Mechanical Performance of Mortar and Concrete Using Borneo Wood Sawdust as Replacement of Fine Aggregate

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the utilization of wood sawdust from Borneo Island as a replacement for fine aggregate. For that purpose, two types of sawdust will be used, which are sawdust from ulin wood (Eusideroxylon Zwageri) and meranti wood (Shorea spp.). Subsequently, to test the effectiveness of replacing fine aggregate with sawdust, the compressive strength tests were carried out for mortar and concrete samples. Furthermore, the fine aggregate replacement ratio in all samples was set to 2.5% and 5% for both types of sawdust. Moreover, samples were also made by adding 0.5 kg/m3 and 1 kg/m3 of ulin and meranti sawdust to the concrete mixture. The compressive strength results of mortar samples show that sawdust from ulin wood has a better effect compared to meranti wood. In addition, the combination of sawdust from ulin and meranti gave a better effect in increasing the strength of the mortar samples. The same pattern could also be observed in the concrete samples, where ulin wood sawdust provides a good strength-enhancing effect, especially when used as an addition to the fine aggregate. Therefore, it is highly recommended to use sawdust, especially from ulin wood, as a material for making green concrete.