Geoenvironmental assessment of impacts of quarrying and quality of aggregates from various sources in parts of SouthEastern Nigeria

dc.contributor.authorAgubom, John-Kennedy
dc.date.accessioned2025-05-05T10:55:03Z
dc.date.available2025-05-05T10:55:03Z
dc.date.issued2023-07
dc.descriptionThis thesis is for the award of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD.) in Environmental Geology
dc.description.abstractThe increasing demand for sand and crushed aggregates in parts of Southeastern Nigeria has necessitated the assessment of the impacts of aggregate quarrying such as air quality, dust (suspended particulate matter) and noise which constitute serious environmental problems, including health hazards of various types of cancers, silicosis and sometimes premature death amongst quarry workers and residents of immediate community in Lokpaukwu, Amasiri, Ishiagu, Uturu and Afikpo quarry sites, Southeastern Nigeria. Nine (9) sampling points were selected for the study and they include: primary crusher, generator house, secondary crusher, blasting pit, admin block, staff quarters, entrance gate, workshop and weighing bridge.Quarrying of sand in Njaba, Nwaorie and Otamiri rivers respectively has distorted their channel morphology both in depth and width thereby threatening the neighbouring bridges and river banks. However, the physico-mechanical properties of road stone aggregates from some intrusive rock quarries were determined and the results used to evaluate the quality of the aggregates as raodstone. Four aggregate samples were collected from the following intrusive rock quarries: Lokpaukwu (Ezeaku Formation, Diorite); Uturu (Ezeaku Formation, Andesite); Ishiagu (Asu River Group; Diorite); and Afikpo (Ezeaku Formation, Dolerite). The physico-mechanical tests performed on the samples include: Aggregate Crushing Value (ACV); Aggregate Impact Value (AIV); Los Angeles Abrasion Value (LAAV); Water Absorption (WA); and Specific Gravity (SG). Results of the tests (ACV, AIV, LAAV, WA and SG) for aggregate samples from the quarries (Lokpaukwu (Diorite), Uturu (Andesite, Ishiagu (Diorite) and Afikpo (Dolerite)), respectively, are: 15.60%, 13.70%, 26.30%, 0.54% and 2.75; 19.20%, 19.01%, 19.50%, 0.01% and 2.67; 15.50%, 17.40%, 23.50%, 1.2% and 2.75; and 13.80%, 14.40%, 33.70%, 0.50% and 2.81.According to Nigerian Federal Ministry of Works Standards, the values from all the quarries are within the acceptable limits for roadstone aggregates (<30%, < 30%, <40%, <3% and >2.6), respectively. They are therefore recommended to be used as aggregates in road construction. On the other hand sandstones from Elugwu/ Umuchienta (Ameka Formation) are better than Okigwe( Nsukka Formation ) sandstones as a result of tests performed on the following parameters(ACV, AIV, LAAV, WA, BD and CCT) for aggregate quality as good for concrete material are: 35.70%, 32.60%, 46.48%, 0.90%, 1.42mg/m3 , 18.90N/mm3 and 34.50%, 36.40%, 60.70%, 0.60%, 1.63mg/m3 , 16.65N/mm3 respectively.
dc.identifier.citationAgubom, J. K. (2023). Geoenvironmental assessment of impacts of quarrying and quality of aggregates from various sources in parts of SouthEastern Nigeria (Unpublished Doctoral Thesis). Fedearal University of Technology, Owerri, Nigeria
dc.identifier.urihttps://repository.futo.edu.ng/handle/20.500.14562/1819
dc.language.isoen
dc.publisherFederal University of Technology, Owerri
dc.rightsAttribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 4.0 Internationalen
dc.rights.urihttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/
dc.subjectAggregates
dc.subjectquarry
dc.subjectphysico- mechanical
dc.subjectroadstone
dc.subjectconcrete
dc.subjectDepartment of Geology
dc.titleGeoenvironmental assessment of impacts of quarrying and quality of aggregates from various sources in parts of SouthEastern Nigeria
dc.typeDoctoral Thesis

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