Engineering properties of ultra-high strength concrete containing sugarcane bagasse and corn stalk ashes

Abstract

Agricultural countries suffer from growth problems of agricultural waste ash (AWA). This research paper studies the use of AWA as a partial substitute for cement to produce ultra-high-strength concrete (UHSC). This paper also investigates the effect of using sugarcane bagasse ash (SBA) and corn stalk ash (CSA) on the properties of UHSC. Residues from the combustion process of agricultural wastes are utilized as a pozzolanic material inserted as a partial substitute for cement for UHSC production. The replacement rates of cement by the SBA were 10%, 20%, and 30% of the mass, whilst those of cement by the CSA were 2%, 4%, 6%, and 8% of the mass. The effects of SBA and CSA on workability, compressive strength, splitting tensile strength, flexural strength, and modulus of elasticity on UHSC properties were investigated. In addition, the effects of SBA and CSA on resistance to chloride ion penetration and water sorptivity and permeability in UHSC were investigated. The investigations showed impressive results. That is, producing UHSC with respective compressive and flexural strengths of more than 205 and 27 MPa is possible when 24% of cement mass replacement by AWA (SBA 20% + CSA 4%) is conducted at the test age of 28 days. The lowest permeability is achieved with 38% of cement mass replacement by AWA (SBA 30% + CSA 8%) of 140 coulombs and 0.95 (cm/sec) for chloride and water permeability, respectively.