Over the past period, many researches have been conducted on Metakaolin (MK) as a Supplementary
cementing materials SCM, as the results of these researches MK has became one of the most promising
materials that has a good future in concrete production. To produce local MK, raw kaolins from
Kalabsha zone on Aswan and Abo zenema zone on Sinai which are characterized by high kaolinite
content have been thermally activated and convert to metakaolin successfully by calcination process at
temperature 750 °C on electrical furnace for 3 hours burning time.
In this paper, the using of two types of Egyptian MK as supplementary cementing materials and
optimum percentages ratio as a cement replacement in concrete mixtures were investigated. As well the
performance of these MKs was compared to that for both commercial silica fume and Ordinary cement.
In addition, the effect of two types of MK on concrete resistance to 1.5% hydrochloric acid attack was
evaluated. Results show that Egyptian MKs can be considered as an effective pozzolanic mineral
admixture where, metakaolin replacement of cement is effective in improving mechanical properties of
concrete. The optimum dosage of metakaolin, as a partial cement replacement is 15 to 20%. It achieves
an increase in compressive strength by 25% as compared to control ones. With regard to durability of
concrete incorporating MKs on 1.5% hydrochloric acid, both type of MK concrete mixtures improved
the concrete resistance to 1.5% hydrochloric acid attack than control after all immersion time, where
the mass loss in concrete specimens of both type of MK at the end of exposure to 1.5% hydrochloric
acid were found about 7.7% and 7.3%, respectively compared to 9.91% for control specimens. The
silica fume concrete specimens exhibited the least mass loss compared to control and both MK, which
was 1.71%, 2.62 and 3.41% after 30, 60 and 90 days of exposure to the acid, respectively. This
demonstrated that the using of 20% of silica fume as partial replacement for OPC had better effect on
the resistance of concrete to hydrochloric acid attack.