in Chile. Hazelnut shells were incorporated in percentages of 2.5%, 5%, and 10% by weight of sand for water/cement ratios of 0.4 and 0.5. The compressive strength at 7 and 28 days and bending strength at 28 days were determined, alongside physical properties such as the workability, temperature, air content, fresh density, and hardened density of the concrete. Our findings showed that replacing 2.5% of the fine aggregate with hazelnut shells led to a higher compressive strength at 28 days, exceeding the strength of the standard specimens by 9.5%, whereas replacing 5% of the fine aggregate led to the highest bending strength, exceeding the strength of the standard specimens by 3.5%. Moreover, the 0.4 w/c ratio consistently led to better results for both compressive and bending strength, with fewer and lower reductions in mechanical strength compared to the standard mixture. Our results suggest that concrete mixes with hazelnut shells as a replacement for fine aggregate at a percentage of up to 2.5% can be used in construction systems with a compression strength lower than 17 MPa, and mixtures with up to 10% hazelnut shell replacement can be used in structures with tensile bending stress requirements lower than 6 MPa. Overall, the use of hazelnut shells as a partial replacement for fine aggregate in concrete production presents an environmentally friendly and cost-effective solution for the construction industry.