Exploring Sawdust as a Sustainable Alternative in Block Production: A Study on Compressive Strength and Environmental Impact

Abstract

The utilisation of sawdust in block manufacture has effectively minimised the amount of waste material being disposed of in landfills. The study aimed to examine the utilisation of sawdust as a partial substitute for sand in the manufacture of blocks and assess the compressive strength of sandcrete and sawdust blocks. The experiment utilised cement grade 32.5R, pit sand as the fine aggregate, fine particles of sawdust, and a water-cement ratio of 0.65. Control specimen 0,utilised 10%, 15%, and 20% of fine sawdust particles as partial substitutes for sand. Subsequently, the materials were combined in a proportion of 1:3 to generate sawdust and sandcrete blocks. The block samples were cured by applying water at intervals of 7, 14, and 21 days, respectively. The results indicate a significant alteration in the water-cement ratio employed during the material batching and mixing procedure of the sawdust samples. Additional results revealed differences in the compressive strength and density tests between sandcrete and sawdust blocks in the control specimens. The compressive strength of sandcrete blocks was superior to that of sawdust blocks. Sandcrete blocks are suitable for load-bearing purposes in construction projects, whilst sawdust blocks are suitable for non-load-bearing walls.