Influence of Binary Blend of Corn Cob Ash and Glass Powder as Partial Replacement of Cement in Concrete

Abstract

The increasing demand for concrete for various infrastructure construction has led to significant production and usage of Portland cement which is the main binder used for concrete. The production of Portland cement poses a sustainability threat as its production emits a large amount of carbon dioxide into the environment coupled with the high consumption of natural resources. Therefore, the use of alternative materials will result in a significant reduction in these carbon emissions and deformation of the environment. On the other hand, the increasing population coupled with urbanization has led to the generation of several tonnes of solid wastes annually from various processes. Some of these wastes generated can be recycled and used as partial replacement of Portland cement in concrete mixtures. In order to improve the sustainability of concrete mixtures, this study was undertaken to evaluate the performance of concrete mixture incorporating recycled products as partial replacement of Portland cement. Corn cob ash and glass powder which are waste products from the agricultural and manufacturing industry respectively were used as binary cementitious material (BCM) to replace Portland cement up to 20% in concrete production. The effects of the BCM on the slump and mechanical properties were evaluated. Results from this study showed that the incorporation of BCM resulted in a decrease in the slump of the concrete mixtures. In terms of mechanical properties, 10% BCM was deemed the optimum due to the enhancement of the compressive and split tensile strength. Sustainability analysis of the mixtures also indicates BCM can be used to reduce the embodied energy and carbon of concrete mixtures.