Total Dissolved Solids in Water in Makurdi along Benue Valley-Nigeria: Effects on Potability and Compressive Strengths of Solid Concrete

Potable water is a scarce resource in many parts of the world. Also, construction works in modern-day buildings need strength to withstand various loads – and concrete’s versatility makes it an ideal material where strength is of importance. Water is a crucial binder in concrete making. A laboratory-controlled experimental approach was used to determine the effect of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) in the water on the compressive strength of solid concretes in Makurdi and its metropolis. A concrete mix ratio of 1:2:3 was used for the experiment. Water samples were collected from rivers (uphill and downhill of River Benue) and wells in Wurukum, Wadata, High Level and North Bank areas of Makurdi and their TDS measured, using a digital TDS meter. Concrete cubes of uniform dimensions were cast with water from each water source and cured for 28 days. We found out that compressive strengths increased with time and peaked around the 28th day. The mass per litre of the dissolved solids does not appear to affect the compressive strength in a linear pattern, pointing to the nature of the dissolved solids as being responsible for the differences in the compressive strengths. Further study is recommended