Optimum production conditions for reactive rice husk ash

Abstract

Addition of pozzolanic admixtures generally enhances the performance of concrete and in particular the durability. If rice husk ash (RHA) is incinerated in controlled conditions, it can exhibit high pozzolanicity. Significant amount of work has already been reported on the production methodologies of reactive RHA. However, the optimum conditions which will result in highly reactive amorphous ash with minimum production energy have not yet been established. In the present experimental work, RHA samples are produced under various conditions of incineration using laboratory box furnace. Energy consumption has been examined in this study. Reactivity of ash has been established by various techniques, such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopic study (SEM), analytical method and conductometric test. RHA-OPC reactivity has also been studied in this work. Based on the experimental investigations on fineness, amorphous silica content, energy consumption and reactivity of ash, the optimum production conditions of reactive RHA have been identified.