Eco-friendly incorporation of sugarcane bagasse ash as partial replacement of sand in foam concrete

Abstract

The sugarcane bagasse is locally utilized in sugar industries for power production that yields a huge amount of dumped waste sugarcane bagasse ash, which poses threats to human health by mutilating the atmosphere through particulate matter. Besides, river sand resources are depleting worldwide due to the uncontrolled extraction of sand for concrete production. Therefore, this research presents the microstructural, fresh, physicomechanical, and thermal properties of bagasse ash incorporated foam concrete and its comparison is made with control foam concrete. Microstructural characterization includes morphology, oxide composition, chemical reactivity, and its crystallographic characteristics. The characterization results revealed that it has flaky, tubular, and irregular-shaped particles containing amorphous silica and thus, possesses pozzolanic reactivity. The results of physicomechanical and thermal properties of 10% sugarcane bagasse ash incorporated foam concrete mix produced the maximum increase in compressive strength of 14.50% and a decrease in thermal conductivity of 10.76% compared to control-mix. The rise in compressive strength of sugarcane bagasse ash-based foam concrete was due to the formation of secondary calcium silicate hydrate gel due to the formation of pozzolanic hydrates. Whereas the decreased thermal conductivity was due to lightweight bagasse ash. Contrarily, the higher replacement of sugarcane bagasse ash changes the pore size and shape, which consequently damages the distribution of the pores by imploding foam bubbles due to the adsorptive nature of sugarcane bagasse ash. Conclusively, sugarcane bagasse ash provides eco-friendly sand replacement in foam concrete without degrading its mechanical properties. • Sugarcane bagasse ash poses threats to human health by mutilating the environment. • Densification of foam concrete microstructure occurred upon sugarcane bagasse ash incorporation. • Mechanical properties of foam concrete improved due to micro-pore refinement in cement paste matrix. • Thermal conductivity of concrete mixes reduced due to low specific gravity of incorporated ash.