Investigation of properties of concrete incorporating wood ash as partial substitute of cement and waste foundry sand as a partial substitute of sand

Abstract

Concrete is one of the most extensively used building materials in the world because of its versatility and resilience. The concrete industry is evolving, nevertheless, and can now serve a wider variety of customers. The building industry is fully aware of the importance of implementing environmentally friendly policies and practices that increase productivity, product quality, and energy efficiency. One of the major problems with environmental concerns and a lack of space for landfills is the practice of burying trash and food leftovers. The major goal of this study is to establish the maximum allowable replacement percentage of waste foundry sand and wood ash for sand and cement in concrete without compromising the material's durability or mechanical properties. The mechanical properties of concrete that included these two waste materials increased by 15 %, but those that included more than 10 % replacement had the opposite effect. Although the concrete suffered significant strength loss when immersed in the acid solution, it was proven to be resistant to chloride and sulphate attacks when fortified with 10 % wood ash and waste foundry sand.